The importance of medical aid for young adults

Young adults usually have better things to spend their money on than medical aid, and if this sounds familiar, it’s time you reanalyse your needs and take a rain check on the next music concert. Medical expenses are part of life, and while you might think that you’re young and healthy, accidents can happen at any age, anywhere. Even more so when you’re free-spirited and have little responsibilities.

Whether you’ve just graduated from university or you’ve recently slotted into your first job, make sure that medical aid is on your list of monthly expenses. Most healthcare policies are tailored according to your needs and financial abilities, which is ideal for young professionals starting out in the world.

There is a package for everyone

The great thing about medical aid is that you’ll be able to find coverage that suits your lifestyle, without making you pay an arm and a leg for something you cannot afford. The medical packages can range from comprehensive cover to hospital plans. Each package and medical aid company has their own set of features that you can expect to be covered for. For example, accident cover, surgery, emergencies and any other intensive medical coverage.

In reality, it’s easy to sit back and refuse to pay for such medical aid, but when you’re forced to face the costs of hospitalisation, it will make you reconsider your decisions. The same goes for young adults who have fallen ill with chronic illnesses. Without the medical aid, they would never be able to afford assistance. Be it reckless accidents or simply health-related issues that have become worse over time, it’s extremely important to consider some type of medical plan to support your needs in the toughest of times.

Benefits of medical aid for young adults

While the cost of living in South Africa continues to rise, so does the cost of medical bills. This may urge you to either cancel or not apply at all for a medical scheme, but this should not be compromised on. For instance, you might find yourself in a stressful situation where you’re asking yourself, “does medical aid cover abortion?”. Nearly anything can happen, and without medical aid, you’ll need the cash.

Another key element about having medical cover is that you get to choose which hospital you’d prefer to go to. This is a wonderful perk as, depending on how serious your incident is, you’ll have the choice of going to a private hospital over a crowded public hospital. And it’s moments like these where you will truly understand and remember why you’ve paid for such medical aid cover. It’s worth the payments.

Here are a few personal benefits of paying for a medical premium:

• You’ll have peace of mind knowing that if an unforeseen event were to happen, you will not need to fork out the cash to pay for your medical bills because you’ll be covered.
• You will have access to some of the best hospitals in South Africa, with the best doctors, nurses and overall medical care and support.
• Depending on your medical scheme, you will get the opportunity to visit the eye doctor or a physiotherapist if you needed to go for an eye test or general check-up at a general practitioner.
• If you have a chronic illness, you’ll constantly be able to receive your medication any necessary trauma care.
• Again, depending on the scheme you purchase, you might get the opportunity to go to a doctor for regular health check-ups and blood tests. This is extremely valuable in moments of urgency, especially considering how much consultation fees are, along with your medication.
• Some policies offer extended lifestyle benefits such as gym membership discounts.

Get insured today

As you can see, medical schemes are able to offer endless benefits depending on the type of premium you pay. With such a broad variety of consultants and packages to choose from, you can be certain that you’ll find something that works for you, your lifestyle and your budget. Before you make any hasty decisions, make sure that you do your research and speak to professionals who can help you.

With such an ever-changing environment, with danger lurking behind every door, medical aid has become a necessity and no longer something that you can afford not to have. You certainly cannot predict how your life is going to pan out, so the best advice is to put some money aside every month for these costs. Instead of using your money for luxuries, try and cut down on your entertainment expenses and start a fresh monthly budget to accommodate your health care. In the long-term, you’ll thank yourself.

By simply taking these steps to look after yourself and your future, you’ll easily find ways to stretch your money further each month while still being covered for anything medical-related.