Bonitas Bonstart Plus: in-and-out of hospital benefits (2026)

Contents:

This page has overview information on: Costs, In-hospital, Out of Hospital and Medicine benefits for Bonitas BonStart Plus. Please consult and verify with the scheme or your broker for full benefits, and an explanation of all the "fine print".

Terminology:

  • PMBs: Prescribed Minimum Benefits. You can read more about PMBs, see a list of all PMB conditions or read more what "PMB only" benefit means.
  • DSPs: Designated Service Providers. Where stipulated, you must use specific providers to get full benefit.
  • Co-payment: Paid out of pocket, or out of savings account. Sometimes this is refundable to you if you have a gap product.
  • All schemes have extensive exclusions. We've tried to list the non-common ones here, but please consult your scheme or broker to get the full list.

Monthly Costs (2026)

(Other benefits: Costs | Inhospital | Out of hospital | Medication | Maternity | Cancer | Mental Health | Dentistry | Optometry | Other/Extra Benefits | Wellness | Prosthetics)

Bonitas:Bonstart Plus (2026)
Main member: Adult member: Child member:
Total Cost pm:
  • R2,040
  • R1,940
  • R899
Savings:
  • No savings account option on this plan
  • The scheme might still cover some or all day-to-day claims. See below, and see benefits.
Children Rates:
  • Up to 24yrs
  • Pay for all children
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In-hospital Procedures (2026):

(Other benefits: Costs | Inhospital | Out of hospital | Medication | Maternity | Cancer | Mental Health | Dentistry | Optometry | Other/Extra Benefits | Wellness | Prosthetics)

Bonitas: Bonstart Plus
Assume scheme pays all these costs, at 100% scheme rate, unless otherwise stated
GPs and Specialists:
  • GPs: 100% scheme rate
  • Specialists: 100% scheme rate
Gap Cover:
Can push payout up to 700% scheme rate
(Plans coming soon)
Hospital Choice:
  • Long stay: Network hospital
  • Day procedure: Day network hospital
Penalty for using other hospital:
  • Use of non-network long stay hospital: R12,680 penalty
  • Use of non-network Day hospital: R12,680 penalty
Gap Cover:
Can cover the penalty in full
(Plans coming soon)
Co-payments:
  • R1,240 co-payment per admission, except for motor vehicle accidents, maternity confinements and emergency treatment
  • Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: R3,160 co-payment
  • Arthroscopy (when done as part of a surgical procedures): R3,160 co-payment
  • Specialized radiology: R2,800 co-payment
Note:
  • If you use a DSP (designated service provider), you never have to pay a co-payment for protocol treatment of a PMB (Prescribed Minimum Benefit). More info here
  • There might be other co-payments, especially if you don't use a DSP for a PMB or when buying medicine.
Gap Cover:
Can cover most co-payments
(Plans coming soon)
Specialised Radiology:
  • MRI and CT Scans: R19,130 per family
  • R2,240 co-payment, unless PMB
Gap Cover:
Can cover most co-payments and increase sublimits
(Plans coming soon)
Scopes:
  • PMBs only
Gap Cover:
Can cover most co-payments and increase sublimits
(Plans coming soon)
Supplementary Services: (Physio, etc)
  • PMBs only
  • Physical rehabilitation: R62,620 per family
Transplants:
  • PMBs only
Dialysis:
  • PMBs only
Exclusions:
  • Back and neck surgery
  • Correction of Hallux Valgus
  • Non-cancerous breast conditions
  • Nail disorders
  • Skin disorders, including benign growths and lipomas
  • Knee and shoulder surgery
  • Joint replacement surgery
  • Functional nasal and sinus surgery
  • Varicose vein surgery
  • Reflux and Hernia repair surgery
  • All endoscopies
  • In-hospital dental surgery
  • NB: See scheme's rules for all exclusions. All schemes have plenty!
Gap Cover:
Coming soon
Alternatives to hospitals:
  • Alternatives to hospitalisation (hospice, step-down): R20,090 per family
  • Palliative care (oncology): Unlimited, including hospice/private nursing, home oxygen, pain management, psychologists, social workers
  • Home-care: Home based care as alternative to general ward admission
Casualty/ER:
  • ER: 2 visits per family, paid by Bonitas
Gap Cover:
Can cover ER claims
(Plans coming soon)
Other: .
PMBs = Prescribed Minimum Benefits (more info) | DSP = Designated Service Provider

Out-of-hospital Procedures (2026):

(Other benefits: Costs | Inhospital | Out of hospital | Medication | Maternity | Cancer | Mental Health | Dentistry | Optometry | Other/Extra Benefits | Wellness | Prosthetics)

Bonitas: Bonstart Plus
Assume scheme pays all these costs, at 100% scheme rate, unless otherwise stated
Main Member: Adult: Child:
Savings (per year):
  • No savings account option on this plan
  • The scheme might still cover some or all day-to-day claims. See below, and see benefits.
Other Day-to-Day Funds:
  • Benefit Booster: R1,160 per family and use for out of hospital claims like GP consult(s), OTC medicine, etc
  • Available after completing a wellness screening and mental health assessment.
PMBs out of hospital:
  • All schemes must pay for the diagnosis, treatment and management of all PMB conditions, in or out of hospital. You can see a full list of the conditions here.
  • This can include consults with specialists, blood or other tests, radiology and medicine.
  • PMB benefits must never be paid from your savings account.
  • Schemes usually impose the use of specific providers for treatment of PMBs. Read more about that here.
  • See our Guide to PMBs for more information.
GP consultations:
  • Network GPs: Unlimited, with R75 co-payment
  • Non-Network GPs: 2 consults, per family for emergencies
  • Virtual consults: Unlimited
Childcare:
  • Hearing screening: Newborns, in or out of hospital
  • Congenital hypothyroidism screening: Infants under 1 month old
  • Immunisations: Covered
  • Dentistry: Fissure sealants on permanent teeth for children under 16yrs
Gap Cover:
Can pay for child ER visits
(Plans coming soon)
Specialist consultations:
  • GP referred: 2 consult per family, up to R2,480, and R130 co-payment
  • Includes: acute meds, basic radiology, specialised radiology and pathology
Pathology:
  • GP referred: R3,450 per family
  • Benefit shared with acute medicine, x-rays and blood tests
General radiology:
  • GP referred: R3,450 per family
  • Benefit shared with acute medicine, x-rays and blood tests
Specialised radiology:
  • PMBs only
Gap Cover:
Can pay co-payments and increase sublimits
(Plans coming soon)
Scopes:
  • PMBs only
Gap Cover:
Can pay co-payments and increase sublimits
(Plans coming soon)
Supplementary Services: (Physio, etc)
  • Physiotherapy: 4 consults for sport-related injuries with a R75 co-payment
  • Otherwise, PMBs only
General Appliances:
  • R6,860 per family
1.1. Hearing Aids:
  • No benefit
1.2. Wheelchairs:
  • No benefit
PMBs = Prescribed Minimum Benefits (more info) | DSP = Designated Service Provider

All benefits, including gap benefits, are subject to treatments and procedures being authorised by medical scheme. The benefits listed here are an indication only. Please verify all benefits and their conditions with the scheme.

Medication Benefit (2026):

(Other benefits: Costs | Inhospital | Out of hospital | Medication | Maternity | Cancer | Mental Health | Dentistry | Optometry | Other/Extra Benefits | Wellness | Prosthetics)

Bonitas: Bonstart Plus
Assume scheme pays all these costs, unless otherwise stated
Main Member: Adult: Child:
Savings (per year):
  • No savings account option on this plan
  • The scheme might still cover some or all day-to-day claims. See below, and see benefits.
Other Day-to-Day Funds:
  • Benefit Booster: R1,160 per family and use for out of hospital claims like GP consult(s), OTC medicine, etc
  • Available after completing a wellness screening and mental health assessment.
Chronic:
  • Addtional conditions covered: Depression, R165 per person per month
  • If you voluntarily use medicine that is not on Bonitas's list ("formulary"), you pay a 30% co-payment
Acute (prescribed) medication:
  • GP referred: R3,450 per family, with 20% co-payment
  • Benefit shared with acute medicine, x-rays and blood tests
Over-the-counter:
  • R180 per event, and R860 per family per year
Birth Control:
  • R1,270 per family
On Discharge:
  • R470 per person and max 7 days, per admission
Biological:
  • PMBs only
PMBs = Prescribed Minimum Benefits (more info) | DSP = Designated Service Provider

All benefits, including gap benefits, are subject to treatments and procedures being authorised by medical scheme. The benefits listed here are an indication only. Please verify all benefits and their conditions with the scheme.

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