Discovery Executive:
in-and-out of hospital benefits, and medication (2025)

What's on this page:

This page has overview information on: Costs, In-hospital, Out of Hospital and Medicine benefits for Discovery Executive. 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 Provders. Where stipulated, you must use specific 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 (2025)

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

Discovery:Executive (2025 prices)
Main member: Adult member: Child member:
Total Cost pm:
  • R11,430
  • R11,430
  • R2,185
  • Only pay for 3 children
Savings:
  • R34,284
  • R34,284
  • R6,552
Self Payment Gap:
(What you need to pay out of pocket before you can access the "Above Threshold" benefit)
  • R5,156
  • R5,156
  • R928
"Above Threshold" benefit (ATB):
Additional cover the scheme makes available to you, once you've paid the self payment gap.
  • Unlimited
  • Unlimited
  • Unlimited
Children Rates:
  • Under 21yrs
  • Only pay for 3 children

In-hospital Procedures (2025):

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

Discovery: Executive
Assume scheme pays all these costs, at 100% scheme rate, unless otherwise stated
GPs and Specialists:
  • network Doctors: paid in full
  • non-network Doctors: 200% scheme rate
Hospital Choice:
  • Any hospital
Penalty for using other hospital:
  • n/a
Co-payments:
  • Scopes: Co-payment required if done outside of network doctor's rooms. See "Scopes" benefit, below.
  • Dental: Co-payment required for some dental admissions. See "Dental Benefit".
  • MRI and CT scans: Co-payment required in some cases.
Note:
  • A co-payment is a fee your medical aid can insist you pay, regardless of how much the doctor/charges. It's not the same as an "excess" payment (which is when a doctor charges more than the medical aid rate).
  • 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 if you don't use a DSP, especially if you are being treated for a PMB or when buying medicine.
Specialised Radiology:
  • MRI and CT scans, part of approved admission: Covered by scheme
  • MRI and CT scans, Not part of approved admission R3,670 co-payment. No co-payment if scan is part of PMB protocol
Scopes: Gastroscopy, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy and proctoscopy:

No co-payment if:
  • Done in network doctor's rooms, or
  • Part of confirmed PMB condition, or
  • Patient is under 12yrs
Otherwise:
  • Day clinic: R4,500 co-payment
  • Hospital: R6,550 co-payment, or R5,250 co-payment if done by a doctor who is part of "value-based network".
  • In-rooms, non network doctor: R1,750 co-payment
  • In-rooms, network doctor: No co-payment

If gastroscopy and colonoscopy are performed in same admission:
  • Day clinic: R5,500 co-payment
  • Hospital: R8,100 co-payment, or R6,600 co-payment if done by a doctor who is part of "value-based network".
  • In-rooms, non network doctor: R3,000 co-payment
  • In-rooms, network doctor: No co-payment

Supplementary Services: (Physio, etc)
  • Covered in full for professionals with payment arrangement with Discovery
  • Otherwise, 200% scheme rate
Transplants:
  • Covered
Dialysis:
  • Covered
Exclusions:
  • NB: See scheme's rules for all exclusions. All schemes have plenty!
Alternatives to hospitals:
  • Hospital at home: Used in case of early hospital release, or as an alternative to admission. Includes physical and virtual care, monitoring devices and access to procedures and interventions to manage care at home.
  • Monitoring devices: As approved, for chronic and acute conditions
  • Palliative care at home: Unlimited, as approved
  • Home Care As an alternative to hospital admission. Services such as postnatal care, end-of-life care, IV infusions (drips), and wound care.
Casualty/ER:
  • If in self payment gap : children under 10yrs, two ER consults paid by scheme
Other:
  • Private ward: Up to R2,700 per day
  • International Second Opinion for life-threatening and life-changing condition: members can obtain second opinion from Cleveland Clinic, 25% co-payment
  • Overseas Treatment Benefit: R750,000 for treatment not available in South Africa, and R300,000 for voluntary in-hospital treatment outside SA. Both options have 20% co-payment
  • Specialised medicine and technology: R200,000 per person with a 20% co-payment
  • Internal Nerve stimulators: R185,550 per person
PMBs= Prescribed Minimum Benefits (more info) | DSP= Designated Service Provider

Out-of-hospital Procedures (2025):

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

Discovery: Executive
Assume scheme pays all these costs, at 100% scheme rate, unless otherwise stated
Main Member: Adult: Child:
Savings:
  • R34,284
  • R34,284
  • R6,552
Self Payment Gap:
(What you need to pay out of pocket before you can access the "Above Threshold" benefit)
  • R5,156
  • R5,156
  • R928
"Above Threshold" benefit (ATB):
Additional cover the scheme makes available to you, once you've paid the self payment gap.
  • Unlimited
  • Unlimited
  • Unlimited
PMBs out of hospital:
GP consultations: If in Self-Payment Gap, you have access to Extender Benefit:
  • video call consultations with a network GP,
  • network pharmacy clinic consultations
  • face to face consultations with a network GP when referred by the pharmacy clinic or virtual GP
Also:
  • Virtual Urgent Care: 4 sessions per family, paid by scheme
  • Otherwise, from day-to-day benefit
Childcare:
  • GP/Paediatrician/ENT consults: 2 consults, for children 0-2yrs. Paid by scheme.
  • Child assessment: height, weight, head circumference and health and milestone tracking
  • If in self payment gap : 2 ER consults, for children 0-10yrs, paid by scheme
Specialists consultations:
  • From day-to-day benefit
Pathology:
  • From day-to-day benefit
General radiology:
  • From day-to-day benefit
Specialised radiology:
  • MRI and CT Scans: R3,850 co-payment , from day-to-day benefit
  • Conservative back and neck scans: one scan per spinal and neck region
Scopes: Gastroscopy, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy and proctoscopy:

No co-payment if:
  • Done in network doctor's rooms, or
  • Part of confirmed PMB condition, or
  • Patient is under 12yrs
Otherwise:
  • Day clinic: R4,500 co-payment
  • Hospital: R6,550 co-payment, or R5,250 co-payment if done by a doctor who is part of "value-based network".
  • In-rooms, non network doctor: R1,750 co-payment
  • In-rooms, network doctor: No co-payment

If gastroscopy and colonoscopy are performed in same admission:
  • Day clinic: R5,500 co-payment
  • Hospital: R8,100 co-payment, or R6,600 co-payment if done by a doctor who is part of "value-based network".
  • In-rooms, non network doctor: R3,000 co-payment
  • In-rooms, network doctor: No co-payment

Supplementary Services: (Physio, etc)
  • From day-to-day benefits. Includes allied, therapeutic and psychology services. Limited to:
    • Main Member= R30,850
    • Main +1= R37,100
    • Main +2= R43,400
    • Main 3+= R52,080
  • For a defined list of conditions you get unlimited cover for biokineticists, acousticians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech and language therapists. Speak to Discovery directly
General Appliances:
  • External appliances: R64,200 per family from day-to-day benefit
1.1. Hearing Aids:
  • R31,250 per family paid from day-to-day benefit
1.2. Wheelchairs:
  • See "General Appliances", above
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 (2025):

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

Discovery: Executive
Assume scheme pays all these costs, unless otherwise stated
Main Member: Adult: Child:
Savings:
  • R34,284
  • R34,284
  • R6,552
Self Payment Gap:
(What you need to pay out of pocket before you can access the "Above Threshold" benefit)
  • R5,156
  • R5,156
  • R928
"Above Threshold" benefit (ATB):
Additional cover the scheme makes available to you, once you've paid the self payment gap.
  • Unlimited
  • Unlimited
  • Unlimited
Chronic:
  • non-PMBs: additional 23 conditions covered, up to a pre-set limit including an exclusive list of brand medicines.
Acute (prescribed) medication:
  • Schedule 3 and above
  • From day-to-day benefit , up to the limits below
    • Main Member= R51,550
    • Main+1= R60,400
    • Main+2= R69,150
    • Main+3+= R78,000
Over-the-counter:
  • From day-to-day benefit
  • These do not add up to the annual threshold, and are not paid for from it
Birth Control:
  • See "Acute Medicine" benefit
On Discharge:
  • See "Acute Medicine" benefit, above
Biological:
  • For a defined list of latest treatments, R200,000 with a 20% co-payment
View other benefits for this plan:
In-hospital | Out-of-hospital | Medication | Maternity | Cancer | Mental Health | Dentistry | Optometry | Other/Extra Benefits | Wellness | Prosthetics

You can also:
Compare any two plans, side by side | View all the Discovery plans, with costs and brief summary.

Find all other open medical aid plans here.

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.


What does a “PMBs only” restriction mean?
In this case, the scheme will only pay for diagnosis, treatment and management of a claim for one of 270 pre-defined conditions (PMBs). Read more, and see full list of PMB conditions. 

What does “From Risk” mean?
The scheme will pay for this claim from its own funds, not from your savings or other day-to-day benefits. 

What is a DSP?
A Designated Service Provider. The scheme has a network of providers, and will often only pay claims in full if you use a DSP. If you choose another provider, you might have a co-payment, or even no cover.