The MultiChoice Medical Aid Scheme is a closed, or restricted, medical scheme. That means that only permanent employees of the companies listed below, and their qualifying family members, are allowed to join:
- DSTV Media Sales (Pty) Ltd
- Electronic Media Network Ltd (M-Net)
- Irdeto South Africa
- MultiChoice (Pty) Ltd
- MultiChoice Group (Pty) Ltd
- MultiChoice Group Services (Pty) Ltd
- MultiChoice Group Treasury (Pty) Ltd
- MultiChoice Support Services (Pty) Ltd
- NMS Properties
- Orbicom (Pty) Ltd
- SuperSport Intl. (Pty) Ltd
It is a compulsory condition of employment for you to belong to the Scheme, unless you have proof of being a dependant on another scheme.
How the Scheme is run
The regulator for all schemes and Administrators in South Africa, is the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS). They ensure that the Scheme's Board of Trustees and Principal Officer run the business of the Scheme according to the law (in this case, the Medical Schemes Act).
There are two kinds of medical aids, namely open and closed (or restricted membership) schemes. An open scheme offers cover to any member of the public, while a closed Scheme is a scheme custom-made for employees of certain employer groups. You are on a closed medical scheme.
The MultiChoice Medical Aid Scheme (MCMAS) is run by a skilled Board of Trustees, half of whom are elected by you, the member, and the other half is appointed by the employer.
Discovery Health administers one big open scheme that any member of the public can belong to (Discovery Health Medical Scheme). They also administer other corporate schemes like MCMAS, which you belong to. The Scheme assessed different administrators, and they have chosen to contract with Discovery Health to administer the Scheme. The Board of Trustees gives instructions to Discovery Health about how to run the Scheme's business.
All parties shown below are ultimately accountable to you, the members of the Scheme.
Which of your dependants are eligible to join?
- Your spouse or partner in a committed and serious relationship that is similar to a marriage including mutual dependency and a shared and common household.
- Your children, up to the age of 29. Children who are 21 and older will be charged the adult dependant rate. You will pay for a maximum of three children at the child dependant rate if your children are under the age of 21 years.
- You have 60 days in which to register a new spouse to avoid underwriting penalties and waiting periods being imposed. We count the 60 days from the date of marriage.
- You have 60 days in which to register a newborn baby to avoid underwriting penalties and waiting periods being imposed. We count the 60 days from the date of birth.
- Ex-spouses are not considered to be eligible dependants and must be removed as dependants within 60 days of your divorce. We count 60 days from the date displayed on your divorce decree.
- Phone the MultiChoice Medical Aid Scheme call centre on 0860 11 66 33 or speak to your HR representative if you need additional information about dependants.