Last reviewed: November 2026. How we work: our editorial standards, corrections policy and how Curemed is paid. General information, not advice. A personalised recommendation follows a written needs analysis under the FAIS Act.
By Martin Janse van Rensburg, Sales Manager and Financial Advisor at Curemed. Reviewed by Roxanne Hurter-Ehlers, Director of People and Governance.
For 2027, 14 of the 15 Bonitas options use a network. Twelve of them tie you to a list of specific private hospitals, and BonCap and BonCore use networks for GPs, specialists, hospitals, pathology and pharmacy. BonComprehensive is the only 2027 option that gives access to any private hospital. Network option contributions rise by 7.3% to 11.5% from 1 January 2027, subject to approval by the Council for Medical Schemes.
This page replaces our 2024 list of Bonitas network plans. Every figure below comes from the Bonitas 2027 brochure and the Bonitas 2026 and 2027 contribution comparisons, listed under Sources at the end.
In short
- 2027 network options: BonCap, BonCore, BonStart, BonStart Plus, Standard, Primary, BonComplete, BonClassic, BonSave, BonFit, BonPrime, Hospital Standard, BonEssential and BonEssential Select.
- Using a non-network hospital for a planned admission costs a 30% co-payment on most options, R13,230 on BonStart and BonStart Plus, and R15,310 on BonCore. Emergencies are treated differently, so check your option.
- Standard moves onto a hospital network in 2027 and members must nominate up to two network GPs. Primary also requires nominated network GPs in 2027.
- Standard Select does not appear in the Bonitas 2027 documents.
- BonCap is income-based: it rises 11.5% and its income bands move up for 2027.
Which Bonitas options are network options in 2027?
Bonitas describes 12 of its 2027 options as using a list of specific private hospitals. BonCap and BonCore go further and use networks for GPs, specialists, hospitals, pathology and pharmacy. The table shows the network rule on each option and what Bonitas says happens if you use a hospital outside it.
| Option | Network | Non-network hospital, planned admission |
|---|---|---|
| BonCap | GP, specialist, hospital, pathology and pharmacy networks | 30% co-payment |
| BonCore | GP, specialist, hospital, pathology and pharmacy networks | R15,310 co-payment |
| BonStart | Hospital network and network GPs | R13,230 co-payment |
| BonStart Plus | Hospital network and network GPs | R13,230 co-payment |
| Standard | Hospital network; nominate up to two network GPs | 30% co-payment |
| Primary | Hospital network; nominate two network GPs | 30% co-payment |
| BonComplete | Hospital network | 30% co-payment |
| BonClassic | Hospital network | 30% co-payment |
| BonSave and BonFit | Hospital network | 30% co-payment |
| BonPrime | Hospital network | 30% co-payment |
| Hospital Standard | Hospital network | 30% co-payment |
| BonEssential and BonEssential Select | Hospital network | 30% co-payment |
| BonComprehensive | Any private hospital (not a network option) | Not applicable; a R5,670 co-payment applies if you do not use a network day hospital |
How much do Bonitas network options cost in 2027?
These are the monthly contributions for the main member, an adult dependant and a child dependant, with the 2026 main member rate for comparison. The percentage is the increase Bonitas publishes for each option, which refers to the risk contribution.
| Option | Main member 2026 | Main member 2027 | Adult 2027 | Child 2027 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BonCore | R1,275 | R1,368 | R1,368 | R1,368 | 7.3% |
| BonStart | R1,603 | R1,720 | R1,720 | R1,720 | 7.3% |
| BonStart Plus | R2,040 | R2,189 | R2,082 | R965 | 7.3% |
| BonEssential Select | R2,345 | R2,526 | R1,850 | R834 | 7.7% |
| BonFit | R2,698 | R2,894 | R2,168 | R974 | 7.3% |
| BonEssential | R2,747 | R3,000 | R2,217 | R970 | 9.2% |
| BonPrime | R3,255 | R3,548 | R2,776 | R1,128 | 9.0% |
| Primary | R3,588 | R3,875 | R3,032 | R1,232 | 8.0% |
| Hospital Standard | R3,561 | R3,942 | R3,320 | R1,498 | 10.7% |
| BonSave | R4,047 | R4,343 | R3,282 | R1,299 | 7.3% |
| Standard | R5,929 | R6,474 | R5,612 | R1,900 | 9.2% |
| BonComplete | R6,614 | R7,256 | R5,812 | R1,968 | 9.7% |
| BonClassic | R8,238 | R9,078 | R7,792 | R2,241 | 10.2% |
For a household of two adults and two children, Hospital Standard costs R10,258 a month in 2027, up from R9,266, and BonClassic costs R21,352, up from R19,377. BonStart charges the same rate for every member, so the same family pays R6,880. These are Curemed calculations from the Bonitas rates above.
How does BonCap work in 2027?
BonCap is priced by household income, and the main member and adult dependant pay the same rate. Contributions rise 11.5% for 2027, but the income bands also move up, so a household whose income did not change may fall into a lower band. Bonitas verifies income.
| 2027 income band | Main or adult 2027 | Child 2027 | 2026 income band | Main or adult 2026 | Child 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R0 to R12,400 | R1,929 | R909 | R0 to R11,930 | R1,730 | R815 |
| R12,401 to R20,100 | R2,354 | R1,083 | R11,931 to R19,350 | R2,111 | R971 |
| R20,101 to R26,200 | R3,795 | R1,436 | R19,351 to R25,170 | R3,404 | R1,288 |
| R26,201 and above | R4,657 | R1,767 | R25,171 and above | R4,177 | R1,585 |
What changes on Bonitas network options in 2027?
- Standard becomes a network option. In 2026 Standard gave access to any private hospital. In 2027 it uses a list of specific private hospitals, and each beneficiary nominates up to two network GPs.
- Primary requires nominated GPs. Members nominate network GPs in 2027.
- Standard Select is not in the 2027 documents. It cost R5,431 a month for a main member in 2026. If you are on Standard Select, ask Bonitas or your Advisor which option you will be on from January.
- Higher fixed co-payments. The non-network hospital co-payment rises from R12,680 to R13,230 on BonStart and BonStart Plus, and from R14,680 to R15,310 on BonCore.
- Primary Select is now BonPrime. The name changed for 2026; older lists, including our 2024 page, used the old name.
- Benefit Booster. Bonitas says it expands to up to R12,000 and is available on BonCap for the first time.
Should I choose a Bonitas network option?
A network option costs less because you agree to use the hospitals, and on some options the GPs, that Bonitas has contracted. That works well if the network hospitals near you are ones you would use anyway, and if your doctors are on the network. It works badly if your specialist only admits at a non-network hospital, because a planned admission there carries the co-payment above. Before you choose, check three things on the Bonitas provider search: your nearest network hospitals, your GP, and the hospital your specialist uses. If you are comparing schemes, our Bonitas 2027 increase analysis has every option, and the 2027 increase tracker compares Bonitas with eight other schemes.
When must I change my Bonitas option for 2027?
Bonitas members paid through Persal had to submit the change of option form by 31 October 2026. All other members have until 30 November 2026. A new option takes effect on 1 January 2027.
Frequently asked questions
Does Bonitas have an option without a hospital network in 2027?
Yes. BonComprehensive gives access to any private hospital. Every other 2027 option uses a hospital network.
What is the cheapest Bonitas network option in 2027?
BonCore, at R1,368 a month per member, with networks for GPs, specialists, hospitals, pathology and pharmacy. On BonCap a child in the lowest income band costs R909 a month, but the main member pays R1,929.
What happens if I use a non-network hospital on a Bonitas network option?
For a planned admission you pay a co-payment: 30% on most options, R13,230 on BonStart and BonStart Plus, and R15,310 on BonCore. Emergencies and Prescribed Minimum Benefits are handled differently.
Are these 2027 prices final?
Bonitas publishes them subject to approval by the Council for Medical Schemes.
Sources
Bonitas 2027 All Plans brochure; Bonitas 2027 Contribution Increase Comparison (29 September 2026); Bonitas 2026 Contribution Increase Comparison; Bonitas 2026 brochure; Bonitas 2027 media release (8 October 2026); Bonitas 2027 change of option form.
Martin Janse van Rensburg
Sales Manager and Financial Advisor | Curemed Health and Wealth Consultants
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