By Martin Janse van Rensburg, Sales Manager and Financial Advisor at Curemed. Reviewed by Roxanne Hurter-Ehlers, Director of People and Governance. Last updated 7 November 2026.

Discovery Health Medical Scheme contributions rise by a weighted average of 8.2% for 2027, within a range of 7.4% to 8.9%. Momentum Medical Scheme contributions rise by an annual average of 7.9%. On Discovery the plan family sets the size of your increase; on Momentum the chronic provider you choose does. There is no single better scheme: the right one depends on your health needs, your budget and the hospitals you want to use.

How do Discovery and Momentum compare for 2027?

The table uses only figures each scheme has published for 2027. Plan-level increases are Curemed calculations from the published contributions.

Sources: Discovery Health Medical Scheme Plan Comparison Guide 2027, Executive Plan Guide 2027, KeyCare Plan Guide 2027 and the 2026 and 2027 contribution tables; Momentum Medical Scheme 2027 marketing brochure (29 September 2026), Summary of 2027 changes (8 October 2026) and Option Selection Form 2027; CMS Circular 20 of 2026. Contributions are per principal member a month. 2027 figures are subject to approval by the Council for Medical Schemes.

	Discovery Health Medical Scheme	Momentum Medical Scheme
2027 average increase	Weighted average of 8.2%, within a range of 7.4% to 8.9%	Annual average of 7.9%, down from 9.9% for 2026
Announced	1 October 2026	30 September 2026
Principal increase by plan (Curemed calculation)	7.41% on Active Smart to 8.95% on Executive	7.24% on Evolve to 8.51% on Summit and the Any chronic combinations
What drives the size of your increase	Plan family: Executive, Comprehensive, Priority, Coastal Core and KeyCare about 8.9%; Saver, Smart and Core about 7.9%	Chronic provider choice: Any chronic about 8.5%; Associated and State chronic about 7.7% to 8.0%
Plans or options	26 plans in eight series: Executive, Comprehensive, Priority, Saver, Smart Saver, Smart, Core and KeyCare	Six options: Ingwe, Evolve, Custom, Incentive, Extender and Summit
Overall hospital limit	No overall limit for hospital cover on any plan	No overall annual limit on all six options
Hospital networks	Any approved private hospital, or a network on Smart, Delta, Coastal, Active (new for 2027) and KeyCare plans	Ingwe: Any, Ingwe Network or Connect Network. Evolve: Evolve Network. Custom, Incentive and Extender: Any or Associated. Summit: Any
Day-to-day funding	Medical Savings Account on the Saver, Smart Saver, Priority, Comprehensive and Executive series. Above Threshold Benefit of R20,830 on Priority, up to R37,640 on Comprehensive and unlimited on Executive (per main member)	Savings of 10% of the contribution on Incentive and 25% on Extender, with Extended Cover above the threshold on Extender. Summit pays day-to-day claims from risk up to R36,100 per beneficiary
Chronic Disease List conditions, as each scheme states them	27; Comprehensive and Executive also cover an Additional Disease List	26; Incentive adds 6 conditions and Extender 36 (each limited to R14,300 per family a year); Summit adds 36 within its R36,100 day-to-day limit per beneficiary
Rewards	Vitality is a separate product with its own fee (Vitality Active R199 per adult a month in 2027)	Multiply is not a scheme benefit. Inspire is free on Evolve to Summit and Engage is free on Ingwe; HealthReturns of up to R1,000 per adult a month, capped at 40% of the contribution, needs a paid tier
Lowest and highest principal contribution	KeyCare Start Regional from R1,392 (income-banded); Active Smart R1,450; Executive R13,442	Ingwe from R699 (lowest income band); Evolve R2,176; Summit R17,870
New for 2027	Active Core launches at R1,700 for a principal member, subject to approval and registration by the CMS. Active Smart moves to the new Active Hospital Network	Hospital, scan and procedure co-payments rise by 3.6% to 5.2%. Evolve virtual GP visits rise from 2 to 4. Ingwe specialist cover of R1,500 per visit and R3,000 per family
2027 plan change deadline	Not found in a Discovery document as at 7 November 2026	30 November 2026: the Option Selection Form must reach Momentum by then. Employer-paid members submit it through HR or payroll

How do hospital and day-to-day cover differ?

Both schemes state that there is no overall annual limit on hospital cover, but the hospitals you may use depend on the plan. On Discovery, plans with Delta, Coastal, Smart, Active or KeyCare in the name use defined hospital networks, while the other plans cover any hospital the Scheme approves. At Momentum, Summit covers any hospital; Custom, Incentive and Extender use the Any or Associated hospital provider you choose; Evolve uses the Evolve Network; and Ingwe uses its own networks.

For day-to-day care, Discovery funds the Saver, Smart Saver, Priority, Comprehensive and Executive series through a Medical Savings Account, with an Above Threshold Benefit on Priority and Comprehensive (limited) and on Executive (unlimited). Momentum allocates 10% of the contribution to savings on Incentive and 25% on Extender, where Extended Cover follows once claims pass the threshold, and Summit pays day-to-day claims from risk up to R36,100 per beneficiary in 2027.

How do the two schemes cover chronic conditions?

Both schemes cover the Chronic Disease List on every plan as part of the Prescribed Minimum Benefits, but they describe it differently: Discovery refers to a defined list of 27 chronic conditions and Momentum to 26. Discovery adds an Additional Disease List on the Comprehensive and Executive plans. Momentum covers 6 extra conditions on Incentive and 36 on Extender, each limited to R14,300 per family a year, and 36 on Summit within the overall day-to-day limit of R36,100 per beneficiary. If you have several chronic conditions, compare the extra lists condition by condition.

What should families and expectant parents check?

Both schemes price adults and children separately, and Momentum charges for a maximum of three children on every option except Ingwe. Both include maternity benefits: Momentum covers pregnancy scans and a maternity programme through its Health Platform Benefit, and Discovery offers maternity and early childhood benefits across its plans. If you are planning a family, compare the specific maternity benefits, dependant rates and child doctor visits on the plans you are considering.

What changes for 2027?

Discovery contributions rise by 7.4% on Active Smart, 7.9% on the Saver, Core, Smart Saver and Smart plans, 8.4% on Coastal Saver and 8.9% on Executive, Comprehensive, Priority, Coastal Core and KeyCare, and the new Active Core plan launches at R1,700 for a principal member, subject to CMS approval. Momentum options rise by between 7.24% on Evolve and 8.51% on Summit, with no new options; the Summit day-to-day limit rises from R34,500 to R36,100 per beneficiary and Evolve virtual GP consultations rise from two to four.

Our Discovery 2027 and Momentum 2027 increase analyses list every contribution line, our Momentum vs Discovery 2027 price comparison pairs similar options, and Discovery Executive vs Momentum Summit compares the two top plans.

When might Discovery be the closer fit?

Discovery suits members who want to fine-tune their cover. With 26 plans in eight series, you can match the amount of savings, the hospital network and the level of day-to-day cover to your household quite closely. If you want an entry plan that is not priced by income, Active Smart starts at R1,450 for a principal member, and Active Core at R1,700 once approved.

It also suits members with chronic needs beyond the Chronic Disease List who can afford a higher plan: Comprehensive and Executive add an Additional Disease List to the 27 conditions that Discovery lists. If you already use Vitality, remember that it is a separate product with its own monthly fee, so budget for it on top of your contribution.

When might Momentum be the closer fit?

Momentum suits members who prefer fewer options and want to control the price through their provider choices. On Custom, Incentive and Extender you choose a hospital provider (Any or Associated) and a chronic provider (Any, Associated or State), and for 2027 the Associated and State chronic choices rose by less than the Any chronic choice.

For lower-income households, Ingwe is priced by income, from R699 a month in the lowest band. For members with many chronic conditions, Summit covers 36 conditions beyond the 26 on the Chronic Disease List. Multiply Inspire is free on Evolve to Summit, but the HealthReturns cash back needs a paid Multiply tier.

If you are weighing Discovery against Momentum, a Curemed Advisor can put the plans you qualify for side by side, with your own family and chronic needs, and explain the trade-offs in writing. Curemed is accredited to advise on both schemes, and a conversation carries no obligation.

Frequently asked questions

Does the increase apply to adult and child dependants in the same way?

Mostly. On most Discovery plans the adult and child rates rose by roughly the same percentage as the principal rate; Coastal Saver is the exception, where the principal rate rises by 8.37%, the adult rate by 8.05% and the child rate by 7.89%. On Momentum the adult and child rates on Custom, Incentive, Extender and Summit rose by roughly the same percentage as the principal, and Evolve charges the same rate for every beneficiary.

What does it mean that the 2027 figures are subject to approval?

Both schemes say their 2027 contributions and benefits are subject to approval by the Council for Medical Schemes. Discovery says Active Core is subject to approval and registration by the Council. Treat the published figures as the intended 2027 position until your scheme confirms approval.

Does switching from Discovery to Momentum start a waiting period?

It can. Section 29A of the Medical Schemes Act sets the maximums. If you had continuous cover for more than 24 months and it ended less than 90 days before you apply, the new scheme may impose a general waiting period of up to three months, but must still pay for Prescribed Minimum Benefit treatment. With continuous cover of up to 24 months, it may impose condition-specific waiting periods of up to 12 months instead. Changing plan inside the same scheme does not start a new waiting period. Late joiner penalties are separate and can apply from age 35 if you lack enough previous cover. Our guides to medical aid waiting periods and late joiner penalties set out each case.

Is Vitality or Multiply included in my medical aid contribution?

No. Vitality is a separate Discovery product with its own fee, from R199 per adult a month for Vitality Active in 2027. Multiply is not a Momentum Medical Scheme benefit: the Inspire tier is free on Evolve to Summit and Engage is free on Ingwe, while HealthReturns needs a paid tier.

Which scheme is larger?

Discovery Health Medical Scheme reported 2,725,122 beneficiaries at 31 December 2025 (Discovery Health Medical Scheme Integrated Report 2025). Momentum Medical Scheme reported 286,957 beneficiaries and 155,779 principal members at 31 December 2025 (Momentum Medical Scheme Integrated Annual Report 2025). Size does not tell you which scheme suits you; your health needs, budget and preferred hospitals do.

This comparison is general information and does not take your personal circumstances into account. A personalised recommendation follows a written needs analysis under the FAIS Act. Speak to an Advisor before you make a decision.