How Much Does Medical Aid Cost in South Africa? (2026 and 2027)

Last reviewed: October 2026. How we work: our editorial standards, corrections policy and how Curemed is paid.

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

The honest answer: cost follows cover

Medical aid is priced on the cover you choose, not on a flat monthly fee. A basic hospital plan sits at the bottom of the price range, and a full comprehensive plan with rich day to day benefits sits at the top. Everything in between, savings plans, network plans and hybrid options, is a trade between what you pay every month and what the scheme pays when you claim. The wider the cover and the bigger the hospital and provider network, the higher the contribution.

This is why two families can pay very different amounts and both be getting fair value. The right number is the one that buys the cover you actually need.

What actually drives your monthly contribution

The plan type you choose

Hospital plans cover you mainly for admissions and emergencies. Savings or saver plans add a medical savings account for day to day costs like GP visits and medicine. Comprehensive plans add generous chronic, specialist and above threshold cover. Each step up adds cost.

How many people you cover

You pay a contribution for the main member, usually a different rate for an adult dependant such as a spouse, and a lower rate for each child. Most schemes cap the number of children they charge for, so a larger family does not always pay per child without limit.

Your age when you join

This is the factor most people miss. If you join a medical scheme for the first time after age 35 without proof of prior continuous cover, the scheme may apply a late joiner penalty. That is a permanent loading added to your contribution for as long as you stay a member, and the longer you delay, the higher the penalty band. It is set out in the Medical Schemes Act 131 of 1998 and its regulations.

Income, on some schemes

Some schemes, including the closed scheme GEMS and certain entry level options, set contributions by income band, so lower earners pay less for the same option. Most open scheme plans charge a flat contribution per option regardless of what you earn.

The cover floor every scheme must provide

By law, every registered scheme must cover the Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs) on every option, a defined list of conditions, chronic diseases and emergencies. Richer plans add cover above that legal floor, which is part of what you pay more for.

The main plan types, and roughly what you get

What does medical aid cost in 2027?

For a single principal member, 2027 contributions on the open schemes Curemed tracks run from R466 a month on Makoti Primary in its lowest income band to R21,537 a month on Fedhealth maxima PLUS. The table shows where common options sit by plan type. Adult and child dependants add their own contributions, and income-banded options cost more in higher bands. The figures apply from 1 January 2027 and come from the 2027 contribution documents of each scheme, published subject to registration or approval by the Council for Medical Schemes.

Most of these options rise by about 7% to 10% for 2027, against a Council for Medical Schemes recommendation, in Circular 20 of 2026, that increases be anchored at 3.8%. For budget options by price band, see medical aid under R1,500 and medical aid under R2,000.

The medical tax credit lowers the real cost

SARS gives every taxpayer on a medical scheme a Medical Scheme Fees Tax Credit. It is a fixed amount taken straight off the tax you owe, not a deduction off your income, so it is worth the same whatever you earn. For the 2026/2027 tax year (1 March 2026 to 28 February 2027) the credit is R376 a month for the main member, R376 for the first dependant, and R254 for each additional dependant. For a family of four that works out to R1,260 a month, or R15,120 a year, back in your pocket. Because the amount is fixed, it reduces the real cost of a cheaper plan proportionally more than an expensive one.

So how much should you budget?

There is no fixed rule, and a responsible Advisor will not quote you a number before understanding your situation. As a planning starting point, the better question is not how cheap a plan can be, but how little you can pay for cover that still protects you against the costs you are most likely to face. For a young, healthy single person that may be a hospital or network plan. For a family with young children or a chronic condition, a savings or comprehensive plan usually works out better value despite the higher contribution, because the day to day and chronic cover does real work. A written needs analysis is what turns that question into an actual figure.

Scheme contributions are reviewed and published every year, usually with effect from January, so any rand figure you see online dates quickly. The 2027 figures above were published by the schemes between September and October 2026. The only price you can rely on for your household is a current, personalised quote.

Common and costly mistakes

• Buying on monthly price alone, then finding the cheap plan excludes your hospital or doctor from its network.
• Delaying cover past age 35 and triggering a permanent late joiner penalty.
• Downgrading to a hospital plan while on chronic medicine, and losing the chronic benefit that paid for it.
• Assuming a hospital plan covers everyday GP, dentist and optometry visits. It usually does not.

How an independent broker keeps the cost honest

Broker commission on medical scheme membership is paid by the scheme and capped by Regulation 28 of the Medical Schemes Act at 3% of contributions plus VAT, or R125.86 plus VAT a month in 2026, whichever is lower. The Council for Medical Schemes notes that you pay nothing extra for a broker unless you have agreed in writing to additional services, so ask any broker, Curemed included, to set out its fees in writing. What you gain is someone who compares options across schemes, factors in the tax credit and any penalty, and puts a recommendation in writing after a needs analysis under the FAIS Act. Curemed has done this as an independent, FSCA licensed brokerage (FSP 44098) since 1992.

Frequently asked questions

How much does medical aid cost per month in South Africa?

In 2027 a single principal member pays from R466 a month on Makoti Primary in its lowest income band to R21,537 a month on Fedhealth maxima PLUS. Hospital plans sit at about R2,200 to R4,200, savings plans at about R4,200 to R5,900 and comprehensive plans from about R9,000. The price depends on the plan type, the number of people covered, your income band on some options and your age when you join.

What is the cheapest type of medical aid?

A hospital or network plan is usually the lowest cost option, because it covers mainly in hospital treatment and emergencies, often through a restricted hospital network, rather than day to day expenses.

Does the tax credit really reduce what I pay?

Yes. The SARS Medical Scheme Fees Tax Credit is deducted directly from the tax you owe. For 2026/2027 it is R376 a month each for the first two members and R254 for each additional dependant, and it applies regardless of income.

Is medical aid cheaper if I go direct instead of through a broker?

The scheme contribution does not depend on whether you use a broker. Broker commission is paid by the scheme and capped by Regulation 28, and the Council for Medical Schemes notes that you pay nothing extra for a broker unless you have agreed in writing to additional services. Ask any broker to set out its fees in writing before you sign.

New to this? Start with our pillar guide on how to choose a medical aid in South Africa, and if you already have a plan, read about closing the shortfall with Gap Cover.

Martin Janse van Rensburg

Sales Manager and Financial Advisor | Curemed Health and Wealth Consultants

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