Last reviewed: July 2026. We review our guides regularly to keep them accurate.
South Africa has 71 medical schemes registered with the Council for Medical Schemes: 16 are open to the public and 55 are restricted to specific employers or industries. The open schemes you can join in 2026 include Discovery Health, Bonitas, Momentum, Fedhealth, Medihelp, Bestmed, KeyHealth and Medshield.
In short
- South Africa has 71 registered medical schemes covering more than 9.1 million beneficiaries, according to the CMS Annual Report 2024/25.
- 16 schemes are open to anyone. The other 55 are restricted to specific employers, industries or professions.
- Discovery Health Medical Scheme is the largest open scheme, with 2,725,122 beneficiaries at the end of 2025.
- Every scheme, open or restricted, must cover Prescribed Minimum Benefits, including 271 defined conditions and 26 chronic conditions.
- Curemed is accredited on seven open schemes and compares them for clients at no cost.
By Martin Janse van Rensburg, Sales Manager and Financial Advisor at Curemed. Reviewed by Roxanne Hurter-Ehlers, Director of People and Governance.
How many medical schemes are there in South Africa?
There are 71 medical schemes registered with the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS), the statutory regulator that oversees the industry under the Medical Schemes Act 131 of 1998. Between them, these schemes cover more than 9.1 million beneficiaries. The figures come from the CMS Annual Report 2024/25.
That number sounds like a lot of choice, but it is smaller than it looks. Only 16 of the 71 schemes are open to the general public. The remaining 55 are restricted schemes, which means you can only join them if you work for a particular employer or belong to a particular industry or profession.
Open versus restricted schemes: what is the difference?
An open scheme must accept any applicant who applies and agrees to the scheme rules. It does not matter who you work for. Discovery Health, Bonitas and Momentum are all examples of open schemes.
A restricted scheme limits membership to a defined group. Government employees, mineworkers, bank staff and university employees often have their own restricted schemes linked to their workplace.
Profmed is a well known example of a restricted scheme. Only graduate professionals with a four year or longer qualification who qualify for PPS membership may join it. If you see Profmed mentioned in a list of schemes and wonder why you cannot sign up, that is the reason.
If your employer offers a restricted scheme, it is worth comparing it against the open market before deciding. Restricted schemes can be good value, but they are not automatically the right fit for every family.
Which open medical aid schemes can you join in 2026?
These are the main open schemes accepting members from the public in 2026.
| Scheme | Note |
|---|---|
| Discovery Health | The largest open scheme in South Africa, with 2,725,122 beneficiaries at the end of 2025, about 57.7 percent of the open scheme market. |
| Bonitas | The second largest open scheme, with 731,576 beneficiaries at the end of 2024. Its administration moved to Momentum Health on 1 June 2026. |
| Momentum | An open scheme with a wide plan range, including the income banded Ingwe option for entry level cover. |
| Fedhealth | An independent member owned scheme that relaunched its product range in partnership with Sanlam for new members from January 2026. |
| Medihelp | Describes itself as the third largest open scheme, with more than 275,000 lives covered. |
| Bestmed | An open scheme and one of the seven schemes Curemed is accredited to compare for clients. |
| KeyHealth | An open scheme and one of the seven schemes Curemed is accredited to compare for clients. |
| Medshield | Remains a separate open scheme after amalgamation talks with Fedhealth ended in November 2025. |
| Sizwe Hosmed | Open to the public but placed under curatorship in late 2025 over solvency concerns. It continues to operate under a curator, so take extra care before joining. |
Most of the larger schemes offer entry level, income banded options, for example Discovery KeyCare, Momentum Ingwe and Bonitas BonStart. On these plans your contribution is linked to what you earn, which makes cover more reachable for lower income households. We keep a separate, regularly updated list of medical aid options under R1000, and a full guide on what medical aid costs in South Africa.
What changed in 2025 and 2026?
The past two years brought more movement in the industry than the previous decade, so if you last compared schemes in 2024, the picture has shifted.
Bonitas changed administrators. On 1 June 2026, after 43 years with Medscheme, Bonitas moved its administration to Momentum Health. It is the largest administration transfer in South African history. Bonitas remains its own scheme, but claims, call centres and member systems now run on the Momentum Health platform.
Fedhealth partnered with Sanlam. Fedhealth relaunched its product range in partnership with Sanlam, effective for new members from January 2026. The scheme remains independent and member owned.
Fedhealth and Medshield talks ended. Discussions to amalgamate the two schemes were terminated in November 2025. Both continue as separate open schemes.
Sizwe Hosmed went under curatorship. The scheme was placed under curatorship in late 2025 over solvency concerns and continues to operate under a curator appointed to protect members.
What every scheme must cover (PMBs)
No matter which scheme or plan you choose, the law sets a floor. Every registered medical scheme must pay for Prescribed Minimum Benefits, which cover three things:
- Any emergency medical condition.
- A defined set of 271 conditions, mostly serious hospital level diagnoses.
- 26 chronic conditions on the Chronic Disease List, including common conditions such as diabetes, asthma and hypertension.
This is why even the cheapest registered medical aid plan offers real protection against major health events. It is also one of the key differences between a medical scheme and a health insurance product, which does not have to cover PMBs.
How do you choose between them?
With 16 open schemes and dozens of plans inside each one, comparing on price alone is a mistake. A cheaper plan with the wrong hospital network or a small day to day benefit can cost you far more over a year. Our guide on how to choose a medical aid in South Africa walks through the full process, but the short version is this: match the plan to your health needs, your preferred doctors and hospitals, and your budget, in that order.
Also look beyond the scheme itself. Specialists often charge more than scheme rates in hospital, which is where Gap Cover comes in. It is a separate, inexpensive insurance product that covers the shortfall between what specialists charge and what your scheme pays.
Curemed has been advising South African families since 1992 and is accredited on seven open schemes: Discovery Health, Momentum, Bonitas, Fedhealth, Medihelp, Bestmed and KeyHealth. Because we are an independent brokerage and not tied to any single scheme, a Curemed Advisor can compare plans across all seven schemes for you at no cost, and broker fees never change what you pay, since contributions are set by the schemes themselves. If you would like a free comparison, speak to a Curemed Advisor.
Frequently asked questions
How many medical aid schemes are in South Africa?
There are 71 medical schemes registered with the Council for Medical Schemes. Of these, 16 are open to the public and 55 are restricted to specific employers or industries, according to the CMS Annual Report 2024/25.
What is the largest medical aid scheme?
Discovery Health Medical Scheme is the largest open scheme in South Africa, with 2,725,122 beneficiaries at the end of 2025, about 57.7 percent of the open scheme market.
What is the difference between open and restricted schemes?
Open schemes must accept any member of the public who applies and agrees to the scheme rules. Restricted schemes only accept people from a specific employer, industry or professional group.
Can anyone join Profmed?
No. Profmed is a restricted scheme. Only graduate professionals with a four year or longer qualification who qualify for PPS membership may join.
Do all schemes have to cover PMBs?
Yes. Every registered medical scheme must cover Prescribed Minimum Benefits: any emergency medical condition, 271 defined conditions and 26 chronic conditions on the Chronic Disease List.
This article is general information, not financial advice. Scheme rules and registered benefit options prevail. Figures are from the CMS Annual Report 2024/25 and scheme publications.