Last reviewed: October 2026. We review our guides regularly to keep them accurate.
By Hagop Jaghlassian, CEO at Curemed. Reviewed by Roxanne Hurter-Ehlers, Director of People and Governance.
Medihelp has published its 2027 contributions and benefit changes. The weighted average increase is 7.5%, and Curemed has worked out what that means plan by plan from the published 2026 and 2027 contribution tables. Across the twelve plans the increases run from 6.5% to 8.5%, a spread narrow enough that the headline figure is a reasonable guide to what most members will pay.
In short: Medihelp increase 2027
- The Medihelp weighted average increase for 2027 is 7.5%, down from 8.46% in 2026.
- Medihelp sets the per-plan increases between 6.5% and 8.5% across the twelve plans.
- Medihelp also says increases are limited to 7% or less for 60% of members.
- The plan change cut-off is 30 November 2026 for PERSAL members and 15 December 2026 for everyone else.
- All 2027 figures remain subject to approval by the Council for Medical Schemes.
What has Medihelp announced for 2027?
Medihelp has announced a weighted average contribution increase of 7.5% for 2027. In the same announcement the scheme said that increases are limited to 7% or less for 60% of its members. The figures were reported by FAnews on 1 October 2026, quoting Medihelp CEO Varsha Vala.
For context, the 2026 weighted average was 8.46%, with the lowest plan increase that year at 6%. The 2027 weighted average is therefore lower than the one Medihelp announced a year ago. The full 2027 contributions are published on the Medihelp website and in the 2027 member and plan documents, each carrying the caveat that the content is subject to approval by the Council for Medical Schemes.
What will each Medihelp plan cost in 2027?
The table below lists the main member monthly contribution for each of the twelve Medihelp plans in 2026 and 2027, the rand increase, the increase Medihelp states for that plan, and the effective movement between the two published contributions.
| Plan | 2026 main member | 2027 main member | Rand increase | Medihelp stated | Effective increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MedMove! Student (income R0 to R900) | R804 | R864 | R60 | 7.5% | 7.46% |
| MedMove! (income R901 plus) | R1 734 | R1 848 | R114 | 6.5% | 6.57% |
| MedVital Elect | R2 412 | R2 568 | R156 | 6.5% | 6.47% |
| MedVital | R3 096 | R3 300 | R204 | 6.5% | 6.59% |
| MedAdd Elect | R3 186 | R3 408 | R222 | 7.0% | 6.97% |
| MedAdd | R4 038 | R4 320 | R282 | 7.0% | 6.98% |
| MedSaver | R4 260 | R4 620 | R360 | 8.5% | 8.45% |
| MedReach | R3 360 | R3 612 | R252 | 7.5% | 7.50% |
| MedPrime Elect | R4 746 | R5 100 | R354 | 7.5% | 7.46% |
| MedPrime | R5 790 | R6 222 | R432 | 7.5% | 7.46% |
| MedElite | R8 922 | R9 678 | R756 | 8.5% | 8.47% |
| MedPlus | R15 486 | R16 800 | R1 314 | 8.5% | 8.49% |
Across the twelve plans the range is 6.5% to 8.5%. For 2027 Medihelp groups its plans as follows on the plan choice form: MedVital and MedVital Elect are the basic plans; MedAdd, MedAdd Elect and MedSaver are the savings plans; MedPrime, MedPrime Elect, MedReach, MedElite and MedPlus are the comprehensive plans. MedMove! and MedMove! Student are income-banded entry plans.
Why do the stated and effective percentages differ slightly?
Medihelp sets each plan increase in half percent steps, then rounds the resulting contribution to the nearest R6. Every Medihelp contribution in both years is a multiple of R6, and every stated increase is a multiple of half a percent. That final rounding nudges the effective increase slightly away from the target.
We tested this on all twelve plans. Taking the 2026 contribution, applying the increase Medihelp states, and rounding to the nearest R6 reproduces the published 2027 contribution exactly, on every plan. Both figures are therefore correct. The stated figure is the target Medihelp set. The effective figure is what the published prices actually move by, which is what lands on a member bank statement.
On ten plans the two agree to one decimal place. On MedVital the R6 rounding lands just above the target, so a stated 6.5% becomes an effective 6.59%, and MedMove! behaves the same way at 6.57%. On nine plans the effective figure sits a little below the stated one, which is why MedSaver shows 8.45% against a stated 8.5%. The differences are a few hundredths of a percentage point and never more than R3 a month.
Why should nobody apply 7.5% to their own plan?
A weighted average reflects how many members sit on each plan. Plans with more members pull the average towards their own increase, and plans with fewer members pull it less. The 7.5% figure is therefore a description of the scheme as a whole, not of any single plan.
A MedVital Elect member pays about 6.5% more. A MedPlus member pays about 8.5% more. Neither pays 7.5%. The right figure for any member is the one in the table above for their own plan, which is why we publish the plan-level numbers rather than leaning on the headline.
How does the Medihelp disclosure compare with Fedhealth?
Last week we published our analysis of the Fedhealth 2027 increases. Both schemes built their announcement around a figure covering 60% of members, which makes a structural comparison fair to draw, provided it is drawn carefully.
Fedhealth said 60% of its members would see an average weighted increase of 8.9%. Curemed analysis of its tables found 13 of its 14 flexiFED and Executive options rising by more than that figure, reaching 13.5% at the upper end. Medihelp said increases are limited to 7% or less for 60% of members, alongside a 7.5% weighted average, and the top of its range is 8.5%.
The difference is the spread between the headline figure and the top of the range. At Medihelp that spread is narrow, from 7.5% to 8.5%. At Fedhealth it is wide, from 8.9% to 13.5%. This is a comment on how each scheme has presented its numbers, not on which scheme offers better value or which is cheaper. Both schemes published their tables, and both sets of figures can be checked by anyone willing to do the arithmetic. For the sector-wide picture, see our round-up of 2027 medical aid increases.
What does the increase look like in rand on MedPrime?
Percentages are abstract, so take MedPrime as a concrete example. The main member contribution moves from R5 790 in 2026 to R6 222 in 2027, an increase of R432 a month.
Over twelve months that is R5 184 for the year, and that figure is for the main member alone. Adult and child dependant rates differ, so a family on MedPrime will see a larger total movement than this example shows.
Which benefits change for 2027?
Medihelp has paired the contribution increase with a set of benefit changes drawn from its published 2027 documents. The changes that will touch the most members are set out below.
What is the care extender benefit?
Taking proactive health steps unlocks two free GP consultations and R1 050 towards self-medication and acute medication for the whole family. A qualifying screening test by any family member unlocks one additional GP consultation, and a second qualifying test unlocks a second, to a maximum of two additional GP consultations per family per year.
Qualifying tests include a Pap smear, mammogram, prostate test, faecal occult blood test and bone mineral density test. A combo health screening unlocks an additional R1 050 for acute or self-medication. The care extender benefit is not available on MedMove!.
How does the mental health benefit differ by plan?
Medihelp introduces a dedicated out-of-hospital benefit for the treatment of depression, subject to registration on the Depression Support Programme. The amount for professional services per beneficiary per year, and for medicine per beneficiary per month, differs by plan.
- MedMove! and MedMove! Student: R2 000 and R110
- MedVital: R3 500 and R130
- MedAdd: R3 500 and R130
- MedSaver: R3 750 and R130
- MedReach: R4 000 and R130
- MedPrime: R4 500 and R150
- MedElite: R5 500 and R170
- MedPlus: R6 500 and R200
What else is new across maternity, child and family benefits?
Maternity cover adds postnatal consultations with clinical psychologists, alongside antenatal classes with a private nurse practitioner and consultations with dietitians and lactation specialists, depending on the plan. New for 2027, mothers receive a baby bag at 30 weeks of pregnancy.
A new emergency unit benefit applies to beneficiaries younger than 19, subject to applicable triage and the severity of the emergency, on applicable plans. Contraceptive and IUD benefits are available from age 12 until menopause or age 55, whichever comes first. The meningococcal vaccination is now covered for children aged 2 to 23 months and beneficiaries aged 13 to 26 years, though for MedMove! members it is available only for ages 13 to 26.
MedMove! members older than 12 gain access to one scale and polish treatment per beneficiary per year. High-risk members receive an annual mammogram with no age restriction, subject to clinical criteria. On MedReach the medical specialist benefit increases to R2 550 per family per year, from R1 575 in 2026, subject to the day-to-day annual overall limit. A new Medihelp app brings medical scheme and Fitt wellness features together.
When are the plan change deadlines?
The Medihelp Plan choice 2027 form is the primary source here, and it sets two separate cut-off dates. Members who want to change plan with effect from 1 January 2027 must inform Medihelp by 30 November 2026 if they are civil servants paid through PERSAL, and by 15 December 2026 if they are any other member. The form states that late requests will not be considered.
Members can complete the online interchange form on the Member Zone under Membership, or email the completed form to Medihelp. Because late requests are not considered, anyone weighing a move should decide well ahead of the relevant date rather than on it. Our guide on how to choose a medical aid plan walks through the questions to ask before submitting the form.
What caveats apply to these figures?
All figures in this article are main member monthly contributions. Adult and child dependant rates differ, with one exception: on MedPlus the main member and adult dependant pay the same amount.
On plans with a savings account the contribution figure includes the savings portion, so compare like with like. Savings account percentages are unchanged between 2026 and 2027: MedAdd and MedAdd Elect at 15%, MedSaver at 25%, MedPrime and MedPrime Elect at 10%, and MedElite at 10%. MedVital, MedReach, MedMove! and MedPlus have no savings account. The MedMove! income brackets are also unchanged, at R0 to R900 for Student and R901 plus for MedMove!.
All 2027 figures are subject to approval by the Council for Medical Schemes. Contributions and benefits sit in the registered rules of the scheme, and amendments are valid only once approved by the Registrar.
The numbers above tell you what each plan costs. They do not tell you which plan fits your family, your claims history or your budget for 2027. A Curemed Advisor can place the Medihelp options alongside your current cover, explain where Gap Cover fits, and help you meet the deadline that applies to you. Curemed has advised South African households since 1992 and works with members in all nine provinces. There is no obligation to move.
Which other questions come up about the Medihelp 2027 increase?
Is a member on a savings plan really paying the full percentage more?
The contribution figure on MedAdd, MedAdd Elect, MedSaver, MedPrime, MedPrime Elect and MedElite includes the savings portion, and that portion is paid into a savings account for the member to use on day-to-day claims. The percentage increase applies to the whole contribution, savings included. When comparing against a plan without savings, such as MedVital or MedReach, keep that structural difference in mind.
What does the CMS approval caveat mean in practice?
Contributions and benefits are set out in the registered rules of the scheme, and changes to those rules take effect only once the Registrar has approved them. The 2027 figures Medihelp has published are what it has applied to register. Members should treat them as the expected 2027 position while noting that formal approval is still outstanding.
Who does the 30 November 2026 deadline apply to?
The earlier date applies to civil servants whose membership runs through PERSAL. Every other Medihelp member has until 15 December 2026. Both dates come from the Medihelp Plan choice 2027 form, which also states that late requests will not be considered.
Should I change plan within Medihelp or move to another scheme?
That depends on your health needs, your dependants and what you can afford, not on the headline increase alone. Changing plan within the scheme follows the deadlines above. Moving between schemes has its own rules and timing, which we cover in our article on changing medical aid plans mid-year. An Advisor can map both routes for you.
Does the care extender benefit apply on MedMove!?
No. The care extender benefit, which unlocks additional GP consultations and R1 050 towards acute or self-medication, is not available on MedMove!. MedMove! members do gain other 2027 changes, including one scale and polish per beneficiary per year for members older than 12 and the meningococcal vaccination for ages 13 to 26.
