By Hagop Jaghlassian, CEO at Curemed. Reviewed by Roxanne Hurter-Ehlers, Director of People and Governance. Last updated 10 November 2026.
Discovery Health Medical Scheme is an open medical scheme, registration number 1125, administered by Discovery Health (Pty) Ltd. For 2027 it announced a weighted average contribution increase of 8.2%, effective 1 January 2027 and subject to approval by the Council for Medical Schemes. There are 26 plans in eight series, including the new Active Core plan. As at 7 November 2026 Discovery has not published a 2027 plan change deadline.
In short: Discovery Health in 2027
- Weighted average increase of 8.2%, announced on 1 October 2026, ranging from 7.4% on Active Smart to 8.9% on Executive, Comprehensive, Priority, Coastal Core and KeyCare.
- Lowest 2027 contribution: KeyCare Start Regional at R1,392 in its lowest income band. Lowest without an income band: Active Smart at R1,450. Highest: Executive at R13,442.
- 26 plans in eight series. Active Core is new, at R1,700 for the principal member.
- No 2027 plan change deadline published by Discovery as at 7 November 2026.
- 1,368,387 principal members and 2,725,122 beneficiaries at 31 December 2025. Solvency 32.58% against the 25% minimum.
- Discovery states that 2027 contributions and the new plan are subject to approval by the Council for Medical Schemes.
What does Discovery Health cost in 2027?
| Plan | Main member 2027 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| KeyCare Start Regional | R1,392 | Lowest income band. KeyCare bands use the higher of the income of the main member or of the spouse or partner. |
| Active Smart | R1,450 | Lowest plan without an income band. Increase of 7.4%. |
| Active Core (new) | R1,700 | Adult dependant R1,550, child dependant R500. No Medical Savings Account. |
| Executive | R13,442 | R10,082 risk contribution plus R3,360 to the Medical Savings Account. Highest Discovery contribution. |
Discovery sets increases by series: 7.4% on Active Smart; 7.9% on the Saver, Core, Smart Saver and Smart series; 8.4% on Coastal Saver; and 8.9% on Executive, Comprehensive, Priority, Coastal Core and KeyCare. Discovery states that two thirds of members on the Scheme get an increase of less than 8%.
The eight series are Executive (Executive); Comprehensive (Classic Comprehensive and Classic Smart Comprehensive); Priority (Classic Priority and Essential Priority); Saver (Classic Saver, Classic Delta Saver, Essential Saver, Essential Delta Saver and Coastal Saver); Smart Saver (Classic Smart Saver and Essential Smart Saver); Smart (Classic Smart, Essential Smart, Essential Dynamic Smart and Active Smart); Core (Classic Core, Classic Delta Core, Essential Core, Essential Delta Core, Coastal Core and Active Core); and KeyCare (KeyCare Plus, KeyCare Core, KeyCare Start and KeyCare Start Regional, all income banded).
The Above Threshold Benefit is unlimited on Executive, up to R37,640 on Comprehensive and R20,830 on Priority.
What changes at Discovery Health for 2027?
Active Core is the one new plan. It costs R1,700 for the principal member, uses the Active Hospital Network and has no Medical Savings Account, subject to approval by the Council for Medical Schemes. Active Smart moves to the same new Active Hospital Network.
Across the plans, benefit limits rise with inflation, while co-payments and deductibles rise 3.9%.
How does Discovery Health cover chronic conditions?
Discovery states that every plan covers a defined list of 27 chronic conditions under the Prescribed Minimum Benefits, as Discovery counts them. Executive and Classic Comprehensive add an Additional Disease List of 22 extra conditions. No other plan carries that additional list.
Which hospitals can you use on Discovery Health?
Discovery states that there is no overall limit for hospital cover on its health plans. Which hospitals you can use depends on the plan, as the table shows.
| Plans | Hospital network |
|---|---|
| Executive, Classic Comprehensive, Priority, Classic and Essential Saver, Classic and Essential Core | Any approved private hospital |
| Delta plans | Delta Network |
| Coastal plans | Coastal network |
| Smart Saver, Classic Smart, Essential Smart, Classic Smart Comprehensive | Smart Hospital Network |
| Essential Dynamic Smart | Dynamic Smart Hospital Network |
| Active Smart, Active Core | Active Hospital Network |
| KeyCare plans | KeyCare networks |
How big is Discovery Health and how is it run?
At 31 December 2025 the Scheme had 1,368,387 principal members and 2,725,122 beneficiaries. Its Integrated Report 2025 cites a 57.7% share of open-scheme beneficiaries, from the CMS Industry Report 2024. Solvency was 32.58%, above the 25% statutory minimum.
The Scheme is administered by Discovery Health (Pty) Ltd. Vitality is a separate product with its own fee; Vitality Active costs R199 per adult a month in 2027.
How do you change your Discovery Health plan for 2027?
As at 7 November 2026 Discovery has not published a plan change deadline for 2027. Curemed asks its clients to have instructions in by 15 December 2026 so that forms can be checked before the scheme closes.
Curemed is accredited to advise on Discovery Health. An Advisor can compare the Discovery Health plans you qualify for with the other schemes Curemed works with and explain the trade-offs in writing. Curemed also offers CureClub, our member support team, which takes on scheme admin such as claim submissions, authorisations and chronic medication applications on behalf of members and escalates when the scheme gets something wrong.
Frequently asked questions
Does moving to another Discovery Health plan start a new waiting period?
No. Changing option within the same scheme does not start a new waiting period under the Medical Schemes Act 131 of 1998. A member who is already serving a waiting period continues to serve it on the new plan.
Whose income counts for a KeyCare plan?
KeyCare contributions are income banded. Discovery uses the higher of the income of the main member or of the spouse or partner to place a family in a band. KeyCare Start Regional starts at R1,392 a month in the lowest band.
Does Vitality cost extra?
Yes. Vitality is a separate product from the medical scheme and has its own fee. Vitality Active costs R199 per adult a month in 2027.
Who claims the medical tax credit if a parent pays the contributions?
The medical scheme fees tax credit belongs to the taxpayer who paid the contributions, not automatically to the member named on the scheme. Where a parent pays for an adult child who is the main member, the parent claims it if that child is a dependant of the parent for tax purposes. The same contributions cannot be claimed twice.
Can the Discovery Health 2027 figures still change?
Yes. Discovery states that the 2027 contributions and the new Active Core plan are subject to approval by the Council for Medical Schemes. Curemed will update this page if the approved figures differ.
