Benefit BeatIssue No 7 December 2000 In this Issue:Dear Member
New Benefit Year Winks
Benefit Changes 2001
Co-Payments 2001
Specific Changes / Additional Conditions
Contributions 2001
Trustee Elections - Nominations Received
Voting for Candidates
Contact Numbers DEAR MEMBERS Another year has flown by and all around people are starting to put up Christmas decorations and planning New Year parties. In this issue, we focus on what changes the new year holds for the Benefit Society. The inside spread therefore shows the changes in contributions, general benefit limits and specific changes to services. Thank you to everyone who has sent in Trustee nominations. As you will see from the ballot form enclosed with this newsletter, a total of 12 nominations were received. Now comes the next step - voting for the best people! Read more about the election process on page 4. Finally - have a wonderful festive season, enjoy the break and please return safely! Regards ANDY WINGREEN MANAGER NEW BENEFIT YEAR WINKS
A new calendar year means a new benefit year . . . how does this affect you as member? Entering a new benefit year means ‘fresh’ benefit limits. This means that if you have had quite a lot of medical expenses this year and have exhausted (or have come close to exhausting) your benefits, you will start 2001 with the full benefit amounts available again. Please remember that individual benefit limits are ‘cleared’ at the end of the benefit year, except for optometry limits (run for 2 years) and hearing aid limits (which run for 5 years). If you have, for example, not used the full benefit limit available under a service, you cannot carry the ‘unused balance’ over to next year. BENEFIT CHANGES 2001
The two components of the Benefit Society that affect you are contributions and benefits. Both these have been changed for the new benefit year. Benefit Beat takes a closer look at these changes.Service | 2000 | 2001 | | Ambulance services | R500 | R600 | | Auxiliary health services | R550 | R600 | | Colostomy bags and catheters | R5 000 | R6 000 | | "COS" Oxygen supply | R5 000 | R5 500 | | GP and Specialist Consultation Limit | 18p.a. | 15p.a. | | External appliances | R2 000 | R2 200 | | Eye care lenses | R600 | R700 | | Hearing aids | R5 000 | R5 500 | | Hospice | R8 000 | R8 800 | | MEDICATION | | | | - Acute medicine | R1 000 | R1 200 | | - Chronic medicine | R10 000 | R11500 | | Mental health | R3 500 | R3 900 | | Occupational and speech therapy | R750 | R850 | | Orthodontic treatment | R6 300 | R6 900 | | Physiotherapy | R2 500 | R2 750 | | Specialised dentistry | R 2 500 | R2 750 |
CO - PAYMENTS 2001 | Panel doctor co-payment | R5 | R8 | | Hospital co-payment | R250 | R280 | | After hours consultations co- payment (per consultation) | - | R40 |
SPECIFIC CHANGES / ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS Hospitalisation No co-payment needs to be made for admission to day clinics. Ask your doctor if the required procedure can be done in a day clinic. This will save you R280. Visits to GPs & specialists For after-hours consultations, members will be required to make a R40 co-payment. Scans Bone density scans have now been added to the MRI/CT scan requiring pre-authorisation. CONTRIBUTIONS 2001
You will continue to pay a fixed monthly contribution for each person you register as a dependant. As you can see from the table below, these contributions are different for adults and children, and will be based on your basic income per month. | Your basic income per month | You will pay | Per adult | Per child / student | | < R 2 000 | R489 | R129 | | R 2 001 – R3 000 | R513 | R135 | | R 3 001 – R 4 000 | R543 | R143 | | R 4 001 – R 5 000 | R572 | R151 | | R 5 001 – R 7 000 | R601 | R159 | | R 7 001 – R 9 000 | R631 | R167 | | R 9 001 + | R660 | R174 |
EXAMPLE: If you are a pensioner receiving a monthly income of R2 500, your monthly subscriptions will be as follows: | Your share: | R 71,82 (14%) | | The Company’s share: | R441,18 (86%) | | Total: | R513,00 (100%) |
For working members, your Company subsidy will depend on your conditions of employment. TRUSTEE ELECTIONS - Nominations Received
The Election Officer received twelve nominations for the Trustee elections. Thank you to those members who went to the trouble to propose and find seconders for their candidates, as well as the candidates for their willingness to stand as Trustees. VOTING FOR CANDIDATES - With this newsletter, you would have received a ballot form.
- You can use the ballot form to vote for up to four candidates, irrespective of the region in which the candidate(s) or you reside.
- Please return your completed ballot form in the reply-paid envelope supplied.
- The voting will close on 15 March. Only ballot forms that reach the Election Officer by 15 March 2001 will be considered for the election.
REMEMBER: You may vote for 1,2,3 or 4 candidates from any of the regions! Please contact Mrs Gail Kotze at the election office on (053) 831 1133; weekdays 9:00 – 12:00, 14:30 – 16:00. BENEFIT SOCIETY GENERAL CONTACT NUMBERS Benefit Society general contact numbers: (053) 807 3400 - Query line (053) 807 3333 – Kimberley Dispensary line (053) 807 3499 - Fax (053) 807 3111 - Switchboard (053) 807 3300 – Fax: Kimberley Dispensary (053) 807 3371 - Registration / Membership queries (053) 807 3427 - Hospital queries | 
