The Government Employees Medical Scheme offers affordable medical coverage to South African civil servants and their nominated beneficiaries.
The program has over 800,000 principal members and about 2 million beneficiaries.
Learn about the different policies the GEMS medical aid scheme offers, their features, and current prices below.
GEMS covers members' healthcare costs such as hospitalization, treatments and medicine. Photo: @GEMSMEDICALAID, @RDNE Stock project (modified by author)Source: UGC
Gain insights into the current GEMS medical aid options and prices in 2024 below.
The information can help you choose the most suitable health plan for yourself and your loved ones.
Tanzanite One - From R1 363 monthly
Tanzanite One was previously known as Sapphire.
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It is the most affordable of all GEMS medical aid options.
The entry-level package is tailored for employees in income levels 1-5.
Beryl - From R1 538 monthly
The GEMS Beryl health insurance plan is a slightly pricier entry-level package.
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It is designed for workers with low to medium healthcare needs.
Emerald Value - From R2 975 monthly
Emerald Value is an efficiency-discounted option of the Emerald package.
It is tailored for members with average to above-average healthcare needs.
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TheEmerald Value’s pricesare:
Here is a look at its features.
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Prices for theEmerald GEMS optionare:
Here are the package’s main features.
What is a GEMS medical aid calculator?
The total contribution is based on the family size and income band information you provided.
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All important GEMSapplication formsare available for download on the GEMS website.
How do you contact GEMS?
GEMS (the Government Employees Medical Scheme) has no WhatsApp number.
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Are GEMS offices open?
GEMS has 19walk-in centersinSouth Africa, two in every province.
What does the GEMS scheme cover?
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GEMS medical aid plans provide comprehensive out-of-hospital and in-hospital benefits.
In addition, all level 1-5 members can have a 100% subsidy from their employers.
The GEMS scheme also gives members access to a data pipe of hospitals and unlimited GP and specialist consultations.
The GEMS Health and Wellness Screening Services (HWSS) provides health screening services to civil servants. Photo: pexels.com, @Pixabay, @Pavel Danilyuk (modified by author)Source: UGC
This government medical aid scheme has many benefits.
For instance, GEMS members benefit from income-band-rated contributions.
Also, GEMS’average family contributionis 25% lower than most of its competitors.
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What are GEMS options?
Civil servants in South Africa can choose any option, depending on their income and financial capabilities.
Which is the cheapest GEMS option?
GEMS offers its members disease management programs (DMPs) to help manage various chronic diseases. Photo: pexels.com, @Tima Miroshnichenko, @Andrea Piacquadio (modified by author)Source: UGC
Tanzanite One is the cheapest option.
What is the difference between Ruby and Emerald GEMS?
Ruby is less costly than the Emerald GEMS medical aid option.
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GEMS will approve the extra days if there is a valid clinical reason for the stay.
Does the GEMS scheme cover dental treatment in the hospital?
It also pays for conscious dental sedation in rooms for children up to age nine.
Pregnant members and dependents of GEMS have access to the Maternity Program. Photo: pexels.com, @MART PRODUCTION, @RDNE Stock project (modified by author)Source: UGC
Does GEMS cover dentures for Tanzanite One and Beryl members?
It is a once-in-a-lifetime benefit per beneficiary.
Does GEMS cover root canal treatment?
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Root canal treatment is covered on all GEMS options.
For all other options, this benefit is subject to the annual limit for out-of-hospital dental services.
What happens if your authorized benefit changes?
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If your authorized chronic medicine changes in any way, you gotta communicate the change to GEMS.
The medicine change will be processed within five days.
What is the cheapest medical aid in SA?
The GEMS dental benefit ensures that members have access to cost-effective, quality dental healthcare. Photo: pexels.com, @CDC, @Andrea Piacquadio (modified by author)Source: UGC
Momentum Health, NetCare, Fedhealth, Discovery Health, and Bonita have affordablemedical aid coveragefor R500 and less.
Nonetheless, the total contribution is based on the family size and income band information you provided.
DISCLAIMER:This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances.
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Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
How much is the NSFAS allowance for 2025 per month and what does it cover?
Briefly.co.za published South Africanemergency numbersone should have on their phone.
Metastatic cancer members and dependents of GEMS have access to the Palliative Care Program. Photo: pexels.com, @Thirdman, @MART PRODUCTION (modified by author)Source: UGC
Some numbers are for general emergencies, while others are for specific incidences.
Hence, having the correct emergency numbers to call for help is essential.
She has a Bachelor of Commerce & IT from the University of Nairobi and joined Briefly.co.za in November 2019.
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The writer completed a Google News Initiate Course.
you could email her at perisrodah254@gmail.com.
She tackles diverse topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle.
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Previously, she worked at The Campanile by Kenyatta University.
She has more than five years in writing.
In 2023, Jackline finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and Google News Initiative course in 2024.
Email: simwajackie2022@gmail.com.
