Rural communities in South Africa often face unique challenges when it comes to quality healthcare services. Bloom Financial Services, together with their partner Momentum Health4Me, is committed to improving the lives of rural communities by connecting people to private healthcare services. Discover the transformative impact of Bloom’s cost-effective health insurance plans, by exploring the relationship between affordability and accessibility.
Public healthcare is under-resourced
South Africans are guaranteed access to public healthcare under our Constitution. Unfortunately, the healthcare system faces many ongoing challenges that affect the quality of medical services. Public healthcare currently serves more than 80% of South Africa’s population and remains severely under-resourced. Given the strain on the country’s public healthcare, many people elect to invest in private medical insurance policies but this often is not an affordable option for those people living in rural communities and earning a minimum wage.
Health insurance has proven to be an affordable alternative to medical aid. Many South Africans from rural communities are not in a position to afford the cost of medical aid premiums, and Bloom Financial Services can offer quality medical services to those who fall into a lower income bracket or who are living on a fixed income. It’s an insurance product that’s governed by the Short-Term Insurance Act and covers a list of preselected benefits with a monetary value attached to each of these. It’s best for day-to-day medical expenses and provides limited hospital cover, which is serviced through its network of approved providers. Medical aid schemes, in contrast, provide prescribed minimum benefits for a wide range of life-threatening emergencies and up to 26 chronic medical conditions, which makes the premiums more expensive.
Building relationships with awareness and trust
Many individuals from rural communities lack knowledge and awareness about medical care. In addition, they lack the resources or funds for basic healthcare services or products. For instance, it’s estimated that three out of ten girls in rural communities miss school for up to a week each month when they have their period because they cannot afford sanitary wear. The same applies to people who fail to seek medical attention promptly or engage in preventative screening assessments in a timely manner.
This is where health insurance becomes a vehicle for education and engagement with rural communities, offering informative resources and fostering proactive healthcare involvement. Tailored plans provide crucial health information about best practices, preventive measures and available services. So, health insurance not only serves as a financial safety net for economically vulnerable communities but also plays a role as a tool that educates and engages rural populations, promoting a culture of health awareness and understanding.
The positive impact of a health insurance plan
Quality health insurance serves as a vital bridge that connects rural communities to much-needed medical services. By offering comprehensive coverage and affordable options, these plans break down financial barriers, which would otherwise bar people from benefitting from any health services. By ensuring that communities can access a spectrum of healthcare resources, Bloom empowers individuals to seek preventative care, fostering a proactive approach to their health, ultimately improving their health outcomes and overall well-being. Some of the benefits of health insurance in rural communities include:
- Access to private healthcare services. People will gain access to top-quality healthcare services when needed. That means individuals will benefit from early diagnosis and treatment for health conditions and diseases.
- Access to a wide network of specialists. Bloom provides members with a robust offering of specialists from their approved network. Members can locate specialist healthcare providers like optometrists, dentists or psychiatrists.
- Preventative care. This refers to healthcare practices, medical screenings, checkups and interventions where the goal is to prevent or identify health problems before they become more serious, which would have a poorer recovery outcome. Typical assessments include breast cancer screening, blood pressure and cholesterol checks.
- Chronic medication. Health cover plans provide benefits for chronic medication, which can be delivered to the patient at their closest participating pharmacy or clinic.
Get Momentum Health4Me health insurance
Get affordable, cost-effective health insurance by contacting Bloom’s team of trained consultants. Health4Me health insurance is made even more affordable by allowing members to create a customised plan that suits their budget. Bloom uses the building block approach for the Bronze, Silver and Gold plans. This means you get to choose exactly what benefits you wish to be covered relative to your available budget.
