Business and Technology

Discovery launches Prepaid Health product for R300

Discovery has launched a new digital Prepaid Health platform, available via a web portal and WhatsApp.

The company said this offering allows anyone living in South Africa to buy vouchers towards high-quality, primary healthcare services in the private healthcare sector, at highly competitive rates.

The first product available via this platform is a R300 GP consultation voucher, which can be redeemed at any dispensing general practitioner within the Discovery Prepaid Health network.

This voucher includes the medicines dispensed by the doctor after the consultation.

“We are very excited about this platform. Discovery Prepaid Health broadens access to high-quality treatment and medicine for all people in South Africa,” said Discovery Health CEO Dr Ryan Noach.

“Our vision is that buying prepaid vouchers for high-quality private healthcare becomes ubiquitous, akin to buying prepaid airtime for our mobile phones. One of the most compelling features is that there is no limit to the number of vouchers one can buy,” Dr Noach said.

“We have carefully selected the healthcare professionals who are pioneering the Discovery Prepaid Health offering with us, and we’re excited that every person in our country will have the opportunity to consult with them.”

How it works
Discovery said its Prepaid Health platform offers the following:

Access to high-quality, private, primary healthcare for every person in South Africa at highly competitive rates.
The option to top-up their balance online or in-store through a large network of retailers.
The option to reserve available funds in their digital wallet for future use.
The option to receive regular health and wellbeing articles, tips, and other information.
Discovery Prepaid Health can be accessed by registering a user profile via the Discovery website or on WhatsApp on 080 033 7846.

Discovery clients can also access a link to these platforms through the Discovery corporate app.

Once registered, users can buy, load, and then redeem prepaid healthcare vouchers as follows:

Buy a Blu voucher or 1ForYou voucher with cash in-store, at one of 350,000 retail outlets; or a voucher through the Discovery Prepaid Health web-based app, or the Vitality Active Rewards Mall, using a debit or credit card.
Load the voucher to their Prepaid Health balance using WhatsApp, www.discovery.co.za or the Discovery Prepaid Health app.
Redeem: Use their Discovery Prepaid Health balance for any service available on the Discovery Prepaid platform. e.g. a GP + meds voucher.
“Disruption in the healthcare market is required to improve access and affordability of private healthcare for all South Africans so that they can choose quality, private primary healthcare when they wish to,” Dr Noach said.

Network of doctors
At launch, the Discovery Prepaid Health network will include doctors in the major metros within eight of the nine provinces and this will continue to be expanded, with new practices being added daily.

“Discovery Health has, over time, built strong private healthcare networks and a deep understanding of the healthcare system,” Dr Noach said.

“Leveraging our data analytics capabilities, we have been able to identify the intersection of optimal, quality healthcare and affordability, ideal for the currently uninsured market.”

Discovery Prepaid Health allows users to buy a voucher and share the link to it within 60 seconds via WhatsApp or the web.

The company said that this product aims to provide quality private healthcare to those who are not members of medical schemes in South Africa.

“In South Africa, whilst only 16% of the population has private medical scheme cover, our research shows that up to 50% of the population chooses to access primary healthcare in the private healthcare sector,” Dr Noach said.

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Source: mybroadband