Circular 49 of 2024: Approved benefit and contribution adjustments for open and restricted medical schemes effective from 1 January 2025

The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) hereby publishes the status of benefit options applicable to open and restricted schemes for the 2025 benefit year.

Section 31(1) of the Medical Schemes Act (131 of 1998) (MSA) provides for a medical scheme, in the manner provided for in its rules, to amend or rescind any of such rules or make any additional rule.

Section 31(2) states that no amendment, rescission, or addition of any rule shall be valid unless it has been approved by the Registrar. Section 31(3) further states that the Registrar shall approve if he is satisfied that the change will not be unfair to members or will not render the rules inconsistent with the Act. The requirement to only approve amendments, rescissions, or additions which are fair to members is in line with one of the functions of the Council, which is to protect
the interest of beneficiaries at all times.

Accordingly, and amongst other reasons, this publication seeks to provide members and potential members of medical schemes with information to enable them to exercise informed choices. The table below details the approval status for the open and restricted medical scheme benefit options.

Download the Circular here.