Scheme reviews
CAMAF medical aid: who can join, plans and contacts for 2026
By MedicalAidZA editorial team · 8 min read · Updated 29 September 2026
- Scheme type
- Restricted (CMS register)
- Established
- 1951
- Who can join
- Holders of listed accounting qualifications, and member firms
- 2026 option families
- Alliance, Double, Vital, Essential, First Choice, Network Choice
- Chronic conditions
- 27 on entry options, 60 to 65 on Vital, Double and Alliance
- Member access
- Web portal; no mobile app described
- Status
- restricted scheme
- Administrator
- Self-administered
- Member line
- 0860 100 545
- Emergency
- 0860 100 544
- 2026 options
- 10
CAMAF is a restricted medical scheme, not an open one. You can only join if you hold or held a listed accounting qualification (CA(SA), AGA(SA), Professional Accountant (SA), Chartered Certified Accountant or FCMA/ACMA) or work at a firm that has joined the fund. The Chartered Accountants (SA) Medical Aid Fund was established in 1951 and the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) lists it as restricted.
If you are in public practice you cannot join on your own: your whole firm must join and have a letter of understanding with CAMAF.
For 2026 the scheme offers ten options in six families: Alliance, Double, Vital and Essential (each with a Plus and a Network version), plus First Choice and Network Choice. This page explains who each one suits. The contact numbers and 2026 contributions are in the tables on this page, taken from CAMAF's own site.
Who can join CAMAF, and who cannot
CAMAF accepts people who hold or held one of these qualifications:
- Chartered Accountant (South Africa), CA(SA)
- Associate General Accountant (South Africa), AGA(SA)
- Professional Accountant (SA)
- Chartered Certified Accountant
- FCMA or ACMA status
Trainee accountants who have passed part one of the SAICA exams, hold a valid training contract and are registered for part two also qualify. CAMAF can ask for proof of exam registration.
Firms matter as much as people. If you are engaged in public practice, your entire firm must join the scheme, so you cannot sign up as an individual. Support staff at member firms are who the entry-level First Choice option is designed for.
If you do not hold a listed qualification and your employer is not a member firm, CAMAF is not open to you. Look at the list of medical aid schemes in South Africa for open schemes, or at Profmed, which is restricted to professionals with a tertiary qualification and relevant experience.
What to know about CAMAF in 2026
- CAMAF is a restricted (not open) scheme, established in 1951: membership is for people who hold or held a listed accounting qualification (CA(SA), AGA(SA), Professional Accountant (SA), Chartered Certified Accountant, FCMA/ACMA), and individuals in public practice must join through their whole firm; CMS lists it as RESTRICTED. (web.archive.org)
- CAMAF was established in 1951 and describes itself as a scheme 'In a Class of its Own'. (web.archive.org)
- Eligible individuals hold or held Chartered Accountant (South Africa), Associate General Accountant (South Africa), Professional Accountant (SA), Chartered Certified Accountant, or FCMA/ACMA status. (web.archive.org)
- Individuals in public practice cannot join alone: their whole firm must join and have a letter of understanding (LOU) with CAMAF. (web.archive.org)
- Trainee accountants who passed part one of the SAICA exams, hold a valid training contract and are registered for part two also qualify, with proof of exam registration on request. (web.archive.org)
- For 2026 CAMAF offers six option families: Alliance, Double, Vital and Essential (each with a Plus and a Network version), plus First Choice and Network Choice. (web.archive.org)
- Chronic-condition cover is 65 conditions on Alliance, 64 on Double, 60 on Vital and 27 on Essential, First Choice and Network Choice. (web.archive.org)
- Vital Plus and Vital Network are hospital plans with no day-to-day benefits. (web.archive.org)
- Network versions restrict hospital admission to Life Healthcare and Netcare; Network Choice uses Netcare hospitals only. (web.archive.org)
- Contributions on Vital, Essential, First Choice and Network Choice depend on the member's monthly income as defined in the scheme rules. (web.archive.org)
- CAMAF is self-administered (CMS 2024/25 accreditation table). (medicalschemes.co.za)
CAMAF plans and prices in 2026
Chartered Accountants (SA) Medical Aid Fund (CAMAF) publishes 10 benefit options for 2026. Prices are the monthly contribution for a main member as published by CAMAF, and income-banded plans show the band. Adult and child dependants pay extra. Checked on 29 September 2026.
| Option | Type | 2026 contribution (main member) |
|---|---|---|
| Alliance Plus | Comprehensive with savings (MSA) | R10 535 per month main member (risk R9 885 + MSA R650); adult dependant R10 535; child dependant R5 505 |
| Alliance Network | Comprehensive with savings (MSA), network | R9 465 per month main member (risk R8 875 + MSA R590); adult dependant R9 465; child dependant R4 960 |
| Double Plus | Comprehensive with savings (MSA) | R6 875 per month main member (risk R6 460 + MSA R415); adult dependant R6 875; child dependant R3 975 |
| Double Network | Comprehensive with savings (MSA), network | R6 225 per month main member (risk R5 840 + MSA R385); adult dependant R6 225; child dependant R3 585 |
| Vital Plus | Hospital plan | R3 740 (income R0 - R60 100) to R4 765 (income R150 231+) main member; middle band R60 101 - R150 230 R4 240 |
| Vital Network | Hospital plan, network | R3 445 (income R0 - R60 100) to R4 380 (income R150 231+) main member; middle band R60 101 - R150 230 R3 920 |
| Essential Plus | Saver / entry to mid-level | R3 785 (income R0 - R150 230) to R4 470 (income R150 231+) main member, risk plus MSA R730 |
| Essential Network | Saver, network | R3 385 (income R0 - R150 230) to R3 965 (income R150 231+) main member, risk plus MSA R655 |
| First Choice | Income-based / entry-level | R1 730 (income R0 - R12 810) to R5 875 (income R49 691+) main member |
| Network Choice | Income-based / entry-level, network | R1 850 (income R0 - R20 000) to R4 855 (income R49 691+) main member |
How the 2026 plan range is structured
CAMAF's range runs from a hospital plan and income-based entry options up to comprehensive plans with a medical savings account (MSA). In every family except First Choice and Network Choice the Plus version lets you use any private hospital, and the Network version limits hospital admissions to Life Healthcare and Netcare.
| Option | Type | Hospital and doctor rules | Chronic conditions | Designed for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance Plus and Network | Comprehensive with savings | Doctors and specialists in hospital at 300% CBT; unlimited radiology and pathology in or out of hospital; adult day-to-day limit of R46 160 | 65 | Executives, mature families and members with significant health risks |
| Double Plus and Network | Comprehensive with savings | Doctors and specialists in hospital at 300% CBT; adult day-to-day limit of R17 985 | 64 | Young families or couples trying to conceive |
| Vital Plus and Network | Hospital plan | No day-to-day benefits; 300% CBT | 60 | Single members or couples without children who need major risk cover |
| Essential Plus and Network | Saver, entry to mid-level | 200% CBT; day-to-day from an MSA | 27 | Members who want to put money aside for day-to-day costs |
| First Choice | Income-based entry option | Any private hospital, no limits; doctors at 100% CBT | 27 | Support staff at member firms |
| Network Choice | Income-based entry option, network | Netcare hospitals only, no limits; doctors at 100% CBT at designated providers | 27 | Entry-level members who accept a Netcare-only network |
CBT is the scheme rate shown in the brochure: 300% means CAMAF pays specialists in hospital at three times that rate. It is worth asking what your doctor actually charges before you rely on any percentage.
CAMAF contact numbers
Checked on 29 September 2026 against CAMAF's official website. Numbers change, so confirm on the linked page before you call. A scheme will not ask you to pay into a new bank account over the phone: hang up and call the official number if anything feels off.
| What you need | How to reach CAMAF |
|---|---|
| Hospital pre-authorisation (also after-hours medical emergencies) | 0860 100 544 |
| After-hours medical emergencies | 0860 100 544 |
| Customer care (benefits, claims and contributions) | 0860 100 545 |
| Customer care (alternative number and hours) | 0860 100 545 or 011 707 8400 |
| Chronic medication queries (members) | 0861 700 600 option 3 |
| Chronic medicine authorisation (doctors and pharmacists only) | 0800 200 300 |
| Emergency / ambulance (Netcare 911) | 082 911 |
| Whistle-blowing / fraud (toll-free) | 0800 111 215 |
| Firm and individual joining queries (customer care) | 0860 100 545 |
| Address | CAMAF House, Building 6, Hampton Office Park, 20 Georgian Crescent, Bryanston, 2152 |
Sources: web.archive.org/...tps://camaf.co.za/contact-us, web.archive.org/...s://camaf.co.za/do-i-qualify. All schemes' numbers are on our medical aid contact numbers page.
Network or Plus: what you give up
A Network version costs less than its Plus twin because you agree to use Life Healthcare or Netcare hospitals for admissions. On Essential Network there is a 20% co-payment if you use a non-designated hospital for a non-emergency admission. Network Choice is stricter still, with Netcare hospitals only.
In an emergency you may go to the nearest facility. For planned care, check that your surgeon works at a hospital in the network before you book. The guide to network and traditional plans explains the trade-off in more detail.
How contributions work
CAMAF prices its options in two different ways. The Alliance and Double options have one fixed contribution per adult, and a lower one per child. The Vital, Essential, First Choice and Network Choice options depend on your monthly income as defined in the scheme rules. Vital and Essential use a small number of bands. First Choice and Network Choice use five income bands, so what you pay follows what you earn.
On the saver-type options part of your contribution is a risk contribution and part goes to your MSA. Money in the MSA pays day-to-day costs, but it only covers what it holds, so ask CAMAF what happens to any unused balance. Read the medical savings account guide before you pick a saver option, and see hospital plan versus comprehensive if you are choosing between Vital and a savings option.
Medical scheme members can claim a monthly tax credit. For 2026/27 it is R376 for you, R376 for your first dependant and R254 for each additional dependant, according to SARS. The tax credit guide has the detail.
Chronic cover, emergencies and day-to-day use
Every option must pay for the Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs) in full: 271 conditions plus 26 chronic conditions according to the CMS (a 2026 CMS presentation says 27). CAMAF covers 27 chronic conditions on Essential, First Choice and Network Choice, 60 on Vital, 64 on Double and 65 on Alliance. See the prescribed minimum benefits guide and the chronic disease benefits guide.
Emergency services run through Netcare 911 and are unlimited, subject to Netcare 911 authorisation. Planned hospital admissions need pre-authorisation, so read the pre-authorisation guide. Members log in through a web portal, and we found no mobile app described on the CAMAF pages we checked.
What changed for 2026 and what to expect for 2027
We could not find an announced average increase for 2026 on CAMAF's pages, and nothing has been announced for 2027 as of 29 September 2026. Treat any figure quoted elsewhere as unconfirmed.
For context, the CMS recommended in Circular 20 of 2026 that 2027 increases be anchored at 3.8%. That is a benchmark, not a cap: a scheme that needs more must justify it. Restricted schemes had submitted a 2026 increase assumption of 9.44% on average, a figure from benefit submissions rather than a measured result. Our 2027 increases page tracks announcements as they come.
One note on our sources: CAMAF's website blocked automated access when we checked, so the 2026 benefits and contributions here come from archived copies of its official 2026 pages and brochure from early 2026. Confirm the current figures with the scheme before you decide.
How CAMAF compares with alternatives
Profmed is also restricted, open to professionals with a tertiary qualification and relevant experience, and it is administered by PPS Healthcare Administrators. It announced a 6.76% weighted average increase for 2026. It is the natural next stop for professionals who do not qualify for CAMAF. See the Profmed review.
Bestmed is an open scheme and self-administered like CAMAF, with hospital, saver and comprehensive options and a 6.8% average increase for 2026. Anyone can apply, which helps if you do not qualify for CAMAF. See the Bestmed review.
Discovery Health is the largest open scheme, with a much longer plan ladder, including network and saver options. See the Discovery Health review.
CAMAF's strengths are a profession-based membership, a self-administered scheme and both a hospital plan and income-based entry options. Its limits are the eligibility rules, the Life Healthcare and Netcare restriction on Network options, and no mobile app that we could confirm.
How to join CAMAF and what to do if things go wrong
Check that you qualify, then apply online at camaf.co.za or through your firm. Firms should contact CAMAF customer care to arrange the letter of understanding. See how to join a medical aid for the documents you will need.
New members can face waiting periods of up to 3 months general and 12 months condition-specific. If you are 35 or older and have not been covered before, a late joiner penalty of 5% to 75% of your contribution can apply, depending on how many years you were uncovered. The waiting periods guide and late joiner penalty guide explain the rules, and CAMAF can confirm what it applies.
If you have a complaint, raise it with CAMAF first. If it is still unresolved, take it to the CMS at [email protected] or 0861 123 267. See how to complain to the CMS.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CAMAF contact number?
According to CAMAF's website (checked 29 September 2026), the member line is 0860 100 545, and for an emergency or ambulance call 0860 100 544. Confirm on the official site before calling, because numbers change.
Who can join CAMAF?
People who hold or held CA(SA), AGA(SA), Professional Accountant (SA), Chartered Certified Accountant or FCMA/ACMA status can join, as can trainee accountants who have passed part one of the SAICA exams and are registered for part two. If you are in public practice, your whole firm must join.
Is CAMAF an open scheme?
No. CAMAF is a restricted scheme and the CMS lists it as restricted. Membership is limited to people with listed accounting qualifications and to member firms, so the general public cannot apply.
Can I join CAMAF if I am not an accountant?
Only through a member firm. The First Choice option is designed for support staff at member firms. If your employer is not a member firm and you do not hold a listed qualification, you cannot join.
Does CAMAF have a hospital plan?
Yes. Vital Plus and Vital Network are hospital plans with no day-to-day benefits. Vital covers 60 chronic conditions and its contributions depend on your income.
How many chronic conditions does CAMAF cover?
It covers 27 on Essential, First Choice and Network Choice, 60 on Vital, 64 on Double and 65 on Alliance. All options must pay the Prescribed Minimum Benefit conditions in full.
Who administers CAMAF?
CAMAF is self-administered. The CMS lists it among the self-administered schemes and CAMAF names no outside administrator on its pages.
Is there a late joiner penalty at CAMAF?
The rule is set by the Medical Schemes regulations and applies to applicants aged 35 or older without enough previous cover. The penalty is 5%, 25%, 50% or 75% of the contribution for that person, depending on the years without cover. Proof of earlier cover can reduce it.
