Profmed medical aid in 2026: who qualifies, the five options, prices and how to join

Profmed's own wording is a tertiary qualification and relevant professional experience. It does not name a single profession, so confirm with the scheme whether your qualification and experience count before you rely on it. The contact table has a free-call line for new members.

Your dependants can join with you. Adult dependant rates apply from age 21, and child rates apply up to age 28 for dependent students, with annual proof due by the end of February.

If you do not qualify, an open scheme must accept you. See the Bestmed, Discovery Health and Bonitas pages, or the best medical aid guide. Government employees may have their own restricted scheme: see GEMS.

• Profmed is a restricted medical scheme open to professionals who have a tertiary qualification and relevant professional experience (with their dependants); it says it is the largest restricted scheme in South Africa. (profmed.co.za)
• 2026 contribution increase: 6.76% average, weighted by membership (ProSelect and ProSelect Savvy 5.5%). (profmed.co.za)
• Profmed calls itself the largest restricted medical scheme in South Africa, designed for professionals. (profmed.co.za)
• 2026 contribution increase averaged 6.76% (weighted by membership); more than 74% of members had an increase below 7%; ProSelect and ProSelect Savvy rose 5.5%. (profmed.co.za)
• 2027 benefits page is live (applicable 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2027): benefit limits rise 4.25% scheme-wide, Amplifire day-to-day boost rises from R2 750 to R3 500, a mental health assessment is added to Preventative Care, and the ProSelect income eligibility threshold rises to R40 000 a month. The page does not state a 2027 contribution increase and its rates document was not yet available (see notes). (profmed.co.za)
• Solvency ratio ended 2025 at 43.4%, above the 35%-40% target range, with a net surplus of R356.6 million. (profmed.co.za)
• Every option comes in a Premium version (hospital of your choice, except ProSelect which is network only) and a Savvy version (same benefits at a lower contribution through a defined hospital network). (profmed.co.za)
• Sabbatical benefit: members can take up to three years off (study, research, travel) without losing membership or being re-underwritten; the International Travel Benefit gives up to 150 days of emergency cover abroad. (profmed.co.za)
• Amplifire: completing preventative-care screenings unlocks an additional R2 750 (2026) for day-to-day benefits on the option. (profmed.co.za)
• PPS Wallet (optional, independent savings account that grows over time) and PPS Gap Cover (independent benefit for medical expense shortfalls) are available across options. (profmed.co.za)
• Members on ProSecure, ProSecure Plus and ProPinnacle (Premium and Savvy) pay for up to 3 child dependants only; additional children are free. Adult dependant rates apply from age 21, with child rates up to age 28 for dependent students (annual proof by end-February). (profmed.co.za)
• Premium options offer unlimited hospital cover with no co-payments or deposits on admission to hospital (network co-payment only applies if a network hospital is voluntarily not used). (profmed.co.za)

Profmed Medical Scheme publishes 10 benefit options for 2026. Prices are the monthly contribution for a main member as published by Profmed, and income-banded plans show the band. Adult and child dependants pay extra. Checked on 29 September 2026.

Sources: profmed.co.za/profmed-schedule-of-benefits.

Premium options give hospital of your choice, except ProSelect, which is network only. Premium options offer unlimited hospital cover with no co-payments or deposits on admission. Savvy versions give the same benefits at a lower contribution through a defined hospital network, and a co-payment applies only if you voluntarily do not use a network hospital.

Members on ProSecure, ProSecure Plus and ProPinnacle pay for up to 3 child dependants only, and additional children are free. Prices are in the plans and prices table on this page.

Checked on 29 September 2026 against Profmed'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.

Sources: profmed.co.za/contact-us, profmed.co.za/contact-us/emergency-numbers, profmed.co.za/join-profmed, profmed.co.za/...er-services/profmed-whatsapp. All schemes' numbers are on our medical aid contact numbers page.

Profmed does not build a savings account into its plans. Instead it offers PPS Wallet, an optional independent savings account that grows over time.

Amplifire is Profmed's day-to-day boost. Completing preventative-care screenings adds R2 750 to your day-to-day benefits on your option in 2026, rising to R3 500 for 2027.

Other features:

• Sabbatical benefit: you can take up to three years off for study, research or travel without losing your membership or being re-underwritten.
• International Travel Benefit: up to 150 days of emergency cover abroad.
• PPS Gap Cover: an independent benefit for medical expense shortfalls, available across options. It is not a medical scheme benefit, so complaints about it go to the National Financial Ombud.
• Profmed App: email your membership card to a provider, submit claims, see benefit limits, find the nearest ER facility and download tax certificates.

Every scheme must pay Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs) in full, and the CMS says these cover 271 conditions and 26 chronic conditions. Profmed's option pages give a chronic condition count only for ProSecure Plus, which covers 39, so ask the scheme what applies to your option. Authorisations for chronic medicine and hospital admissions have their own lines in the contact table.

ProSecure has a maternity programme and ProSecure Plus has private wards for maternity. Profmed also runs a Baby and Toddler programme.

In South Africa, emergencies go through Netcare 911, the designated service provider. Outside the country, Profmed lists Europ Assistance. WHISPA, listed in the contact table, gives assistance with gender-based violence, trauma and HIV.

For 2026 the average weighted increase was 6.76%. More than 74% of members had an increase below 7%, and ProSelect and ProSelect Savvy rose 5.5%. The solvency ratio ended 2025 at 43.4%, above Profmed's target range of 35% to 40%.

The 2027 benefits page applies from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2027:

• Benefit limits rise 4.25% scheme-wide.
• The Amplifire day-to-day boost rises from R2 750 to R3 500.
• A mental health assessment is added to Preventative Care.
• The ProSelect income eligibility threshold rises to R40 000 a month.

Profmed has not published a 2027 contribution increase, and the rates document was not yet available when this page was updated. A benefit-limit increase is not the same as a contribution increase, so wait for the rates before comparing. The CMS recommends anchoring 2027 increases at 3.8%, a benchmark rather than a cap. See 2027 medical aid increases.

• Bestmed raised contributions 6.8% on average for 2026, close to Profmed's 6.76%. See the Bestmed page.
• Discovery Health Medical Scheme had a 7.2% weighted average for 2026, all deferred to April. See the Discovery Health page.

The bigger difference is who can join. Bestmed and Discovery are open schemes, while Profmed keeps its membership to people with a tertiary qualification and professional experience. Profmed's solvency is high compared with the 25% legal minimum, but that measures reserves, not price or service. Compare the actual plan, at today's price, on hospital choice, day-to-day limits and what you pay for extra children.

Restricted schemes decide who can join, but waiting periods come from the Medical Schemes Act. With no scheme cover for at least 90 days, the maximum is a 3-month general and a 12-month condition-specific waiting period. After a shorter gap the rules are narrower, and PMB treatment is excluded. A late-joiner penalty can apply from age 35 without earlier cover, with a maximum loading of 5% for 1 to 4 years of missing cover, 25% for 5 to 14 years, 50% for 15 to 24 years and 75% for 25 years or more. See the waiting periods guide and the late-joiner penalty guide.

The 2026/27 medical scheme fees tax credit is R376 a month for the main member, R752 for the member and one dependant, and R254 for each additional dependant. See the tax credit guide.

Apply on profmed.co.za or through a broker. The medical aid contact numbers page also lists every scheme's official lines. To complain, go to Profmed first. If you are still not satisfied, refer it to the CMS at [email protected] with a completed complaint form and proof that you escalated to the scheme. The CMS acknowledges in writing within 6 working days and aims to finish within 120 calendar days. See the CMS complaints guide.