Thebemed Medical Scheme: plans, eligibility and finances in 2026

The CMS register lists Thebemed as open, which normally means anyone can apply. The scheme's own material points somewhere narrower. It says it provides healthcare predominantly in the mining, logistics and agricultural industries, its contact page lists employer paypoints, and the Energy option is designed for miners and their families.

So the safe reading is this: Thebemed is legally open, but most members join through an employer. If you are an individual with no participating employer, ask Thebemed in writing whether you can apply and which option you would qualify for. If it says no, see the list of medical aid schemes and low-income medical aid.

• Registered with the CMS as an OPEN scheme (registration number 1592, established 12 September 2002) but which says it provides healthcare predominately in the mining, logistics and agricultural industries to low- and middle-income workers (its contact page lists employer paypoints); it was under CMS curatorship from 23 August 2019 until it was lifted on 30 May 2022. (medicalschemes.co.za)
• Thebemed was placed under provisional CMS curatorship on 23 August 2019 after failing the 25% minimum solvency requirement; the curatorship was cancelled by court order on 27 May 2022 and the lifting was announced by the CMS on 30 May 2022. (thebemed.co.za)
• Solvency ratio was 41.32% at 31 December 2025 (40.70% in 2024), against the 25% statutory minimum. (thebemed.co.za)
• Membership grew: 13,666 principal members and 26,436 beneficiaries at end 2025, a 13% increase in main members, driven by recruitment at Sibanye Stillwater and new companies onboarded. (thebemed.co.za)
• Average age of beneficiaries is 29.1 years and the pensioner ratio is 0.37%. (thebemed.co.za)
• Thebemed was the only open scheme to record an operating surplus in 2024 (CMS industry report as reported by Money Marketing). (moneymarketing.co.za)
• Universal plan hospital network: Mediclinic, Life Healthcare, National Hospital Network (NHN), Netcare and Lenmed. (thebemed.co.za)
• Each beneficiary chooses up to two nominated GPs; a 25% co-payment applies per visit if a non-DSP GP is used voluntarily. (thebemed.co.za)
• Universal EDO members pay a R1 000 co-payment when they use a non-DSP. (thebemed.co.za)
• Late-joiner penalties apply to people over 35 without prior cover: 0.05 x contribution for 1 to 4 years without cover, 0.25 for 5 to 14 years, 0.50 for 15 to 24 years and 0.75 for 25 or more years. (thebemed.co.za)
• The Energy plan is described as the scheme's unique option for miners and their families. (thebemed.co.za)

Thebemed Medical Scheme publishes 4 benefit options for 2026. Prices are the monthly contribution for a main member as published by Thebemed, and income-banded plans show the band. Adult and child dependants pay extra. Checked on 29 September 2026.

Sources: thebemed.co.za/...VERSAL-2026_-for-website.pdf, thebemed.co.za/...SAL-EDO-2026_For-website.pdf, thebemed.co.za/...ANTASY-2026_-for-website.pdf, thebemed.co.za/...-ENERGY-2026_for-website.pdf.

The CMS placed Thebemed under provisional curatorship on 23 August 2019 after it failed the 25% minimum solvency requirement. A court order cancelled the curatorship on 27 May 2022, and the CMS announced the lifting on 30 May 2022. Curatorship means an outside curator runs the scheme on behalf of the CMS while it is put right.

The numbers since then are better. Its solvency ratio was 41.32% at the end of 2025, up from 40.70% a year earlier. Membership grew to 13 666 principal members and 26 436 beneficiaries, up from 12 799 and 24 082. Main members rose 13%, driven by recruitment at Sibanye Stillwater and new companies. Thebemed was also the only open scheme to record an operating surplus in 2024, according to Money Marketing citing CMS industry data.

Two cautions. The membership is young (average beneficiary age 29.1 years, pensioners 0.37% of the scheme), which can keep claims down but says little about how the scheme would cope as members age. And a scheme that has been under curatorship once deserves a look at the latest annual report before you commit to it.

Checked on 29 September 2026 against Thebemed'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: thebemed.co.za/...VERSAL-2026_-for-website.pdf. All schemes' numbers are on our medical aid contact numbers page.

Universal's hospital network is Mediclinic, Life Healthcare, National Hospital Network (NHN), Netcare and Lenmed. A DSP (designated service provider) is a provider the scheme has chosen. Read the designated service providers guide for how the rules apply.

Universal and Universal EDO are income-banded: what you pay depends on where your monthly income falls, in four bands from R0 to R500 up to R7 501 and above. For dependants, at most two children are charged. Fantasy and Energy are not income-banded: each has one price per member type.

The income bands keep the lowest tier of Universal low, but the price rises steeply with income, so check the band that matches your pay slip. The cheapest medical aid guide puts these prices in context. Fantasy's contribution is split into a risk part and a savings part. See the medical savings account guide.

For the 2026/27 tax year the monthly medical scheme fees credit is R376 for you, R376 for your first dependant and R254 for each additional dependant, per SARS. See the tax credit guide.

On Universal each beneficiary chooses up to two nominated GPs, and a 25% co-payment applies per visit if you use a non-DSP GP voluntarily. This is a primary-care model: you go to your nominated GP first. That works well if a GP near home or work is on the network, and badly if not.

Chronic medicine is covered in full for the Chronic Disease List (CDL) conditions on Universal, and Fantasy and Energy add more. See the chronic disease guide and prescribed minimum benefits guide.

The Thebemed app lets members request a call-back from a Hello Doctor doctor, with unlimited telephonic consultations 24 hours a day. There is also a USSD alternative, 1201019#. Other app features are not described in the brochures we checked.

We could not find an announced average increase for 2026 on Thebemed's site, brochures or 2026 AGM report. Its contribution calculator says it was last updated on 2026/05/11. Nothing has been announced for 2027 as of 29 September 2026.

The CMS recommended in Circular 20 of 2026 that 2027 increases be anchored at 3.8%, a benchmark rather than a cap. See our 2027 increases page.

Umvuzo Health is a restricted scheme for employer groups, with an income-based entry option and five options in all. It is larger and had a solvency ratio of 54.58% at the end of 2025, but you can only join through an employer that participates. See the Umvuzo review.

Genesis is open to any citizen or permanent resident, with three options and no network, but no income-based tier. See the Genesis review.

Momentum's Ingwe option is an income-based entry plan under an open scheme, and Momentum announced a 9.9% average increase for 2026. See Momentum Ingwe.

Thebemed's strengths are low entry prices, a primary-care model and recovered reserves. The weaknesses are the employer-based reach, its curatorship history and the network limits on Universal EDO.

Waiting periods of up to 3 months general and 12 months condition-specific can apply, and Thebemed says a late joiner penalty applies to people over 35 without earlier cover: 0.05, 0.25, 0.50 or 0.75 times the contribution for 1 to 4, 5 to 14, 15 to 24 and 25 or more years without cover. See the waiting periods guide and late joiner penalty guide.

Some details on Thebemed's own site do not match each other. The WhatsApp button links to a different number from the one printed, and the contact page and a brochure show different postcodes. Check numbers on the scheme's app or a current brochure before you rely on them.

Complain to Thebemed first. If that fails, the CMS takes complaints at [email protected] or 0861 123 267. See how to complain to the CMS.