Discovery still sliding

MEMBER NUMBERS: LOSS DRIVEN BY ITS AFFORDABLE KEYCARE SERIES

- 

The number of Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) members continues to decline, with a 0.1% decrease between the end of June versus the prior year. However, the rate of decline reduced from -1.1% reported in June 2024.

This is driven by its affordable KeyCare series of medical aid plans, where the decline in members rose to 9% from 8% last year.

This base has lost one-fifth of its members since June 2019 (prior to Covid).

Contributions to KeyCare plans are linked to the member's income and start from R1 184.

The base of non-KeyCare members, now 86% of total DHMS members (excluding restricted schemes), continues to tick upward, with growth of 1.5% in the year.

This is the fastest annual growth since the 2.2% in June 2022.

It now has 1.17 million non-KeyCare members and 190 000 KeyCare ones.

Overall, growth of the Discovery Health member base is being driven by the take-on of closed schemes.