Agility Agri has been around for 25 years, and they specialise in creating tailored industry solutions. Over the years Agility has built both healthcare and employee benefit solutions that work for the industry.
“There’s varying access to health care benefits, whether that’s at a primary level, top–end medical scheme cover, or even group cover,” says Bianca Viljoen, director of marketing, rewards and distribution at Agility Agri. “But Agility has built everything around fitting with the industry it caters to and making it accessible to all.”
In our 13-week HEALTH SQUARED Agri Update on Food for Mzansi we have been sharing vital ways for future–focused farmers to support their workforce to be healthier and more effective. This week we are concentrating on Agility’s Gap and Co-Pay cover.
The Agility Gap cover
“Gap cover is something that the health care industry in South Africa has been very attuned towards in the past couple of years,” Viljoen explains.
Medical schemes have very set rules according to which they pay claims, and the moment the doctor or the specialist that you are seeing charges fees or rates in excess of the medical scheme rates, you are going to need gap cover. Gap cover pays the gap between what your medical aid covers, and what the total amount of your treatment costs.
“Healthcare providers in South Africa are not specifically regulated according to the rates they can charge, so if your medical scheme provides you with 100% cover, it does not mean that all the costs will be covered,” Viljoen says. “Your provider, whether it’s a GP or a specialist, is not limited to the medical scheme tariff.”
What is co-pay cover?
Gap cover usually goes hand-in-hand with co-pay cover.
“Often when you are admitted to a hospital there is a co-payment attached to a specific procedure,” says Viljoen. “It’s an admission fee either required for upfront payment or after being admitted to hospital.”
“Gap and Co-Pay cover provides you with a safety net to give you access to benefits literally when you need it most.”
Co-pay cover provides you with a rand value benefit to cover you for that shortfall, whether its in– or out–hospital payments.
Peace of mind
Farm life is unpredictable, and accidents can happen. When you need your medical aid cover the most, you might not be aware of all the hidden costs that are not covered and that you will have to pay out of pocket.
“Your gap cover gives you a benefit that covers unforeseen events, those emergencies that no one can prepare for,” Viljoen says. 
Employees in the agri sector should be aware what your medical aid covers, exactly what you are covered for and for how much. If you don’t know, you might not get proper access to all the care you need. The Agility Gap and Co-Pay cover gives farming employees and employers comprehensive cover, especially for unforeseen emergencies.
Benefits to farmers
Affordable cover, achieved by integrating more than one health care product, can be achieved with Agility Agri. Even if you or your employees are on a lower medical scheme option, you can always enhance your level of cover, at a much lower rate when you add Gap and Co-Pay cover.
Any farm or agri-business relies on the health and well-being of its employees. Not having adequate cover can impact the bottom line and productive output of the business. Looking after your human resources is a significant investment when considering the sustainability of your agri business.
Integrated claims processes make the process of accessing your funds and benefits a much smoother and quicker process than with any other healthcare provider in South Africa. Again, a major benefit is the peace of mind that is provided by Agility’s HEALTH SQUARED products.
Planning for 2021
This past year has been quite tumultuous, but the outlook for 2021 seems to be looking brighter. Along with the hopes for a smoother year lying ahead comes the great news of Agility’s benefits planned for the new year.
The HEALTH SQUARED rationale for designing benefits for 2021 have taken the following aspects into account: affordability and accessibility. That’s why they have made a concerted effort to build a product range that covers everybody from entry-level workers all the way to the higher end of the income scale.
Don’t be caught off-guard with unexpected accidents, hospital stays or diagnoses in the new year; be prepared and future-focused with Agility HEALTH SQUARED.
If you want to find out more about Agility’s Health Squared options, feel free to reach out to Marcia Le Roux via email marcialr@agilitydistribution.co.za or by calling 011 796 6425.
