SAEPA AND IKHAMBI CARE JOIN FORCES FOR HEALTH CARE REVOLUTION

The South African Express Parcel Association (SAEPA) has concluded an historical deal with iKhambi Care Health Care Solutions to address the needs of its members, through the building of centres throughout the country providing essential primary and occupational health care services.

SAEPA and iKhambi Care Heath Care Solutions will provide the Wellness Express programme to all members. The programme focuses upon providing basic health care (primary health and occupational health) at a very low monthly fee. Membership is also open to family members at an additional monthly fee per person.

READ MORE

Wellness 200 - FAQ

Who is iKhambi Care?

iKhambi Care is a medical service company that focuses on primary health care, occupational health, and HIV management for low and middle income employees. iKhambi Care employs their own doctors, nurses and pharmacists to provide our clients – you - with a one-stop-shop for basic medical care.

What is Wellness 200?

Wellness 200 is a medical programme provided by iKhambi Care (Pty) Ltd. To receive these services, you go to one of our iKhambi Care Health Centres. The programme focuses upon providing basic health care (primary health and occupational health) at a very low monthly fee. Only groups of employees from a company can sign up, not individuals. However, if your company has signed you up for the programme, you can choose – individually – to include your family members, at an additional monthly fee per person.

Is Wellness 200 a Medical Aid?

No, Wellness 200 is not a medical aid scheme, nor is iKhambi Care a medical aid provider. Instead, iKhambi Care provides a medical service for a monthly fee, and this service entitles the employee to medical treatment at any of our Health Centres around the country. The specific range of services is contained in the product called Wellness 200.

How is Wellness 200 different from a medical aid?

A medical service provider – such as iKhambi Care - is a company that has its own doctors, nurses and pharmacists, and that provides specific services for a fixed monthly fee. In the case of the Wellness 200 product, only groups (employees of companies) are signed up, not individuals. The person can seek medical service as often as they like at our Health Centres, with no additional payments. If you leave the company, you are no longer on the programme, unless you get a job at another company that also has the Wellness 200 programme for their employees. Unlike Wellness 200, a medical aid signs up individuals, at varying monthly fees and ranges of benefits. A medical aid package - except for specific high cost products – limits the amount of medical care you can receive on a monthly or yearly basis. This is not the case with Wellness 200.

Another difference is that a medical aid allows you to go to a medical professional (doctor, nurse) of your choice, at a location of your choice. This is not the case with Wellness 200. You can only go to any one of our Health Centres to receive the benefits of the programme. If you go elsewhere, this is at your expense, and the costs are not covered by the Wellness 200 programme.

How does payment for the Wellness 200 programme work?

You – the employee - do not make any direct payments to iKhambi Care. Every month a fee is paid by the employer to iKhambi Care. If you decide to include one or more dependent on the programme, the monthly payment is also arranged through your employer. For that month, you or your dependants have unlimited access to our Health Centres for medical services, within the limits defined by the Wellness 200 package.

How do I use the Wellness 200 programme?

The very first time that you come to the iKhambi Care Health Centre may take about an hour, as we need to open up a file for you and make a special identity card that you use every time you come to the Health Centre. It is very important to bring your card with you every time you visit the Health Centre, as the card is linked to your personal medical file.

If you sign up your family members, they will each get an identity card too. Your first identity card is for free, but if you lose it and need another one, you need to bring your ID book to the Health Centre, and pay R20 for a new card.

You do not need to make an appointment to attend the iKhambi Care Health Centre. You simply arrive at the Health Centre, go to the receptionist, have your identity confirmed with your card, and then you are sent to a senior nurse. If your physical problem requires a doctor, the nurse will refer you to our doctor. After your problem is diagnosed, the doctor or nurse will usually prescribe medication for you, which you will receive after seeing the nurse or doctor. There is no extra cost for the medicines – it is all included in the service. You do not pay extra for anything, even if you go to the Health Centre many times in a month.

It takes, on average, only 40 minutes from the time you arrive to the time you receive your medicines and leave. This may be a little longer if the Health Centre is very busy.

Will my employer know about my medical problems?

No, not unless you tell them. All services and consultations that you or your family have at our Health Centres are strictly confidential. We will never tell your employer about your medical problems or private matters discussed with our staff.

What illnesses can I get medical treatment for?

On the Wellness 200 programme, the range of illnesses and conditions we treat are defined by the term primary health care, as defined by the South African Government. Primary health care includes any illness or condition that can be treated at either a government clinic, a private general doctor’s practice, a private family medical practice, or a private general internal medicine practice. A full list of all conditions covered by the government guidelines is available upon request.

For example, primary health includes treatment for most types of ordinary illnesses, and also HIV (ARV’s), hypertension, and diabetes, but excludes treatment for certain serious illnesses - such as cancer - and hospitalization for illness or injury.

Can my family be included?

Yes. Each primary member (the employee) of a company who has the Wellness 200 programme is allowed to have one or more of their family members on the programme. However, adding your family members is not free, nor is it covered by your company. The employee pays for each family member, each month.

To put a family member on the programme – with the same primary health services as you will receive - is not expensive. You can add up to 5 family members to the programme. You need to make an arrangement with your employee to deduct this amount from your salary each month, as we do not take money directly from employees, only employers.

When you sign up family members – which we call dependents – the monthly fee you need to pay for them cannot be changed for one year (12 months) from the date you first sign up that specific family member. Each family member you sign up will get an identity card, but you cannot use the identity card of one family member for another family member.

Are the iKhambi Care Health Centres different from Government clinics?

Yes, the iKhambi Care Health Centres are different from government clinics:With many government clinics you have to wait a long time to be seen by a nurse or doctor. At our Health Centres, we try to manage your health as quickly and effectively as possible. On average, you will be seen by a nurse or doctor and get your medicines within 40 minutes of arriving at the Health Centre. Obviously, if the Health Centre is very busy, this may take longer, up to an hour.

At government clinics, you may have to come back later to get your medicines. At our Health Centres, you get your medicines immediately after seeing the nurse or doctor. At most government clinics, you need to pay each time you go to the clinic. At our Health Centres, you do not pay anything – not even for medicines – each time you go to the Health Centre, no matter how often you come to the Health Centre.

What do I pay extra for?

The government has a list called the Essential Primary Health Care Medication List. Basically, if your illness or condition requires medicines that are on this list, these medicines are provided without any extra costs.

However, if your illness is a serious one that is not normally treated by a government health centre or general practitioner in his offices – and the medicine is not on the government’s list – we can give you a prescription for the medicine, but not the medicine itself. We are not permitted to sell medication. Instead, we will refer you to a medical institution that can assist you with getting these medicines.

What illnesses do you treat?

Diagnosis and treatment of primary health illnesses:

  • Respiratory illnesses such as flu, bronchitis, asthma
  • Ear, nose and throat illnesses, such as colds, ear infections, sinusitis, and laryngitis
  • Stomach and intestine illnesses, such as gastroenteritis, peptic ulcers, indigestion, cramps, constipation, diarrhoea, and nausea
  • Muscles and bones, such as joint pain, muscle pain, and backache
  • Skin problems, such as rashes, cuts and scratches
  • Allergies, such as hay fever
  • Sexually transmitted infections (all kinds)
  • Urinary system illnesses, such as cystitis and bladder infections
  • Reproductive health, such as condoms and family planning

Chronic illnesses, within primary health care limits:

  • A person with TB will be referred to a government clinic because private health providers may not give TB medications. However, we will monitor the DOT treatment according to the current protocols.
  • We treat diabetes, hypertension, and all chronic illnesses defined by the government as primary health care illnesses
  • We do not treat chronic illnesses like cancer, which are not considered primary health care illnesses
  • We provide first line and second line ARVs for people living with HIV
  • We treat all AIDS opportunistic infections that do not require hospitalization or specialist care
  • We provide nutritional support (vitamins, ePap) and counselling for people with weak immune systems.

Do you treat HIV/AIDS?

Yes we do. We include HIV testing, diagnosing, prophylaxis (preventive medicines for some AIDS illnesses), treating of most HIV related conditions, minor opportunistic infections in AIDS, and antiretrovirals (ARV’s).

Although we do not provide the more expensive types of ARV’s, we do provide more types of ARV’s than government health centres. We do not treat serious AIDS illnesses, especially those that require hospitalization. In such cases, we refer the person to a government hospital.

We offer a wide range of immune supporting services for those living with HIV, including nutritional advice and support. This service is available to anyone, including those who do not live with HIV.

Does this include a hospital plan?

No. At this point, the Wellness 200 programme does not offer a hospital plan. However, we are working on developing a hospitalization plan for the future and you will be notified when we have this product available. This plan will cost extra and will not be part of your normal monthly fee.

How often can I or my family use the Health Centre?

Any person – you or family members who are signed up for the Wellness 200 programme - can use any of our Health Centres as often as you need to. There is no limit on how many visits you can make to our Health Centres.

What are the operational hours of the Health Centres?

Currently the Health Centre hours are open from 6am to 8pm on weekdays and from 9am to 1pm on Saturdays. However, by the end of 2008 we will offer extended hours. At each Health Centre there will be a full time consulting doctor, nursing staff and a pharmacist.

What if I get sick while I am on the road for the company?

All our Health Centres are connected by computers. You can go to any one of our Health Centres, and they will be able to help you immediately, as long as you have your identity card. The same is true if you and your family are on a trip away from home and one of you gets sick. All you need to do is go to one of our Health Centres around the country and you will receive care and support. Once again, there is no extra cost to you or your family.

However, you can only use our Health Centres. If you use another health centre or doctor, that is at your own expense, and this is not covered by the programme.

What about when I am sick, but I am on holiday?

As long as you are employed by the company that pays the monthly fees, you can use our Health Centre services at any time, at any of our locations in the country.

What if I need specialist care?

If you have a condition that we cannot treat, we will try and refer you to a government hospital that has a specialist who can help you. However, sometimes this is not possible, so then we would refer you to a private specialist. However, we will not cover the costs of this consultation.

If there is a medication that is prescribed for you by the specialist that we have in our pharmacy, then you can bring the prescription to us and we will give you the medication at no cost. However if there is a special medication that you require that we do not carry as part of the Essential Drug list, you will have to pay for this yourself.

Can I stay on the Wellness 200 programme if I leave my employer?

Unfortunately, we are not allowed by law to have individuals as members. We are only allowed to have groups of people who work for specific companies, who have entered into an agreement with us to supply services to their employees and their families.

Therefore, should you leave your employer your participation in the Wellness 200 programme would be stopped. The exception to this is if you are on chronic treatment for some illness, such as ARVs. In these cases we will always refer you to a good government doctor or health centre who can take over your treatment. We usually allow up to three months after you have left your employer for this, during which time we will continue to provide you with medicines for a chronic condition. This only applies to chronic illnesses, not ordinary illnesses.

Can I belong to both my current medical aid and iKhambi Care Wellness 200?

Yes you can. Wellness 200 is not a medical aid; it is a medical service, so it is legal for you to belong to both. Often you will find that your benefits on your medical aid have run out and then you are left paying for medication or doctor visits out of your own pocket. By using Wellness 200, you will never exhaust your medical aid benefits as far as your primary health - including those chronic illnesses covered by primary health - is concerned.

How long can I expect to wait at a Wellness 200 Health Centre?

We strive to ensure that everyone is seen within 40 minutes of their arrival at our Health Centres; however it is very common that the turnaround time is closer to 20-25 minutes. So from the time you enter a Wellness 200 Health Centre, register with the receptionist, be seen by a nurse or doctor and receive your medications from the on-site pharmacy, to the time you leave, it should take no longer than 40 minutes. Please note: The longest turnaround time we have recorded in our Health Centre is one hour, however this was when the Health Centre was very busy and this is the exception, not the rule.