What is a medical aid hospital network?

A hospital network is a group of hospitals with agreements with your medical aid. Using in-network hospitals means full cover. Out-of-network use may result in co-payments of 25-100%.

What happens if I use an out-of-network hospital?

For planned procedures, you may pay 25-100% of hospital costs. Emergencies are covered at any hospital under PMB rules.

Are emergencies covered at any hospital?

Yes, genuine emergencies are covered at any hospital under Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs). Once stabilised, you may be transferred to an in-network facility.

How do I check which network my plan uses?

Check your medical aid card or welcome pack for your plan name, then use our network checker tools to find which hospitals are covered.

Hospital Checker 2026 | Find Covered Hospitals & Networks

Choose your medical aid

South Africa's largest scheme with multiple network tiers

KeyCare

Delta

Smart

Coastal

KeyCare plans require network hospitals — going out-of-network means paying the full bill.

Flexible plans with Elect, GRID, Savvy and myFED options

Elect

GRID

Savvy

myFED

Elect plans offer big savings — but you must use specific hospitals for planned admissions.

Two-tier Prime and Compact network system

Prime

Compact

Compact members face a 30% co-payment at non-network hospitals.

Associated and Evolve networks for different plan tiers

Associated

Evolve

Evolve plans offer lower premiums with selected hospital access.

Multi-tier networks from MedMove to MedPrime

MedMove

MedVital

MedAdd

MedPrime

Budget plans like MedMove have the most restricted hospital lists.

BonCore, BonStart and Hospital Standard networks

BonCore

BonStart

Hospital Standard

Core plans have the most restrictions — Standard plans offer broader access.

Not sure which scheme?

Our general hospital network checker lets you search across all schemes and networks at once.

Complete Guide to Medical Aid Hospital Networks in South Africa 2026

Understanding hospital networks is essential for South African medical aid members. Using the wrong hospital for a planned procedure can cost you thousands in unexpected co-payments. Here's everything you need to know about the major medical aid networks in 2026.

Discovery Health Networks

KeyCare Network: The most restrictive Discovery network, used by KeyCare Plus, KeyCare Core, and KeyCare Start plans. Members must use KeyCare network hospitals for all planned admissions. Delta Network: Used by Classic Delta and Essential Delta plans — out-of-network co-payment is R11,100 for 2026. Smart Network: Similar to Delta. Coastal Network: Regional network with 20% out-of-network penalty. Executive and Comprehensive plans have no restrictions.

Fedhealth Networks

Elect Network: Limited hospital network for flexiFED Elect plans with significant premium savings. GRID Network: Restricted network for specific plan tiers. Savvy Network: Budget-focused option. myFED Network: Comprehensive access for premium plans.

Medshield Networks

Prime Network: Broader hospital access for higher-tier plans like PremiumPlus and MediBonus. Compact Network: Limited hospital list for budget plans — 30% co-payment for out-of-network use.

Momentum Health Networks

Associated Network: Broader network for mid- to upper-tier plans. Evolve Network: More restricted option for budget plans with lower premiums.

Medihelp Networks

MedMove: Budget plans with limited hospitals. MedVital: Essential cover. MedAdd: Mid-tier. MedPrime: Comprehensive access on premium plans.

Bonitas Networks

BonCore: Entry-level with restricted access. BonStart: Starter plans. Hospital Standard: Mid-tier with broader access.

Key Rules All Members Should Know

Emergencies are always covered under Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs) at any hospital.
Pre-authorisation is required for most planned hospital admissions.
Networks change annually — always confirm before admission.
Specialists may also be restricted on some plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Need help choosing a plan?

Our calculator matches plans to your budget, family size, and hospital preferences.

Is your hospital covered?

In-Network = Full Cover

Out-of-Network = Co-Payments

Emergencies Always Covered