Can I use my DAN membership to replace my medical aid plan?
Firstly, DAN-SA is not registered as a medical scheme in terms of the Medical Schemes Act. As such. DAN-SA is actually legally prohibited from providing the services of a medical scheme as defined in the Act. For that reason, medical expenses for non-diving injuries and accidents may only be covered outside of the DAN-SA member’s country of residence. Divers are sometimes tempted to “work the system” by joining outside of Southern Africa in the hope that they will then be taken to a South African medical facility and have their medical treatment paid for. Unfortunately for them, this ploy often backfires badly. If you join in a country other than South Africa, the evacuation benefits are aimed at repatriating you to that country. So if you choose to join as a member of your country of residence, evacuation will be back to your country of residence. In case of a diving emergency, of course, the whereabouts of the nearest, most appropriate recompression facility will determine the evacuation destination, so divers will be taken care of in the most appropriate facilities. However, when it comes to regular medical problems, we strongly recommend that you get a proper medical aid or an expatriate medical insurance plan to return you to South Africa.
Secondly, DAN-SA membership provides benefits, not insurance. DAN-SA is the owner of a group policy with benefits that are extended to its members. DAN-SA is the insured party and DAN-SA members receive the benefits of DAN-SA’s insurance. The selection of benefits offered to DAN-SA members were therefore designed specifically to provide optimal diving emergency support (i.e. in terms of both emergency assistance and treatment) and to include a useful number of travel insurance benefits to accommodate common travel and medical emergency situations. However, DAN-SA cover can only include a limited number of emergency-related injuries and illnesses. The emphasis remains on emergency medical benefits. So, DAN-SA cannot replace your medical aid.
Perhaps you may now be asking why have a DAN-SA membership at all? That is a fair question. It is true that some medical aids include cover for diving injuries. However, divers who have tried to go this route soon discover that it is not easy to work with a medical aid when trying to organise an emergency evacuation for a diving injury. That is simply not the time to discover that your medical aid is not able to assist you in getting the most appropriate treatment or advice. Their convenient 0800 toll-free number doesn’t work in Zanzibar and even in South Africa, working your way through a multi-prompt menu from a cell phone is not what you need in a crisis. Also, getting documented authorisations takes time and nearly all private emergency service providers now insist on a written GOP before responding. That is not surprising given that most aeromedical evacuations in Africa come in at R200 000 or more and even evacuations by ambulance approach R20 000 plus when advanced life support services are involved. Evacuations are costly. Recompression, on the other hand, is not that expensive in Africa. In Europe, it may set you back about R100 000, but in South Africa the cost is usually under R20 000 unless multiple treatments are needed. However, if evacuation and hospitalisation are called for, the costs can be very high.
As a DAN-SA member, all these concerns disappear. One number and you have all the help and cover you need for a diving emergency. The travel and medical benefits are an added bonus, but don’t tear up your medical aid card just yet. So, should a diver have a medical aid or be a DAN-SA member? A diver it should be both! However here are some question to consider asking your medical aid service.
Perhaps you may now be asking why have a DAN-SA membership at all? That is a fair question. It is true that some medical aids include cover for diving injuries. However, divers who have tried to go this route soon discover that it is not easy to work with a medical aid when trying to organise an emergency evacuation for a diving injury. That is simply not the time to discover that your medical aid is not able to assist you in getting the most appropriate treatment or advice. Their convenient 0800 toll-free number doesn’t work in Zanzibar and even in South Africa, working your way through a multi-prompt menu from a cell phone is not what you need in a crisis. Also, getting documented authorisations takes time and nearly all private emergency service providers now insist on a written GOP before responding. That is not surprising given that most aeromedical evacuations in Africa come in at R200 000 or more and even evacuations by ambulance approach R20 000 plus when advanced life support services are involved. Evacuations are costly. Recompression, on the other hand, is not that expensive in Africa. In Europe, it may set you back about R100 000, but in South Africa the cost is usually under R20 000 unless multiple treatments are needed. However, if evacuation and hospitalisation are called for, the costs can be very high.
As a DAN-SA member, all these concerns disappear. One number and you have all the help and cover you need for a diving emergency. The travel and medical benefits are an added bonus, but don’t tear up your medical aid card just yet. So, should a diver have a medical aid or be a DAN-SA member? A diver it should be both! However here are some question to consider asking your medical aid service.
- Will my medical aid cover me in the event of a scuba diving accident?
- What is maximum depth the medical aid will cover me for in the event of a diving accident?
- Will my medical aid cover hyperbaric oxygen treatment should I require recompression for DCS?
- Does my medical aid cover me locally as well as internationally for diving related accidents?
- What are the exclusion and or limitations of the medical aid cover regarding scuba diving activities?
Posted in Dive Safety Tips
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2021
March
Old Habits Die HardSave a Diver, Save YourselfCylinder SafetyUndercover CrabsReef safe sunscreenPhysics, Biophysics and Decompression SicknessModels and Marine LifeSunscreen and CoralCristina Mittermeier: Commitment to ConservationDiving After a StrokeCurrent DivesThis Bites: Prevention TreatmentEnvironmental Considerations for Disinfection
April
Aqua Pool Noodle ExercisesUnderwater Photographer and DAN Member Madelein Wolfaardt10 Simple Things You Can Do to Improve Your Underwater PhotographyCOVID-19 and Diving: March 2021 UpdateDiver Return After COVID-19 Infection (DRACO): A Longitudinal AssessmentGuidelines for Lifelong Medical Fitness to DiveExperienceFitness Myth or Fitness Fact?The Safety of Sports for Athletes With Implantable Cardioverter-DefibrillatorsCardiovascular Fitness and DivingHypertensionPatent Foramen Ovale (PFO)Headaches and DivingMiddle-Ear Barotrauma (MEBT)O’Neill Grading SystemMask Squeeze (Facial Barotrauma)Sinus BarotraumaInner-Ear Barotrauma (IEBT)Middle-Ear EqualisationAlternobaric VertigoDecompression IllnessOn-Site Neurological ExaminationTreating Decompression Sickness (The Bends)Top 5 Factors That Increase Your Risk of the BendsHow to Avoid Rapid Ascents and Arterial Gas EmbolismUnintended Rapid Ascent Due to Uncontrolled InflationUnexpected Weight LossFlying After DivingWisdom Tooth Extraction and DivingYour Lungs and DivingScuba Diving and DiabetesDiving after COVID-19: What We Know TodaySwimmer’s Ear (Otitis Externa)Motion SicknessFitness for DivingDiving After Bariatric SurgeryWhen to Consult a Health-Care Provider Before Engaging in Physical ActivitiesFinding Your FitnessHealth Concerns for Divers Over 50Risk Factors For Heart DiseaseJuggling Physical Exercise and DivingSeasickness Prevention and TreatmentMember to Member: Guidelines for SeniorsHigh-Pressure OphthalmologyOver-the-Counter Medications
May
Due Diligence for Parents and Young DiversThe Deepest Scuba Dive - Part 1Macro Photography 101 with Kate Jonker - Part 1Pregnancy and DivingPregnant and Still Freediving Macro Photography 101 with Kate Jonker - Part 2How Old Is Too OldHow To Clean Your Scuba EquipmentNew Gear OrientationAre 6351-T6 Alloy Scuba Cylinders Safe to Use?Invisible CrystalsHose FailureGear Maintenance: Protect Your Investment and Prevent Dive AccidentsAvoiding Panic After Regulator FailureExperience MattersDive Accident Coverage Vs. Medical & Travel Insurance: Do You Need Both?Medical Emergencies AbroadDive Operations and COVID-19: Prepping for Return FAQsWhen Should I Call My Doctor?
July
Pack Your Camera Equipment for a Dive TripMagic in the GulfAn Insider’s Guide to RoatánShooting in a Turbid EnvironmentSurviving Triple Dangers in the MaldivesShallow-Water Arterial Gas EmbolismsKnow the RisksThe Case of Catastrophic Kelp LossCOPD: Incompatible With DivingHiatal HerniaReturn to Freeding after Cancer TreatmentOuter- and Inner Ear InfectionsExercising After a BreakHazards in Wreck DivingAw InspiredOperation Rising SunDCS in Cozumel
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