What is trauma?
Trauma happens when a person is exposed to an extraordinary situation that causes physical and emotional after-effects. Someone doesn't have to be hurt to have experienced trauma. Witnessing any type of personal or environmental disaster or being threatened with an assault are also traumatic incidents. We offer cover after certain traumatic events as well as counselling support.
The revalence of gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa has ignited our #DiscoverYourVoice campaign which encourages those who experience GBV to reach out for help and to access the immediate and confidential trauma support and scheme benefits. Our trauma support and scheme benefits is also available to people who experience crime-related violence.
This service gives you and your family extra support in a time of crisis. With Discovery Trauma Support, trained counsellors are available to give telephonic and virtual counselling in times of need.
Trauma Recovery Extender Benefit
Download benefit guideThis benefit extends your cover for out-of-hospital claims related to certain traumatic events. Claims are paid from the Trauma Recovery Extender Benefit for the rest of the year in which the trauma occurred, as well as the year after the event occurred. You need to apply for this benefit. The Trauma Recovery Extender Benefit is available on all health plans, except the Essential Smart Plan, the Core Series and KeyCare Core Plan.
How do I qualify?
You will have automatic access to this benefit if you meet the benefit entry criteria (refer to the table below). The benefit will be activated after you have been admitted for one of the specific traumas and the event has been appropriately reviewed and your benefits approved.
You have to be a member of Discovery Health Medical Scheme at the time that the trauma happens to qualify for cover from the Trauma Recovery Extender Benefit. The benefit covers only the claims for the member who is registered for the benefit and claims that are related to the original diagnosis after the specific trauma.
Reason for not qualifying
You will not qualify for the Trauma Recovery Extender Benefit if the traumatic event happened in a previous benefit year while you were on a plan type that did not offer this benefit or while you were a member of another medical scheme.
How does the Trauma Recovery Extender Benefit work?
The Trauma Recovery Extender Benefits covers you for certain day-to-day medical costs resulting from any of the following events:
Crime-related injury
The condition must require a high acuity admission i.e. High Care ward or Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or any combination thereof.
Severe burns
The condition must require a high acuity admission i.e. High Care ward or Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or any combination thereof.
Poisoning
The condition must require a high acuity admission i.e. High Care ward or Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or any combination thereof.
Severe anaphylactic (allergic) reaction
The condition must require a high acuity admission i.e. High Care ward or Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or any combination thereof.
Conditions related to a near-drowning
The condition must require a high acuity admission i.e. High Care ward or Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or any combination thereof.
Loss of limb due to direct blunt force trauma
Trauma-related loss of limb, for example due to direct blunt force trauma. The condition must require high acuity admission in a High Care ward or any amount of days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or any combination thereof.
External and internal head injuries
The condition must require a high acuity admission i.e. High Care ward or Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or any combination thereof.
Paraplegia
Paralysis of the lower half of the body affecting both legs, due to blunt force injury to the spinal cord. Severe lessening of the strength or effectiveness of the limbs, shown by loss of reflexes, numbness and loss of motion in the spine. The condition must require a high acuity admission i.e. High Care ward or Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or any combination thereof.
Quadriplegia
Paralysis of both arms and legs due to blunt force injury to the spinal cord. Severe lessening of the strength or effectiveness of the limbs, shown by loss of reflexes, numbness and loss of motion in the spine. The condition must require a high acuity admission i.e. High Care ward or Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or any combination thereof.
The day-to-day costs that are covered
Allied, therapeutic and psychology healthcare services
Acousticians, biokineticists, chiropractors, counsellors, dietitians, homeopaths, nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, psychologists, psychometrists, social workers, speech-language therapists and audiologists
Medicine
Schedule 3 and above prescribed medicine
Radiology and pathology
Includes x-rays, scans, blood tests and other tests done in a laboratory
Medical devices and limb prostheses
External devices including wheelchairs and hearing aids
Day-to-day limits that apply to claims paid from your day-to-day benefits also apply to the Trauma Recovery Extender Benefit. Please refer to the benefit guide for the limits that apply to your health plan.
How we pay
The Trauma Recovery Extender Benefit provides cover up to the Discovery Health Rate (DHR), unless stated otherwise. The co-payment for MRI or CT scans that usually applies will not apply to scans that form part of treatment covered from the Trauma Recovery Extender Benefit.
Additionally, we will pay for prescribed medicine (that is schedule 3 and above) related to your condition from the benefit, up to a certain limit which depends on your plan type. Please refer to the Trauma Recovery Extender Benefit guide for more information.