Discovery Health: Essential Smart Saver
From 1 January 2027
2027 prices are out
R2 968
main member / month
Main member
Adult dependant
Child dependant
Family of four (2 adults + 2 kids): R6 890 in 2026 → R7 437 in 2027, an extra R547 a month.
Source: Discovery Health Medical Scheme 2027 Contributions. Benefits shown on this page are 2026 until we load the 2027 benefit changes. Compare every 2027 increase
Monthly Contributions
Max 3 children billed.
Hospital Cover
Chronic Cover
Plan highlights
- Unlimited private cover in the Smart Hospital Network.
- Full cover for chronic medicine on our formulary for all Chronic Disease List conditions.
- Personal Health Fund covers out-of-hospital healthcare services according to your individual health needs.
- Cover for medical emergencies when you are travelling.
Who is Essential Smart Saver for?
- Members who want flexibility — use savings for any healthcare expense
- People with predictable but not heavy day-to-day usage
- Budget-conscious members looking for entry-level cover
This is general guidance. Use our free calculator to see whether this plan matches your specific needs and budget.
What's covered
- Unlimited hospital cover at restrictive network
- 27 chronic conditions (27 PMB + 0 additional)
- All Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMB) — required by South African law
What to watch out for
- Planned admissions at hospitals outside the network — co-payments apply
- Chronic conditions outside the 27 statutory PMB list
- Cosmetic procedures, alternative therapies and certain elective treatments
- Out-of-hospital costs above your annual day-to-day limit (where applicable)
Compare with similar Discovery Health plans
Essential Delta Core
KeyCare Core
Classic Smart
Frequently asked questions
Source: Discovery Smart Plan Guide 2026 — accessed 2026-04-28.
Information sourced from Discovery's official 2026 plan guide. Contributions and benefits may change. Always confirm with Discovery before joining.
We are not a financial services provider and do not offer financial advice.