CompCare strengthens prevention and everyday healthcare access for 2027 Josua Joubert Relevant benefits and growing reserves underpin sustainable member value CompCare Medical Scheme has announced its 2027 benefit updates, with increased investment in early detection and preventative care, women's h…
CompCare strengthens prevention and everyday healthcare access for 2027 Josua Joubert Relevant benefits and growing reserves underpin sustainable member value CompCare Medical Scheme has announced its 2027 benefit updates, with increased investment in early detection and preventative care, women's health and easier access to everyday healthcare. "While contribution rates will increase by 7.9% in 2027, members will gain an overall 4.5% increase in benefit limits, as well as a range of updates deliberately targeted at delivering meaningful value," says Josua Joubert, chief executive and principal officer of CompCare. "We have long understood that medical scheme cover should not only ensure access to care when needed – it can also play a valuable role in preventing avoidable health crises. For 2027, we are building on that approach with significantly expanded preventative care, dynamic benefit enhancements and a strong focus on increasing day-to-day access and convenience. "Not every condition can be prevented, but detecting a health risk early can make an enormous difference to what happens next. An abnormal blood glucose result, a change in bone density, or an early warning sign of cancer can create an opportunity to act sooner, when intervention may be simpler and outcomes better. Our aim is to help more members identify those risks early and give them the best possible chance to protect their health," he says. Joubert points out that although the medical schemes environment has shifted dramatically over the past decade, members continue to grapple with late detection of health risks and rising healthcare costs. "Our 2027 benefit design responds directly to those realities, building on CompCare's strengths and investing more where it can make a tangible difference," he adds. Expanded prevention CompCare's preventative care benefits have been broadened across the option range for 2027. - Prediabetes testing is being introduced on qualifying options, funded from the scheme's risk pool, helping to identify members progressing towards diabetes at a stage when lifestyle and clinical interventions may still alter that trajectory. - HPV vaccination for the prevention of cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers is now available to all female members. Cover has been extended to members up to age 26 on most options. - PSA testing for prostate cancer risk will now also be available to male beneficiaries aged 40 and over on SelfCare and SelfCare Plus. - Bone density screening will be available every two years for qualifying men and women over 65 across most CompCare options, supporting earlier management of osteoporosis risk. Greater support for women and expectant mothers Women's health is among the areas seeing the most substantial updates in the 2027 CompCare benefit range.
CompCare strengthens prevention and everyday healthcare access for 2027
Contraceptive benefits have been redesigned and standardised across all options to include not only oral contraceptives and IUDs, but also injectable and implantable contraceptive options. The benefit has also been moved into day-to-day cover to simplify access. Maternity benefits have been strengthened throughout the pregnancy journey. A new respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination benefit will cover vaccination between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy during RSV season, increasing protection during a newborn's vulnerable first months. Antenatal consultations with a GP, specialist or midwife will now be covered by the scheme's risk pool on qualifying options, with antenatal and lactation classes among the additional maternity benefits introduced for 2027. Recognising that some pregnancies require closer observation, CompCare has also introduced a high-risk pregnancy assessment from 12 weeks, with access to a cervical length scan and foetal fibronectin testing where clinically indicated.
Healthcare that fits around members' lives Virtual GP consultations via the Universal.one App for CompCare members will be available across all CompCare benefit options. This will be fully funded from risk on the SaverCare, SaverCare Plus and SuperCare Plus options, broadening comprehensive digital access to healthcare professionals. DigiCare members will gain greater flexibility in how they use their outpatient benefits. Alongside the existing GP benefit, members will now be able to choose an outpatient emergency room consultation instead, recognising varying day-to-day healthcare needs.
"For younger members with more restricted budgets, an unexpected healthcare event can quickly become an unaffordable expense. Someone needing stitches after an evening rugby match, for example, should not have to wait for a GP practice to open in the morning," notes Joubert.
DigiCare also receives a new dental and optometry benefit, covering either a dental consultation, cleaning and a basic X-ray, or an eye examination, extending the option beyond hospital and GP cover into everyday healthcare choices. Members on SelfCare and SelfCare Plus will benefit from significantly increased basic radiology and pathology cover, the removal of the specialist co-payment and a new dental consultation benefit, in addition to the new PSA screening and expanded preventative care benefits.
The scheme's Care Maximiser benefit has evolved to include an updated acute medicine benefit, access to a wider range of at-home pharmacy tests for common conditions such as urinary tract infections, and cover for qualifying GP-prescribed medication for study-related concentration needs. Appropriate care without unnecessary cost CompCare is also expanding the use of day hospitals for specified procedures, where clinically appropriate, on certain options.
CompCare strengthens prevention and everyday healthcare access for 2027
This approach can help reduce unnecessary out-of-pocket costs for members while supporting the responsible use of scheme funds — an increasingly important consideration as healthcare costs continue to rise. "Where a procedure can safely and appropriately be performed in a day hospital, there is no benefit to the member or the scheme in automatically defaulting to a more costly acute hospital admission," Joubert says.
Protecting financial strength for members into the future CompCare enters 2027 with reserves above the statutory 25% solvency requirement for medical schemes, providing an important foundation for balancing enhanced benefits with affordability and long-term financial sustainability. "Medical scheme members ultimately need two things from their cover: meaningful support when they need healthcare today, and confidence that their scheme will still be there for them tomorrow. Our responsibility is to balance these needs," says Joubert. "Our members have always been able to rely on us for whatever comes next, with relevant benefits balanced against affordability and long-term sustainability. Life will always present health surprises. Our job is to help members identify what can be anticipated, manage what can be prevented, and be better protected against what cannot," he concludes.
