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Should you wish to query your medical aid benefits or update your details, please click here.

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Customer Call Centre:
0860 002 163

Private Bag X35
Claremont
7735

During the month of April, people around the world gather to shine a spotlight on autism for World Autism Awareness Day. This condition, which is not well understood, appears to be alarmingly on the rise among children, particularly boys.

It is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the world, with more children being diagnosed with autism last year than with diabetes, cancer and Aids combined. It is a complex disability with a wide variety of manifestations and most typically affects a person's ability to communicate and interact socially with others and is often associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviours. A child who falls on what's known as the autism spectrum may display anything from mild to severe symptoms, and will be affected by the disorder for the rest of their lives.

There is no medical detection or cure for autism, but early diagnosis can point the way to the right kinds of interventions that will help a child best. Literature published as part of World Autism Awareness Day highlights the fact that research shows that early behavioural interventions for at least two years during preschool can lead to significant improvements in the IQ and language ability of children with autism.

Getting to a firm diagnosis can be a long and frustrating process, but the following 'red flags' may help parents to see that a child is at risk. Should your child display these symptoms, it's very important to get them screened as soon as possible so that they can get on the right developmental and intervention programme:

More savings and easy access The optical benefit for members on the Titan and Platinum Complete options is managed by PPN (Preferred Provider Negotiators) – the largest optical network in South Africa. This means members get better pricing on lenses – up to 60% savings on the NHRPL tariffs – and easy access to a contracted provider.

Titan members can claim once in every 24-month benefit cycle, with each member being entitled to their optical benefit, depending on the availability of their day-to-day funds. This includes:

• a consultation to the value of R440 at a PPN practice (or R255 at a non-PPN practice);
• frames to the value of R1 020 per beneficiary (subject to a family limit of R2 040)
• single vision lenses to the value of R150 per lens, bifocals to the value of R320 per lens and multifocals to the value of R560 per lens (if you are using an out of network provider, then the NHRPL pricing structures apply)
• contact lenses up to a limit of R1 620 per family

Members can have PGX tints on glass lenses and fixed tints up to 35% on CR39 lenses. In network tariffs apply.

Platinum Complete members can claim each year, with each member being entitled to their optical benefit, depending on the availability of their day-to-day funds. All optical claims, including for consultation, spectacles and contact lenses, are subject to an overall annual family limit of R6 800 and a sub limit of R2 700 per beneficiary per claim. Frames will be covered up to a limit of R1 050 per beneficiary.

In network tariffs apply at a PPN provider and NHRPL tariffs apply at a non-PPN provider.

Did you know that you can view and track all your claims online, via our easy-to-navigate member website? Here's how:

1. Visit www.libmed.co.za
2. Login using your Username and Password
3. You will be presented with an Overview of your account, displaying Your Details, Your Last Five Claims, Statements, Last Six Transactions and Contributions
4. Click on the 'Claims' option at the top of the screen (in the green menu)
5. This will take you to the Claims page where you can view your claims history
   1. Choose which option you want displayed from the following menus: All Claims, Claims This Month, Claims Last Month, Claims This Year and Claims Last Year (filed according to the Service Date). You also have the option to search within a date range to quickly locate a claim
   2. To view the Claim Details, click on the '+' button beside the Service Date in the first column. Then click on the link in the Status column on the right hand side
6. There is also a list of all your claims which shows which have been paid and date of payment

If you scanned and emailed your claim, you'll be able to view the actual image of the scanned claim. To do this, click on the image reference number under the Image column. The Scanned Claim window will popup allowing you to:

• View your claim in different formats (GIF, JPG, PNG, TIF)
• Rotate the image 90 deg
• Zoom in/out
• Brighten/darken
• Soften/sharpen
• Invert

Welcoming a new baby to your home makes for an incredibly exciting, busy and often exhausting time. But don't forget to register your newborn with Liberty Medical Scheme so that we can ensure they are covered under your policy. This is especially important if your baby needs to be hospitalised for some reason as the authorisation for this can only be released once they are registered as your dependant.

Register your newborn as soon as possible but at the latest within 30 days of their birth. To do so, you will need to send us a copy of their birth certificate. Fax to 021 657 7651 or email info@babyhealth.co.za.

Taking precautions is key to your wellbeing On 25 April, hundreds of organisations around the globe – including governments, companies, academic and research institutions, foundations and NGOs – will come together to focus on one of Africa's most devastating diseases. Malaria kills more than a million people every year and afflicts as many as half a billion people in 109 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Being informed can help to protect you and your family from malaria, which affects parts of our own country.

Before you travel to a malaria area, speak to your doctor about which anti-malarial drug is best for you (remember that some have to be taken in advance of your trip). Take additional precautions by using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved trousers and tops and closed shoes and socks between dusk and dawn. Mosquito nets, fans and air conditioning are also effective at reducing your chances of being bitten. If you have been to a malaria area and experience any flu-like symptoms, it's vital that you inform your doctor where you have been. Pregnant women and children under five years fall into the extremely high risk category and should not enter malaria areas.