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

Contact Details

Customer Call Centre:
0860 002 163

Private Bag X35
Claremont
7735

If you are a member of the Corporate Network option, all your primary healthcare services are provided by Prime Cure. This is an accredited healthcare organisation, contracted by Liberty Medical Scheme, that provides services to more than 33 medical scheme options and a total of a million people from across South Africa every year.

Prime Cure has an open, national network of contracted private healthcare providers, which Corporate Network option members should use for their comprehensive day-to-day primary care benefits. These benefits include:

• General practitioners (GPs)
• Basic dentistry
• Optometry
• HIV Management Services
• Basic pathology, according to a defined list of tariff codes
• Acute and Chronic Medicines, according to a formulary

There may be instances, however, when you may not be able to access a practitioner listed on Prime Cure's network, if you are on holiday or out of town for example. To make sure you are covered in such instances, Prime Cure has provided an additional 'out-of-network' benefit.

You will be required to pay the service provider directly for the treatment, and then claim the money back from Prime Cure by:

• completing a reimbursement form (available here or on the Prime Cure website)
• submitting this together with the detailed account, proof of payment and copy of the principal member's ID to Prime Cure, Refunds Department, Private Bag X141, Centurion, 0046

Because the out-of-network benefit is designed for those rare occasions when you cannot access a service provider on the Prime Cure network, it is limited to one visit per beneficiary or two visits per family per year, with an annual limit of R700 and 20% co-payment.

Access to specialist services and hospitalisation do not form part of the Prime Cure administered benefits in 2010. Please contact the Liberty Medical Scheme Contact Centre on 0860 002 163 for authorisation or any enquiries related to these benefits.

To view a summary of important information relating to Prime Cure benefits, please click here.

Important health topics explained While the digital and Internet age provides you with information at your fingertips, the sheer volume of information out there can be overwhelming, confusing and often misleading. It's difficult to decide what to believe and most of us don't have time to filter through all the information to get to the truth about certain healthcare issues. Which is why Liberty Medical Scheme has embarked on a national health drive to educate our members about important Chronic Conditions.

This drive involves screening viewer-friendly and informative medical documentaries at Ster-Kinekor cinemas across the country. Delivered in partnership with Clicks and other sponsors including Canderal and leading pharmaceutical company Aspen, these screenings are designed to dispel popular health myths and empower our members to make the most informed lifestyle and health choices. We believe that with the right information, you can take preventative steps to protect yourself from the risks of some of the most serious diseases.

The first screening took place in March on breast cancer and made a deep impact on those who attended it. In June, we focused on cardiovascular and related diseases which together kill over 90 South Africans each day. The screenings include discussions by doctors and a panel of survivors.

Join us for the next screening on diabetes
Date: 1 September 2010.
Time: 8:30-9:30am
Venues: Ster Kinekor cinemas in Brooklyn, Cresta, Rosebank Nouveau, Sandton City, Eastgate, Cavendish Nouveau, Tygervalley, Cape Gate, Fourways Mall, Musgrave, Gateway, Westgate, Mimosa Mall and The Bridge.

Look out for your email invitation coming soon.

In last month's issue of Alive, we made an appeal to members to donate blood, particularly as the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ was expected to place an increased demand on our national blood bank.

The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) has highlighted another urgent need – that of platelet donors. While most people appreciate the need for blood donation, many know nothing about platelet donation or how it can save lives.

Platelets are tiny fragments of cells made in the bone marrow and released into the bloodstream in the same way as red blood cells. They are essential to stop bleeding and bruising and for the treatment of patients with cancers and leukaemia who have too few platelets as a result of their disease or treatment. A child with cancer may need two platelet transfusions every month, and as donated platelets can only be stored for five days, they are in short supply. The life of these patients literally depends on the generosity of donors.

The platelet donation process is very different to donating whole blood. Prospective donors first undergo a pre-test via appointment at a special centre to determine if their platelet count is high enough before they can become a donor. The donation process takes between 60 – 90 minutes during which time you are served sandwiches and refreshments. A cell separator machine separates the platelets and a small amount of plasma into one bag, and the rest of the blood into another. You can donate every 14 – 28 days.

If you are interested in becoming a donor, contact one of the SANBS' aphaeresis units to make a pre-test appointment.

Alberton Auckland Park Krugersdorp Mayo (West Rand) Northgate Pretoria

011 908 3212 011 877 4037/8 011 955 6608/4 011 679 3003 011 794 5760 012 333 9949

Once you are confirmed as an eligible donor, you can make donations at a wide range of centres countrywide. For more information visit www.sanbs.org.za.

July is Psychiatric Disability Awareness Month, and is intended to reduce the stigma and the misinformation surrounding mental illness.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) places mental illness among the leading causes of ill health and disability worldwide, and the Mental Health Information Centre at Stellenbosch University reports that one in five South Africans suffers from a mental disorder severe enough to affect their lives significantly, around a quarter of all patients visiting general practitioners are ill due to psychiatric conditions and nearly 20% of high school students every year think about fatally harming themselves.

The good news is that mental illness is highly treatable and the last two decades have seen important breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment. Sadly, however, the WHO estimates that nearly two-thirds of people with a known mental disorder never seek help from a health professional or admit to having a mental illness because they fear stigma, discrimination and ignorance.

But the fact is that mental health affects us all. As the South African Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH) points out, "The term 'mental health' is often associated with mental illness and psychiatric hospitals. In actual fact, mental health implies not only the absence of any illness, but on the contrary, a state of emotional and mental wellbeing and the ability to cope with everyday situations." They list just some characteristics of mentally healthy people:

• They feel good about themselves.
• They are not overwhelmed by their own emotions – fears, anger, love, jealousy, guilt or worries.
• They can take life's disappointments in their stride.
• They have self-respect.
• They feel able to deal with most situations.
• They can take pleasure in simple, everyday things.
• They feel comfortable with other people and are able to give love and consider the interests of others.
• They have personal relationships that are satisfying and lasting.
• They like and trust others, and feel that others will like and trust them.
• They respect the many differences they find in people.
• They do not take advantage of others nor allow others to take advantage of them.
• They feel they can be part of a group.
• They feel a sense of responsibility to fellow human beings.
• They are able to meet the demands of life and do something about their problems as they arise.
• They accept their responsibilities.
• They shape their environment whenever possible; they adjust to it whenever necessary.
• They try to plan ahead and do not fear the future.
• They welcome new experiences and new ideas.
• They use their talents.
• They set realistic goals for themselves.
• They are able to make their own decisions.
• They put their best effort into what they do, and get satisfaction from doing it.

Contacts

• SAFMH: www.safmh.org.za; +27 11 781 1852
• South African Depression and Anxiety Group: www.sadag.co.za; Counseling: +27 11 262 6396; Suicidal emergencies; 0800 567 567
• LifeLine: www.lifeline.org.za; +27 11 715 2000
• Mental Health Information Centre Stellenbosch University: www.mentalhealthsa.co.za; +27 21 938 9229/9029.

Liberty Medical Scheme has received some excellent coverage in the media lately. If you wish to read the full articles on our website www.libmed.co.za, simply click on the 'Media' link at the top and then click through to 'In the News' on the left hand side. You can also follow the direct links below to read the articles:

• Taking Health Issues to the Big Screen (Business Day): www.libmed.co.za/documents/HealthNews.pdf
• Liberty at the Top (Sandton Chronicle): www.libmed.co.za/documents/LibertyTop.pdf
• Affording Medical Aid in Tough Economic Times (Money Marketing): www.libmed.co.za/documents/LibertyHealthED.pdf

Your Tax Information Schedule will be posted to you during the week of the 5th July, included in the envelope will be your 2009/2010 Tax Information Schedule and a pair of new Netcare 911 emergency stickers for your car. Please note that your Tax Schedule will also be available from our Contact Centre from the 1st July should you wish to request it. Please note that your Tax Schedule will also be available online at www.libmed.co.za from the 14th July, alternatively you could contact our Contact Centre for assistance.