GEMS: Your health, your future – Medical cover built for public service employees
GEMS continues to provide public service employees with medical cover options that meet their diverse healthcare needs.
The scheme’s structured benefit options ensure that every member can access high-quality care at a contribution level that suits their budget.
GEMS is able to offer medical cover that is *23% cheaper than its key competitors – even after the recent 9.8% contribution adjustment for 2026.
The Scheme makes it easy and convenient for its members to access the quality healthcare support they need through its face-to-face member services, available nationwide, at the comfort of their workplace or at Walk-In-Centres.
Whether you live in the deep rural areas to major cities. GEMS has a network healthcare partner ready to cater for your healthcare needs. This is healthcare that truly reaches every corner of South Africa.
The success of GEMS is underpinned by comprehensive benefit options that start with the Tanzanite One and reaches up to the top Onyx option.
These options are tailored to meet the needs of a wide range of members– from those who only require entry level care, to those who require high level coverage.
“Choosing GEMS means choosing a trusted partner in your healthcare journey and financial peace of mind.”
Calculated price adjustment
While GEMS recently announced a 9.8% price adjustment for 2026, this was a carefully considered figure.
“Without this adjustment, we cannot fulfil our promise to members – to maintain our superior basket of benefits, ensure provider payments remain market competitive, and protect the Scheme’s financial reserves, thereby securing world-class healthcare for all public servants in the long term,” said GEMS.
This superior affordability is attributed to two key strategic advantages: a prolonged 18-year record of robust, clean governance and its distinctive status as a restricted scheme.
For several years, GEMS deliberately used its reserves to shield members from steep contribution increases, resulting in more than R10 billion in direct savings.
This approach consistently kept contributions well below the rate of healthcare inflation, even as utilisation and treatment costs rose across the industry.
With reserves now stabilising at regulatory minimum levels, the Scheme must responsibly realign contributions to safeguard its ability to pay claims and ensure long-term sustainability.
Learn how GEMS can meet your healthcare needs with an affordable benefit option.
Loading ...