Vitality Health Checks Now Available at Cape Town Med: What You Need to Know

Quick, simple, and empowering – Vitality Health Checks are now available at Cape Town Med. (PHOTO: Cliff Booth)

By Dr Laylah Fayker | MBChB (STELL) and Keshia Africa

We have excellent news to share with you! Both our practices now offer the service of completing a Discovery Vitality Health Check (VHC). If you belong to the Discovery Medical Aid, this is a helpful way to assess your health, take proactive steps towards wellness and unlock exciting rewards. We want to share some more information about this with you. 

What is a Vitality Health Check?

The VHC is a quick and comprehensive screening which assesses key health indicators. The VHC is offered to children and adults and is covered by the Screening and Prevention benefits of Discovery Health Medical Schemes and select Discovery Administered Schemes. 

For adults aged 18 – 65, these are the health factors that will be measured when you come into the practice for the VHC: 

1. BMI (Body Mass Index) & Waist Circumference – To evaluate your weight status and risk for lifestyle diseases

2. Blood pressure: Assess your cardio health.

3. Blood Glucose (Sugar Levels)

4. Cholesterol: To monitor your heart health.

5. Smoking Status 

6. HIV Test (optional)  - This test is covered by the Risk Benefit. This covers one test a year, so if you’ve already had one for the year, you won’t be able to do it again. 

For children aged 2 years old to 17 years and 11 months of age, the Kids Vitality Health Check (KVHC) includes: 

1. Weight

2. Height

3. Head circumference (dependent on age) 

4. Blood pressure (dependent on age)

5. Lifestyle Questionnaire 

Track key health indicators like blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol in one visit. (PHOTO: N Voitkevich)

Which Discovery Health Medical Scheme plans are eligible for the VHC? 

All members of a Discovery Health Medical Scheme can complete the VHC. If you have an active Vitality Policy, this will provide you with Vitality points. Please note, that you do not have to be a Discovery Vitality Member to do the VHC.

For the VHC and the Extended VHC (which includes a lipogram):

1. Discovery Health Medical Scheme

2. Multichoice

3. TFG Medical Aid Scheme

4. Tsogo Sun 

Subsidiary Medical Aid schemes which include the VHC only:

1. Anglo Medical Scheme

2. Anglovalaal Group Medical Scheme

3. LA Health (The patient has to make a choice between the VHC and the Flu Vaccine, as the scheme will only cover one, not both.)

4. UKZN Medical Scheme

Frequency of testing:

Discovery covers one (1) VHC per year and this is taken from the Screening and Prevention Benefit of your scheme. This will not impact your day-to-day benefits. 

Any patient in a waiting period on their medical aid scheme, cannot do a VHC. 

Tracking your health yearly helps you make informed, confident choices about your wellbeing. (PHOTO: Cliff Booth)

Benefits of doing the VHC:

HEALTH BENEFITS:

The check is fast and efficient and provides you with valuable insights into your overall health. Based on your results, our doctors will be able to provide expert advice on lifestyle changes and medical management as needed. 

1. Early Detection of Health Risks – Identifying potential health issues early can help prevent serious conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.

2. Personalised Health Advice – We provide guidance on improving your health based on your results.

3. Peace of Mind – Knowing your health status allows you to take proactive steps towards a healthier lifestyle.

VITALITY BENEFITS 

If you are a Discovery Vitality member, you can earn up to 22 500 Vitality Points. The number of points allocated depends on the number of results in a healthy range. 

Completing your health check will reward you with Vitality points, helping you progress towards higher status levels and better rewards.

Here are the totals for points allocation:

1. For completing the check, you will receive 5000 Vitality points

2. Additional point allocation if your results are within a healthy range:

• Blood Pressure: Up to 2 500 points

• Cholesterol: Up to 2 500 points

• Blood Glucose: Up to 2 500 points

• BMI & Waist Circumference: Up to 10 000 points

3. HIV Test: 

• If it is the first you are having an HIV test done: 7500 points

• If you have previously earned points for doing an HIV Test: 1000 points per year

• If you are diagnosed with HIV and register on the HIV Care Programme: 2500 points.

Small lifestyle changes can have a big impact on long-term health outcomes. (PHOTO: Ella Olsson)

WELLTH FUND BENEFITS

What is it?

The Wellth Fund is a once-off benefit provided by Discovery, which gets automatically activated once your VHC is completed. It is a benefit that can be used for a defined list of screening and prevention healthcare services. It is an addition to your Screening and Prevention benefit, which the VHC is covered by. 

The limit for the fund benefit is dependent on the number of people on your policy and their age.  Once the VHC is completed by everyone on the scheme, this is the value of access:

• R2500 per adult

• R1250 per child (over the age of 2)

• Up to an overall maximum of R10 000 per medical scheme. 

Conditions for this benefit to be activated: 

Each person on your medical scheme over age 2 must complete the age-appropriate health check. 

The benefit is only available once. If you’ve already used your Wellth Fund benefit, you won’t be able to claim it again. 

Where can I use my WELLTH FUND Benefit? 

1. General health: One consultation with a general practitioner (GP) per person, Dental/eye/hearing check-up; Skin cancer screening; Heart consultation; Lung cancer screening for long-term smokers; Medical devices used to monitor blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and respiratory. 

2. Physical health: Dietician, Chiropractor, biokineticist, physiotherapist, podiatrist. 

3. Mental Health: Mental wellness check-up with a psychologist, nurse, social worker, registered counsellor or psychiatrist.  

4. Women’s and men’s health: Gynecological and prostate consultations. 

5. Children’s Health: Children’s wellness visit including growth and appropriate development assessments with an occupational therapist, speech therapist or physiotherapist. 

How to book your Vitality Health Check: 

Contact our practice on 062 005 2300 via call or WhatsApp to book an appointment slot that suits you. If you are visiting the practice for a general consultation, the health check can also be done in addition to the consultation. The process is quick and we ensure you have a comfortable, professional experience.