Generic medicine

What is generic medicine?

Generic medicine is exactly the same as the original medicine, but costs less. It contains the same active ingredients, has the same dosage form (such as tablets or syrupcapsules) and is available in the same strength as the original medicine.

Why is generic medicine cheaper than the original medicine?

Before a new medicine is made available to the public, extensive research is done to ensure it is safe and effective. The research is very expensive, and pharmaceutical companies register patents on the medicine to recover some of these research and development costs.

As soon as patent rights on a medicine expire, other pharmaceutical companies may produce the medicine with the same active ingredients, dosage form and strength without having to repeat the research, and sell it under a different brand name at a much cheaper price.

How does Medihelp cover generic medicine?

Medicine claimed from the savings account is paid in full. If you have available day-to-day benefits and your benefit option covers acute and non-PMB chronic medicine, your medicine benefits will be paid as follows:

100% of the Maximum Medical Aid Price (MMAP); 80% of the Medihelp Tariff (MT) if no generic equivalent is available; 70% of the MMAP if you use original medicine for which a generic equivalent is available.

Homeopathic, naturopathic and osteopathic medicines are first paid from the savings account, where applicable, and then you can use up to 25% of your day-to-day or acute medicine benefits for such medicines. MedElect and MedMove! do not cover these medicine items.

Please note: All benefits are subject to the cover provided by your benefit option, and your available benefits.