Bonitas arrived at Thursday’s annual results presentation with plenty to celebrate. A record R1.8 billion surplus. Reserves of R10.8bn. A solvency ratio of 36.9%. Membership growth for a third consecutive year. By almost every financial measure, 2025 was Bonitas’s strongest financial year.
Yet the mood in the room was muted.
Coming just two months after one of the most turbulent administrator transitions in the medical scheme industry’s recent history, principal officer Lee Callakoppen opened on a somewhat measured note. Rather than unpacking the financial performance, he spent much of his presentation explaining the decisions that had brought Bonitas to this point.
For weeks, Bonitas had been dealing with the fallout from its 1 June “clean cut” transition from Medscheme to Momentum Health Solutions as administrator and Private Health Administrators (PHA) as its managed-care organisation. Members struggled to obtain hospital authorisations, access chronic medication, resolve claims, and reach call centres.
Callakoppen argued that the transition could not be judged on the past two months alone.
Instead, he took the audience back to 2022, when Bonitas began reshaping the scheme to broaden its reach, improve affordability, and strengthen its long-term sustainability. According to Callakoppen, 92% of Bonitas’s client base had since been replaced with a different membership profile, creating what he described as the need for closer alignment between the organisations supporting the scheme.
“The complete ecosystem of Bonitas remains relevant and sustainable for our members,” he said. “A consolidated focus and approach of alignment of service providers is essential.”
He described the appointment of Momentum Health Solutions and PHA as the next step in that strategy. The change, he said, was intended to improve technology, member value, choice, and the ease of doing business. Achieving those goals, he added, sometimes required “courageous and robust decisions”.
But Callakoppen acknowledged that the transition had come at a cost.
Although Bonitas had maintained what he described as one of the strongest trust indices in the industry over the past five to six years, “the current experience and change has impacted it”.
“I am very mindful of the impact of change and the erosion of trust.”
For the first six weeks after the cutover, Bonitas tracked member “sentiments” almost daily. Dedicated “war teams” met every morning and evening throughout the first month – and on some Sunday evenings – to deal with problems as they emerged.
“A change of this size would never be smooth sailing, but it’s about how we respond,” he said.
The scale of the operation was reflected in the numbers.
During the first six weeks after the transition, Bonitas paid R2.46bn in healthcare claims, processed R9.8 million in medical savings refunds and R74m in broker commission. It handled more than 463 000 customer calls, 47 306 chats and 335 662 emails, answered 53 630 provider calls and 31 296 broker calls, processed more than 6 000 new business applications, supported 219 889 members receiving chronic medication, issued 101 602 hospital authorisations, and maintained contracts with more than 8 000 general practitioners.
Customer calls averaged seven minutes and 15 seconds, while broker calls averaged just over 11 minutes.
“It’s not something we are happy with,” Callakoppen said. “It’s not something that is acceptable for what we expect as Bonitas.”
He also urged the audience not to lose sight of the people behind the transition. Nearly 1 000 new employees had been recruited as part of the move, many of them stepping into call centre roles for the first time.
“It’s not an excuse. It’s not one of trying to find sympathy,” he said. “But it’s one of ensuring that we appreciate the context in which this change is taking place.”
Callakoppen also referred to tariff misalignments, differing clinical protocols, and duplicate interactions across Bonitas’s digital platforms as challenges that surfaced after the transition. While acknowledging those issues, he said the scheme and its service providers had “line of sight” on the problems and were working to resolve them.
But he cautioned that there was little time to lose.
“Our time is running out.”
He said the message had been communicated across the organisation.
“The urgency needs to be there to restore and deliver on this mammoth responsibility that we are tasked with.”
The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) has confirmed to Moonstone that it is conducting a section 43 inquiry into Bonitas’s appointment of Momentum Health Solutions as administrator. The CMS said such inquiries are initiated whenever a medical scheme appoints a new administrator to assess compliance with Board Notice 73.
Read: CMS sets end-August target for Bonitas procurement investigation
Record results built on membership growth, cost management, and investment returns
The mood shifted as chief financial officer Vurhonga Rikhotsa (pictured) took the stage.
“Last year I said I was excited. This year, I’m even more excited,” she said before turning to the numbers behind Bonitas’s 2025 performance.
Bonitas reported a record surplus of R1.8bn, up from R133.9 million in 2024. Member reserves increased from R9bn to R10.8bn, while the scheme ended the year with a solvency ratio of 36.9% – well above the statutory minimum.
Membership growth was a key contributor, although the year did not begin smoothly.
On 1 January 2025, Bonitas lost a large employer pay point comprising about 8 000 principal members. By year-end, it had more than recovered those losses through organic growth, ending 2025 with 369 186 principal members – a net increase of 10 430, or 2.9%.
Much of that growth came from the scheme’s lower-cost “new generation” options, which attracted younger members and larger families. As a result, Bonitas ended 2025 with an average beneficiary age of 36.2 years (compared with 36.8 across the open-scheme industry), an average family size of 2.04 (2.01), and a pensioner ratio of 11.8% (12%), while 63% of its membership came through corporate employers.
The changing membership profile also supported Bonitas’s underlying operating performance. Rikhotsa said a younger membership base and lower pensioner ratio help to contain claims, while a stronger corporate membership mix further supports the scheme’s financial sustainability.
Excluding investment income, the insurance service result – which measures the gap between contribution income and the cost of providing healthcare benefits – improved significantly during the year. The insurance service deficit narrowed from almost R1bn in 2024 to R382m in 2025, while the number of loss-making benefit options fell from eight to seven.
One example was the turnaround of the Primary option.
Bonitas introduced a hospital network, allowing it to negotiate lower tariffs for planned procedures while preserving members’ freedom to use any hospital in an emergency. Together with preventative care programmes, managed-care initiatives and changes to benefit design, those interventions helped to reduce the claims ratio from 95.9% to 94.3%.
Across the scheme, Bonitas said managed-care initiatives, strategic purchasing, and provider negotiations generated R1.6bn in savings without reducing members’ benefits.
Hospital tariff negotiations accounted for R566m of those savings, making them the single biggest contributor. Recoveries from fraud, waste, and abuse also increased from R46.2m to R55.3m.
The biggest driver of the record surplus, though, was investment performance. Investment income almost doubled, increasing from R1.4bn in 2024 to R2.6bn in 2025 and delivering a return on investment of 20.8%. Strong returns from local equities, bonds and listed property all contributed to the result.
After elective procedures slowed sharply during the Covid-19 pandemic, medical schemes accumulated unusually high reserves. Bonitas’s solvency ratio rose to 41.3% in 2022 and 41.5% in 2023, before easing to 38.6% in 2024 and 36.9% in 2025. The statutory minimum is 25%.
Rather than maintaining those elevated reserves, the board decided gradually to return some of that capital to members by moderating contribution increases. Rikhotsa said the decline reflected that deliberate strategy rather than any weakening of the scheme’s financial position. Based on current trends, Bonitas expects the ratio to decline to 34.4% in 2026, while remaining above its long-term target of 30%.
For brokers, the value statement offered a useful snapshot of how members’ contributions were ultimately distributed.
Of the approximately R25bn generated through contributions and investment income, R22bn was paid in healthcare benefits. Brokers received R429m in commission, while Bonitas’s administration and managed-care partners received about R1.8bn for services provided to the scheme. Non-healthcare expenditure amounted to 9.2% of risk contributions, below the industry average of about 11%.
The 2025 results close the final full financial year under Medscheme.
When Bonitas returns to present its 2026 results next year, the discussion is likely to extend well beyond surplus, solvency, and membership growth. The numbers will show whether the scheme has been able to preserve the financial momentum built under its previous administrator while delivering the operational stability and member experience promised by the new operating model.
Poor answering, not psying Gp while funds available, people amswdring afger 10 tp 15 minutes are bold blunt.
Need feedback ASAP
Horrendous experience. Chronic medication and Dr appointments declined. Cannot get through to call centre. Communications received make no sense. All that does work is the debit order monthly for the contribution. Member Felicia Mattheus ID 3509180011089
See sbove
And yet we struggle to get hold of them. I have an outstang bill that they have not paid yet, they do not even answer the email about it.
My operation was already done on the 19 May. They people who done my back brace struggled to get pay.
Horrendous experience, Call center are not calling you back. Approval for chronic medication took weeks for it to be approved. We even have a co-payment for GP visits now.
Appalling service experience since transition despite Bonitas promising the same member experience through transition process. My 6 monthly physician visit is short paid suddenly whilst the opthalmologist who I see for macular degeneration has been removed from their contracted network without warning. Only light in the darkness is Pharmacy Direct who has remained a constant and who sorts out any issues from their side so that no disruption in chronic medicine occurs. You have to do better Bonitas and not hide behind results that were obtained under Medscheme’s steer.
It’s amusing you say Pharmacy Direct is the only remaining postive experience, when this is an Afrocentric company (i.e. Medscheme) that Bonitas was so desperate to cut ties with regardless of what that means for member experience and wellness
I hate bonitas medical aid we pay alot of money and get shit service going from life hospitals to Lenmed which is far out of our area . Most of the options that we had last year we don’t have this year . And some chronic meds aren’t paid by the medical aid 🙄 people on pension cant afford it hope they review the options eg maternity benefits take it off for people on pension they cant have babies anymore move that amounts to the chronic meds and to pay for dentures. Still got lots to say but I don’t have time to spill it all out now
Bad experience with Bointas after being a member for almost 20 years and as well as in my earlyteens as a dependenton my mother’smedical aid .I never had to struggle with getting my chronic meds , but this time Bonitas has disappointed me.
My 80 year old Mom needs a medical aid as she has been without a medical aid for more than 30 years . We understand the underwriting process and the penalties that goes with that . But we are struggling to get Bonitas to give us the membership certificate for a new medical aid to make a decision on penalties to be imposed .
The member does not have to suffer because of the difference or the changes between administrators. This a clear poor business planning decision. Bonitas new long ago that they will be leaving for another administrator. Why were there no contingencies put in place?
On hold for over an hour on two occasions. Still waiting for a reply to my email requesting a pre authorization number for my eye injection (wet AMD). Seems that Bonitas is more concerned with ‘profits’ than with stopping me from going blind !
Bonitas is talking about growth, they are going to loose lots of members with non payments and no answer of phones, chronic payments not done, struggling to get authorisations.
Can I please receive a Monthly Member Statement as in the past, that you can see exactly how your benefits are used, and what is still available. At this stage, I am touching in the dark.
The summary I received is of no info and not member friendly.
AGreed 100%
I have been waiting since 2 July for a call back promised for “within an hour”. I have made dozens of calls. I have had a WhatsApp chat and I have been to the walk in centre at The Marc three times. My PMB mental health claims have not yet been paid – 1 has been rejected and 2 do not even appear on my profile. Why oh why did you change? I used to think this was the best medical aid ever. I’m willing to bet that nobody at Bonitas replies to this out contracts me.
My wife and myself have been members for 30 years me being the principal member and my wife 01. When trying to re-register her with her ID number is says she is not registered on scheme. We have to pay for scripted medicine over the counter as the scheme says No Authorization but still get Chorinic meds from Phar Direct, its a MESS. They take monthly Subs.
Bonitas is very bad under Momentum, no more monthly report on medical expenses and what is the amount still available for test of the year. I wait now 3 weeks for approval of chronic medicine, after my Doctor send a motivational for the medicine Blood test that was done was paid in two parts. Sasol med move also 3 years ago from Medscheme to Momentum. It was chaos with the same problems we have now. Sasol move away from Moment to another administrator and everything is ok now. Bonitas make a big profit, but still they increase our monthly Subs by 9%. Bonitas do not worry about there Members. Bonitas gone a good Medical Aid to the worst one in South Africa.
Statement from Lee etc rendered on the assumption that members are stupid and detached from reality. The decision to change administrators was rushed, unplanned, lacking in any logical strategy. Pointless reporting on anything positive when 83% of that was under Medscheme’s stewardship. The assurance is that they had to spend more money (i.e. increase costs long term) hiring more people to deliver a far, far worse user experience is ludicrous. This is not a nice-to-have luxury where the Principal Officer and his corrupt Trustees can experiment to see what sticks – for people a poorly performing medical aid can literally mean life or death.
The word “pathetic” comes to mind, the recomendation of a nero surgen means nothing to them. I had to take out a personal loan of R130 000:00 to cover a procedure so my wife has pain relief and can walk again. The thought process of their so called medical expert is utter nonsence. The letter sent by the principle officer with the words “comitment and concern” is a total untruth
I’m very disappointed @bonitas especially the finance department. I fully agree with the person above who said momentum is even worse than medschem at the moment. I have waited for more than hundred and twenty minutes on hold by call center. My emails are not even replied until today. My savings refund which was due in April is not paid even today. All I’m getting is empty promises. Please kindly call me back and tell me when you are going to resolve my long overdue queries.
Very Concerned,
Raymond Mkhonza
0793441349/0724326583
Fine
Major problem on the Bonitas App. I cannot access my wife’s information on the app, only mine. Continuous calls to the call centre says they are working on the problem and that it would be fixed within a few days but todate still cannot access her information. Let move back to our previous administrator. Momentum appears to be clueless
CMS alleged concerns when rhe Competition Commission approved MMSA merger in 2010 – before intermediary administrative provider was fitted into the payment process to extract 100% of members benefit from scheme on their behalf, for Momentum, hence the 15% vs 85% disparity on payout between clinical – and non-clinical practices which exploit GPs and all non-specialist practices and their facilities. The question: why now, after the financial strategy has been imposed for 15 years, and the switch just after major financial transactions occurred, is Bonitas misleading the public – by not disclosing 100% profit from certain practices which transfer 100% risk ( out of pocket payments) to Bonitas and Momentum Health scheme members. ?? We need reliable information- the fees extracted from scheme fund and what percentage of that was then routed to intermediary administrative providers and healthcare providers respectively ???
Reason they make so much money is because they pay for so little. Can’t believe how bad they have gone.
Im so so livid with Bonitas. My husband is a duabetic for 2 months now we couldnt get his medication nor his insuline im not paying my.instalment fior aug until this shit is sorted out if anything happens to my husband ill keep Bonitas responsible either medical or hosputal bills or they will pay for a funeral mr Lee doesnt even read his emails How do they expect us to get chronic medication get people that wants to work and not people that are just there forr the salary Bonitas whatsup group is also useless get us a tollfree no to ph ive soend over 580 and still nothing is sorted out
UNACCEPTABLE UNACCEPTABLE
IF IT CARRY ON LIKE THIS ILL LOOK FOR ANOTHER MEDICAL AID AS EASY AS THAT
When I first heard about the changover, I did not think much of it because I too work for a huge corporate company, so inside, I said to myself not to worry they will have well prepared for a huge transition of this nature by having contingency plans in place and have appropriate measures in place to prevent severely affecting thousands of people. Well I could have not be more wrong. I was swept off my feet first by my daughter getting sick and I was hit even harder when bonitas could not meet the minimum standard. There are just so many problems I ran into and are still struggling to this day. Simple problems that you would assume a huge organization could have prevented. While i do know that change always has its challenges and it would have never been a smooth sail, i really cannot fathom how bonitas has failed and still is failing for even basic service delivery. Because of this it has really convinced me that bonitas clients has not been the priority of top leadership when making these decisions but rather a hasty decision in efforts to expand the profiteers’ pocket.
I am extremely disappointed with the service I have received from Bonitas.
I have visited two specialists, and both claims were declined despite my available savings being more than sufficient. The Bonitas app clearly reflects that I have adequate funds, yet the claims are still rejected, forcing me to pay out of my own pocket.
Trying to get assistance is equally frustrating. Every call involves waiting up to 30 minutes to speak to a consultant, only to be told that the matter will be escalated. Unfortunately, no one ever follows up or provides any feedback.
To make matters worse, I have been waiting for surgery authorisation since 9 June, with no resolution. This ongoing delay is unacceptable and is causing unnecessary stress while I wait for essential medical treatment.
Bonitas should place greater value on the health and wellbeing of its members rather than focusing on profits. Without satisfied members, there will be no one left to generate those profits. Patients deserve timely authorisations, accurate claims processing, and responsive customer service. At present, Bonitas is failing to deliver on these basic expectations.
Horrible experience when my recent claim declined. Better fix it because some of us not happy
Unacceptable service,issues with the app, cant upload reciepts that has already paid for to be reimbursed, getting through to the claims department you hold on for over 2.5 hours, authorization ref given over the phone to visit specialist, now there is no trace of it and you will be liable for the payment. You can escalate, but they not interested.
When you mention the companies Momentum and Old Mutual to me then I cringe. Everything went so well for all these years. I don’t understand the change. I hope there isn’t corruption involved.
Bonitas is the worst ! They enrich themselves with the profits of their contributors but show disdain to those who pay for medical care.
My experience:
– my contracted doctors and specialists have not been paid leaving me to pay large sums of cash despite my monthly contribution to Bonitas being almost 8000 plus rands monthly.
– no one answers calls ( put on hold for an hour) nor are emails responded to despite their ‘stock’ phrase that queries will be responded to within 3 working days
– refusal to pay Ampath for blood work
– not being able to access the Bonitas app at all. Personal details ,logins etc not recognized.
– total breakdown with regard to communication.
– refusal to pay medical practitioners whom I have being seeing for many years
– no monthly member statements
So in my opinion , Bontas is merely a self serving medical scheme whose administration’s are raking in the cash and provide little or poor service and are a failure. Been a member since 2013.
Have had to make phone calls and send emails to get PMB interventions paid for which had previously been paid without fail. An Xray department was paid 95c for a R1565 bill being just the consumables portion because the invoice was not read properly. Surely that should have triggered a question and not another email from me. The quality of the remittance advices is not as transparent as it was under Medscheme.
Maybe Callakoppen can give us her phone number and we can give her our honest opion first hand – i dont want to say she us lying but hell – I dont know where she gets her stats from on call times etc but I must be the most unlucky person in the world as neither me or my broker can get hold of anybody – they refuse to pay for procedure twice now even when we privide bonitas approval letter – so either I am stupid and or unlucky or she is putting lipstick on a pig – after 18 years I will be moving to another medical aid- you can fool some of the people some of the time – this has to be the worst managed administrator move in history – the while bloody exco team should be fired – you are incompotent and I have no trust in you to lead Bonitas – I dont believe your so called stats – any are tired of your excuses
I am definitely changing this medical aid in November I have submitted a request whenever I call no answer you wait until airtime runs out… I was really happy under MedScheme this simply means anything can happen to one’s life.. And do not contact me to ask questions.. M fed up shame my Dr submitted the request first week of July its a new month now…
I’ve had problems with my maternity benefits not showing so my consults are been paid out of savings so for my husband and daughters claims are rejected. This is very stressful as we don’t know what will be paid in hospital.
The member login and app doesn’t show what benefits you have and what is remaining. You can’t even view the digital member card on the member zone. The back of the card where dependent details are shown is blocked.
Calls are not answered and when you finally get through call centre agents are very rude. I phoned to speak to someone about why my maternity benefits are not showing and to get a breakdown of what benefits I have remaining since 1 June and he transferred me to the maternity line…..
I’ve sent emails and been on the phone so many times for over 20 mins each time but no one responds.
My medical budget goes into my Bonsave premiums and I have a high balance in my savings, but now Momentum says the vitamins and supplements I used to get over the counter to live a healthier life are excluded and only partially pays doctor visits. So our medical aid is now a medical liability because they won’t allow me to spend my own allocated medical funds on medical needs. I think Bonitas will lose many customers next year if they don’t sort themselves out quickly.
Did not deduct August Premium despite there bein funds. Falling apart. Chronic conditions treatment and medication was refused. I had to pay in cash.
This is atrocious. We are afterall starting Month three. The senior management must step up.