FAQs
For Civil Servants: Simply walk into the nearest PSMAS branch and submit your application. You can also request an application form via email on contactus@psmas.co.zw or via WhatsApp on 0783 183 530.
For Employer Organisations: If your employer is already a member of the Society, you simply fill in a membership application form and submit it to PSMAS via your employer, or drop it off at any of our offices countrywide. You can also send your application form to marketing@psmas.co.zw. For Individuals: If your employer is not a member, or are self-employed, you may still join the Society as an individual member.
No, the Society does not have any underwriting condition, however if one is applying to become a member, they should prove capacity to pay their subscriptions.
No, there is no limit to the number of beneficiaries one can have.
Yes, babies are covered from the day they are born, as long as they are registered within 3 months of birth. Parents are encouraged to register their babies as soon as possible to avoid inconveniences when emergencies arise. Once your baby turns three months without being registered, they will have a three month waiting period.
If you register your spouse within three months from the date of marriage, he/she will get immediate cover. Registration after 3 months period from date of marriage will put them on a waiting period while contributing subscriptions for them to start benefiting.
No. It is not automatic that your membership continues when you leave employment, especially if you get government pensions, as the Society will no longer receive the subscriptions that were deducted from your pay. You will need to contact the Society, complete a change of employer form to indicate that you now fall under Government pensions and your subscriptions will be deducted from your pension.
Yes, you may visit any of our offices, email contactus@psmas.co.zw or WhatsApp 0783 183 530 and arrange for payment of subscriptions via direct debit from your bank, cash deposits or using the payment gateway. You still maintain the same membership number.
You can access your certificate of membership via the Mobile App by following the below steps:
- Click on the Login tab
- Enter your membership number
- Enter your PIN
- Click on the ‘Certificates’ tab
- Click on select beneficiary drop down and select your name (member)
- Click on ‘Generate’
- Check your email address for the certificate of membership
In terms of the Legal Age of Majority Act of 1982 a child who attains the age of eighteen (18) ceases to be a minor. In line with this Act, subscriptions for this category of dependants will be charged at adult rate forthwith, unless prior notification is received that he/she is still a student.
When it comes to salary adjustments, different employers have varying cut-off dates. However, delays may also be caused by incorrect information given by the member, such as an incorrect E.C. number or department. etc.
Please contact Marketing and Member Services department via contactus@psmas.co.zw for any changes to your contact details or banking details.
If your membership has lapsed within three months, you may reinstate by contacting PSMAS membership directly via email or WhatsApp to continue. If the lapse has been longer than three months, you must reapply to the Society and you will have to go on a waiting period
These are restrictions imposed on certain benefits to curb abuse, thus protect funds of the loyal long contributing members. For example, one may not want to join medical aid, and only think of it when expecting a baby to enjoy maternity benefits. To curb such practices, 9 months are imposed to ensure that no-one joins the Society while pregnant. Other waiting periods are imposed on expensive treatments like chemotherapy, haemodialysis, spectacles, and a few others covered under waiting periods.
Shortfall is the difference between what the service provider is charging and what the medical aid pays.
Therefore, if the service provider’s charges are more than what the medical aid is paying, then the difference is a shortfall.
As a society we have no statute to regulate what service providers charge but stick to AHFoZ tariffs, PSMAS is guided by the regulatory so as to other medical aids. Pricing is determined by many factors which include costs of providing the service, market demand, competition and affordability by the target market. Subscriptions on the medical aid side continue to track the official rate whilst costs are being incurred based on parallel market making it difficult to meet the cost of service and other overheads.
Medical aid benefits are paid according to tariff which is regulated by AHFoZ, a board that regulates all medical aid societies.
Also refer to answer on Qsn 1.
Shortfalls are non-avoidable because benefits are paid according to tariff, they are also subjective to private tariff codes. Every service has a fee tagged to it whether you are a private member or not, so shortfalls arise from the difference between the doctors charge and tariff award.
Service providers on the network with shortfalls are usually for Specialists services. The Society negotiates with them to reduce on the fee that they will be requesting for upfront. A majority of the providers do not have shortfalls, if they do, they will be minimal compared to those out of network.
The Society has partnered with different specialist who work with the same condition as PSMI, these include, but not limited to surgeons, neurologist, anaesthetics, paediatricians and gynaecologists. Members are encouraged to consult PSMAS whenever they seek these services. However pricing of services is determined by many factors which include costs of providing the service, market demand, competition and affordability by the target market. On the other hand subscriptions on the medical aid side continue to track the official rate whilst costs are being incurred based on parallel market making it difficult to meet the cost of service and other overheads therefore co-payments may not be removed completely.
While the Premier Express Network is to your benefit and gives you a wider coverage and ensure service availability and accessibility, members are free to go to any service provider of their own choice. Where a health service provider will not accept the PSMAS card and you choose to pay cash, the Society will process your claim refund according to AHFoZ tariffs and benefit limit.
Spectacles can be replaced once every three years. Premier Express Network has a list of opticians who accept the PSMAS card for refraction services first, then recommendations on the spectacles that you need. Thereafter, the service provider will get authorization from PSMAS. If you select spectacles within your benefit limits, there will be no shortfall.
The Society has an obligation to pay its members’ refunds monthly, however, claims refund is a process that include receiving assessing, recording, bar-cording, scanning, capturing, adjudication, and payment though the process may delay due to inadequate information such as wrong banking details provided by the member etc.
If all information is correct, reimbursement of a claim typically takes 2 to 6 weeks.
The Society operates a facility where it guarantees payments for medical related costs incurred outside Zimbabwe in respect of operations or treatments, which are not available in Zimbabwe where a specialist in Zimbabwe specifically refers the patient to a specialist outside Zimbabwe.
Dual membership is when one is already a member or beneficiary, and registers again as a member/beneficiary, and thus has two different active membership numbers. This normally happens with members who get 100% cover from their employer, and then their spouse also has that benefit at their workplace. Dual membership is not allowed, and such families are urged to choose one membership under which to fall. The 2nd scenario is when one is a member at another medical aid society. For this one may only claim for medical services from one medical aid society, but not both. The claim from the 2nd medical aid society may be only for shortfalls incurred from the first society.
Cover for emergency, unforeseen medical expenses whilst outside Zimbabwe on holiday, business, or study can be arranged. Application on the prescribed form accompanied by a medical certificate obtained at the member’s expense from the family doctor of the person(s) travelling stating their current state of health and any existing illnesses must be received by the Society, at least two working days before departure. A fee is payable for each person for whom cover is sought.
If you are a new member, you become eligible six months after becoming a member. If you are already a member, you may enjoy this benefit once every three years.
PSMAS strives to always get wide card acceptability through maintaining good relations with Health Service Providers. There are more Health Service Providers that accept the PSMAS medical aid card, all PSMI facilities included, some contracted Service Providers display an Information poster in their rooms that they accept the PSMAS card. You may also walk into any of our branches for the most up to date list of Service Providers where to access medical services with PSMAS card.