My family & I have been on Oxygen Premium Plan at R4, 300.00 per month since October 2008. Firstly our son who has cerebral palsy was given a year exclusion. We were then informed that Oxygen had been sold to Old Mutual & our med aid plan had been down graded to the 80% plan despite the monthly fee having gone up to R4, 500.00 per month. On top of this, to date we have never been reimbursed for any claims. We then received rude e-mails & letters informing us that we owe THEM R807.00! When we queried this we were told that is why none of our claims have been paid (in a period of 2 years) & they still cannot explain why we owe them R807.00. We have been thinking of changing medical aids for months now as what is the point in paying R4, 500 a month & still having to pay for our own doctors appointments and medication. The final straw was over the weekend our twins were sick. They were prescribed a whole lot of medicine which we paid over R600 directly to the pharmacy. This morning we have received an e-mail from Oxygen stating that they have paid the pharmacy R482.00 and the member gets nothing! When we queried this we told to claim it back from the pharmacy!!!

I phoned Oxygen's emergency medical number and they referred me to Linmed Hospital in Benoni. I was hospitalized on the 18th of Desember 2009. They even sent me an authorization number. Now Oxygen claim I need to make a 25% co-payment of R2407. 44 becuase Linmed is not on their approved list of hospitals. This after I have confirmed that Linmed is on their list (with another agent at Oxygen's call centre!)

Oxygen also refuses to pay a physiotherapy account of R183. There 2009 claims and benefits schedule clearly states that ALL physiotherapy is covered while in hospital.

Their call centre agents are also clearly not trained to deal with claims and technical matters as I have received DIFFERENT reasons as to why the account is not paid i.e. Linmed overcharged the usual PPR rate of 300% and Linmed is not on their hospital list.

Oxygen is closing Standard Plus. No consultation, just a letter INFORMING members of the change & increase in subscriptions (20%) plus decrease in benefits (PMB moving from medium to low reference price). Since we had to pay a 20% increase in subs in Jan - this means our contributions will increase by 40% in one year - together with a drastic reduction in benefits. How can the Medical Aid Schemes Board allowed this? If other medical aids (such as CMP) can offer better benefits, with 30% cheaper contributions, what is going on with Oxygen? Are they in financial trouble? I, as a member am not allowed to change my option before 1 January each year - but Oxygen is allowed to breach my contract at their convenience, without any negotiation. I believe that I should be allowed to move to another medical aid and Oxygen should be liable to cover me during my waiting period - as they are the ones that have breached our contract, not me.

I asked Oxygen to advise me of what the Low Ref price will be so I can calculate my new copayment, but they refuse to tell me. I will see after I claim, but by then it will be too late to change options again! Who is looking out for the members?