Healthcare That Starts With Us: Supporting Our People From the Inside Out

At Dis-Chem, Better Health Starts Here. Not just for our customers, but for our people too. Healthcare should be something everyone can count on, not something they have to fight for. That’s why we've made it a priority to offer every permanent employee a healthcare funding option that meets them where they are, no matter their role or income level. 

Medical Aid vs Medical Insurance 

Healthcare terms get used interchangeably, and it can be confusing. Here is how it works:  Medical aid (including hospital plans) is governed by strict regulations and must cover a core set of in-hospital and other Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMB). Medical insurance, on the other hand, is exempt from certain regulatory aspects. It focuses on covering out-of-hospital needs like doctor visits, medication, optometry, and more – especially helpful for day-to-day healthcare. 

We offer both to our staff. Employees who qualify for medical aid receive subsidised access to it. For those not eligible, we’ve invested in subsidised medical insurance instead.  

Access Starts With Understanding 

Offering a product is one thing. Helping people understand it is another. 

Medical insurance is still a new concept for many South Africans. That’s why we’ve made education part of the benefit. We actively engage with our employees to explain what medical insurance is – and what it isn’t. Through ongoing conversations, we’re building understanding and trust so that people can get real value from the cover they have. 

We also know that a lot of our employees speak to customers every day. When employees understand the product, they’re more confident speaking about it – with each other and with the customers they support. 

Care That Extends Beyond the Counter 

Our clinics, pharmacies, and retail counters are all working toward the same mission: better health for South Africans. And we believe that mission starts with our staff. 

When our people are supported, informed, and covered, they carry that care into every store, clinic, and customer interaction. That’s the kind of healthcare culture we’re building – one that doesn’t end at the shelf, but lives in the way we work, grow, and show up for each other. 

Because if Better Health Starts Here – it starts with us.