The Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) is a restricted medical scheme: membership is limited to qualifying South African public service employees and their registered dependants. If you do not qualify, the comparable choice is an open scheme option at the same tier.
GEMS membership is restricted to employees of the public service and their dependants, as defined in the scheme rules. Contributions are typically income-banded and subsidised through the employer's medical assistance arrangement, which is why GEMS contributions cannot be compared directly with open-scheme pricing.
Compare open schemes at the equivalent tier instead: a network hospital option, a savings option, or a comprehensive option. The statutory floor — Prescribed Minimum Benefits, the 27 Chronic Disease List conditions and emergency cover — is identical on every registered scheme, restricted or open.
No. GEMS is a restricted scheme for qualifying public service employees and their registered dependants. Everyone else must join an open scheme.
Yes. Every registered medical scheme, restricted or open, must fund Prescribed Minimum Benefits on every option.