Home | Council for Medical Schemes
 Definition
 Objectives
 Conditions covered
 Chronic Disease List
 Emergency medical conditions
 Designated Service Providers
 ICD-10 codes
 Responsibilities
       Medical scheme beneficiaries
       Medical schemes
       Healthcare providers
 Help from the CMS
 Questions
       Medical scheme beneficiaries
       Medical schemes
       Healthcare providers
 
What are emergency conditions?
 
An emergency medical condition means the sudden and, at the time, unexpected onset of a health condition that requires immediate medical treatment and/or an operation. If the treatment is not available, the emergency could result in weakened bodily functions, serious and lasting damage to organs, limbs or other body parts, or even death.

In an emergency it is not always possible to diagnose the condition before admitting the patient for treatment. However, if doctors suspect that the patient suffers from a condition that is covered by PMBs, the medical scheme has to approve treatment. Schemes may request that the diagnosis be confirmed with supporting evidence within a reasonable period of time.