POLMED GP in George, Marine & Aquarium Members
NeoHealth (Drs Chellan & Lakay Inc, practice number 1221566) welcomes POLMED members, SAPS employees, police reservists and their registered dependants, at our George Central practice. POLMED is administered by Medscheme, and claims are submitted directly in real time.
One rule matters more than any other on POLMED: nomination. Both plans, Marine and Aquarium, require you to nominate your GP. Nominated visits are covered at 100% with no co-payment. Each beneficiary gets 2 non-nominated GP visits a year for emergencies or being out of town at no penalty; beyond that, a 30% co-payment applies.
Benefits verified against POLMED 2026 guides: 14 August 2026
Nominate NeoHealth as your POLMED GP
- Main members nominate two GPs (primary and secondary); each dependant nominates one GP.
- Nominate via the POLMED member app or call centre: Drs Chellan & Lakay, practice number 1221566.
- Confirm the effective date, then book. Nominate each dependant separately.
Two non-nominated visits per person per year are allowed for emergencies or out-of-town, beyond that, a 30% co-payment applies. Many families nominate Dr Chellan as primary and Dr Lakay as secondary in a single call.
How billing works at NeoHealth
- Bring your POLMED card and ID, we confirm plan, nomination status and benefits at reception.
- Nominated visits are claimed at 100%, no co-payment on either plan.
- Medication from network pharmacies; 20% co-payment at non-network pharmacies.
- If we refer you to hospital, get pre-authorisation first, POLMED can apply a R5,000 penalty for admissions without it.
- MRI and CT scans also need pre-authorisation, up to a R1,000 co-payment applies if it isn't obtained.
POLMED options we consult
| Option | How your GP benefit works |
|---|---|
| Marine | Nominated GP: 100% of agreed tariff, no co-pay. Non-nominated: 30% co-pay after 2 allowed emergency/out-of-town visits per person per year. Specialists via GP referral (exemption list + 2 self-referral visits/yr); R1,000 no-referral co-payment otherwise. Specialist consults limited to 5 per beneficiary / 11 per family per year. |
| Aquarium | Same GP nomination rules; nominated-GP visits capped per family size (M to 4 / M1 to 6 / M2 to 9 / M3 to 12 / M4+ to 15 per year). Specialists via nominated-GP referral (same exemptions + 2 self-referrals); 30% co-pay may apply without referral; 4 per beneficiary / 8 per family per year. Non-PMB chronic medication limited. Preferred dental network applies. |
Benefits your POLMED contributions already pay for
Funded from POLMED's preventative benefit, day-to-day benefits untouched
Source: POLMED Preventative Healthcare Benefits brochure. POLMED preventative line: 0860 765 633. Frequency limits and plan rules apply, we confirm before billing.
| Benefit | Who qualifies | How often | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual wellness visit (BP, cholesterol, glucose + diet counselling) | All beneficiaries | Once per year | In-rooms |
| Pap smear (cervical screening) | Women 21 to 64 | Once every 3 years | Procedure in-rooms; lab analysis |
| HPV screening | Women 21+ | Once every 5 years | Sample in-rooms; lab analysis |
| HPV vaccination (2 doses) | Girls 10 to 17 | Per schedule | In-rooms |
| Prostate screening (PSA) | Men 50 to 75 | Once per year | Sample in-rooms; lab analysis |
| Mammogram | Women 40 to 74 | Once every 2 years | Referral arranged |
| Bone density scan | 65+ | Once per lifetime | Referral arranged |
| Colorectal (stool) screening | Ages 45 to 75 | Every 2 years | Kit in-rooms; lab analysis |
| Glaucoma screening | All beneficiaries | Once every 3 years | Optometrist referral |
| HIV counselling & testing | All beneficiaries | Once per year | Rapid in-rooms; confirmatory via lab |
| Flu vaccine | All beneficiaries | Once per year | In-rooms |
| Pneumococcal vaccine | Per scheme rules | One per beneficiary every 5 years | In-rooms |
| Contraceptive consultation & formulary contraception | Female beneficiaries | Per formulary/DOH guidelines | In-rooms |
| COVID-19, hepatitis B (18+), pertussis booster (7+) | Per schedule | Per schedule | In-rooms |
Also funded from risk: 12-week Weight Management Programme and GoSmokeFree (one enrolment each per year). Frequency limits and plan rules apply, we verify your specific benefit before billing.
HIV prevention, testing and ongoing care
Confidential HIV counselling and testing in-rooms, funded from the preventative benefit, counselling, rapid test, and laboratory confirmation where needed.
Ongoing HIV management by Dr Chellan, who holds a Diploma in HIV Management (CMSA): treatment initiation, viral load tracking and long-term care. POLMED runs its own HIV Management Programme (polmedhiv@medscheme.co.za), we register and coordinate it for you.
PEP must be started within 72 hours of exposure, contact the practice promptly.
Support built for SAPS families
Serving members get 4 post-trauma debriefing sessions per year through the Psycho-Social Network, funded by the Scheme. Police work carries exposures most medical aids never think about; POLMED's benefit exists precisely for it.
Our mental health consultations complement this: ongoing care, treatment and referral coordination in-rooms.
Why POLMED members choose NeoHealth
- 15-20-minute unhurried consultations, no double-booking, no rushing
- Dispensing GPs: leave with your medication, skip the second queue
- Same-week appointments
- Women's health, HIV management and child health special interests
- HPCSA-compliant telehealth follow-ups anywhere in South Africa
Related services at NeoHealth
POLMED questions, answered
Do POLMED members really have to nominate a GP?
Yes, on both Marine and Aquarium. Main members nominate two GPs; each dependant nominates one. Without nomination, a 30% co-payment applies from the first visit.
How do I nominate Drs Chellan & Lakay?
Via the POLMED member app or call centre, nominate Drs Chellan & Lakay, practice number 1221566. Nominate each dependant separately; the main member can nominate both our doctors (primary and secondary).
What does a nominated visit cost me?
Nothing, nominated GP consultations are covered at 100% with no co-payment, on both plans.
Do I need a referral to see a specialist?
Usually your nominated GP refers you. No referral is needed for gynaecologists, ophthalmologists, psychiatrists, oncologists or dialysis nephrologists, and every beneficiary gets 2 self-referral specialist visits per year. Outside those, a 30% co-payment can apply, book with us first and we'll refer you correctly.
Does POLMED cover prostate screening?
Yes, one PSA screening per year for men aged 50 to 75, funded from the preventative benefit. The sample is taken in our rooms and analysed by the lab.
Is HIV testing covered?
Yes, HIV counselling and testing (including laboratory confirmation) is funded once per year from POLMED's preventative benefit, not your day-to-day benefits. POLMED also runs an HIV Management Programme for ongoing care, we register and coordinate it for you.
Are flu vaccines covered?
Yes, one flu vaccination per beneficiary per year from the preventative benefit, administered in-rooms.
Where do I get chronic medication?
From a network pharmacy, non-network pharmacies attract a 20% co-payment. On Aquarium, chronic medication is limited to PMB conditions, and from 2026 the plan uses the POLMED Standard Chronic PMB Formulary: medicine outside that formulary carries a 20% co-payment, so we prescribe in-formulary alternatives where clinically appropriate. Once diagnosed, we call POLMED on 0860 104 111 to register the condition, and POLMED will still fund your medicine from the acute benefit for up to four months while registration is finalised.
What chronic conditions does POLMED guarantee cover for?
POLMED guarantees the 270 Prescribed Minimum Benefit (PMB) diagnoses required by law, plus its own Chronic Disease List of 26 conditions, a wider guarantee than the standard PMB list alone. Registration on the Chronic Medicine Management Programme is what unlocks funding from the correct benefit category rather than your day-to-day benefit.
What if I need a doctor away from home, or in an emergency?
POLMED allows two visits a year to a GP who is not your nominated one, for emergencies and being out of town. The 30% co-payment applies from the third such visit. The co-payment is also waived in a genuine emergency, where the service is not available in-network, or where there is no network provider within 50 km of you.
Does the principal member nominate differently?
Yes. Every beneficiary nominates a primary network GP, and the principal member must also nominate a secondary network GP. You can nominate or change through the POLMED Client Service Call Centre, POLMED Chat, or the mobile site.
What should I bring to my first visit?
Your POLMED membership card, your ID, your current medication list, and your nomination confirmation if you've nominated us.
Other schemes that need a GP nomination
These schemes also require you to name NeoHealth as your GP before day-to-day benefits pay. The steps differ by scheme, so check the one that applies to you.
Every scheme we bill directly
Not your scheme? Each of these has its own page setting out the network, nomination and co-payment rules that apply to a GP visit. See the medical aid overview for the rules that apply across schemes.
- 3Sixty Health
- AECI
- Affinity Health
- Bankmed
- Bestmed
- Bonitas
- BPMAS
- CAMAF
- CompCare
- Dis-Chem Health
- Discovery
- Fedhealth
- Foodmed
- GEMS
- Imperial Motus Med
- KeyCare & FlexiCare
- KeyHealth
- LA Health
- Massmart
- MBMed
- Medipos
- Medshield
- Momentum
- NBCPSS
- NBCRFLI Wellness Fund
- Old Mutual Staff Medical Aid Scheme
- Remedi
- Retail Medical Scheme
- SABMAS
- SAMWUMED
- Sizwe Hosmed
- Universal