Photo: Michael L. Dorn (Flickr), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0Medical aid in Botswana
BOMAID, Pula, BPOMAS and Botsogo compared
5 chapters in one PDF, every source listed. Free, no sign-up.
Get the free PDFOn this page · 6 sections
The five funds side by side
| Fund | Who can join (fund's own page) | Options it lists | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botsogo Health Plan | Not stated on its home page | Diamond, Platinum, Ruby, Bronze, Health4Me | +267 362 4700 |
| BOMAID | Individuals; companies (normally groups of 10 or more) | Access, Comprehensive, Executive, Prestige, International Student Health Plan | +267 363 3100, bomaid@bomaid.co.bw |
| BPOMAS | All Botswana Government employees, and former government employees as pensioners | Premium, High, Standard | +267 370 2900 / 370 2907 |
| Doctor's Aid Medical Aid Scheme | — | — | +267 393 7373 (NBFIRA list) |
| Pula Medical Aid Fund | Not stated on its home page | Executive, Deluxe, Galaxy, Standard, Flexi | 365 0555 |
Sources: NBFIRA Annual Report 2023, Appendix 9C (list of medical aid funds); the funds' own pages, seen on 31 October 2026: BOMAID, BPOMAS, Botsogo, Pula. Order: alphabetical. We reproduce no contribution: each fund calculates yours.
Waiting periods and dependants
- BPOMAS: maternity 9 months, specialised dentistry 12 months, pre-existing conditions 24 months, infants not registered within 30 days of birth 3 months — waived for anyone who was on a recognised medical aid for at least a year and applies within three months (BPOMAS).
- BOMAID: a general waiting period of up to three months and a condition-specific one of up to 12 months; a late-joiner fee may apply if you join after 35 (BOMAID FAQs).
- Register a newborn within 30 days at both funds to avoid waiting periods (same pages).
Who regulates medical aid
Medical aid funds are regulated and supervised by NBFIRA under the NBFIRA Act. In January 2025 NBFIRA's own page still said there were no subordinate regulations and rules to license and monitor them, and that it had tendered for their drafting (NBFIRA, medical aid funds).
The five funds collected P2,266 million of contributions and paid P2,161 million of claims in 2022 (NBFIRA Annual Report 2023, Appendix 4).
If a road crash put you in hospital, your medical aid pays first and the MVA Fund pays the co-payment (MVA Fund FAQ).
If your medical aid refuses a claim
Write to the fund, then ask for its Principal Officer, then escalate to NBFIRA: how to complain.
Already insured?
Next step
Frequently asked questions
How many medical aid funds are there in Botswana?
Five on NBFIRA's list: Botsogo Health Plan, BOMAID, BPOMAS, Doctor's Aid Medical Aid Scheme and Pula Medical Aid Fund.
Which medical aid is the cheapest in Botswana?
Tulinde publishes no prices and does not rank funds. Each fund calculates your contribution for an option and a number of dependants: ask at least two funds for a written quote and compare the benefits, the waiting periods and the limits.
Can I join BPOMAS if I work in the private sector?
BPOMAS says membership is available to all Botswana Government employees, junior and senior staff, and to former government employees as pensioners.
Who regulates medical aid in Botswana?
NBFIRA, the Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority, under the NBFIRA Act.
Sources
- NBFIRA — Annual Report 2023: Table 15, Appendix 4 (indicators for insurers), Appendices 6–7 and 9B–9C (lists of insurers and medical aid funds) (Web Archive copy)
- NBFIRA — Medical Aid Funds: regulation under the NBFIRA Act and registered funds (Web Archive copy of 21 January 2025)
- NBFIRA — List of regulated entities: insurers, reinsurers, medical aid schemes, brokers and agents (Web Archive copy of 21 January 2025; nbfira.org.bw did not open on 31 October 2026)
- BOMAID — official website: health plans (Access, Comprehensive, Executive, Prestige, International Student Health Plan), contacts (seen 31 October 2026)
- BOMAID — New members FAQs: waiting periods, dependants, late joiner fee, individual and corporate membership (seen 31 October 2026)
- BPOMAS — Become a member: eligibility (Botswana Government employees and pensioners), dependants, waiting periods (seen 31 October 2026)
- BPOMAS — official website: Premium, High and Standard benefit options, contacts (seen 31 October 2026)
- Botsogo Health Plan — official website: Diamond, Platinum, Ruby, Bronze and Health4Me, contacts (seen 31 October 2026)
- Pula Medical Aid Fund (Pulamed) — official website: benefit options (Executive, Deluxe, Galaxy, Standard, Flexi), offices (seen 31 October 2026)
- MVA Fund Botswana — Frequently asked questions (medical aid first, loss of income limit, property not covered)