Insurance & Medical Aid · Support
Bonitas Authorisation Contact Details
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For a Bonitas hospital authorisation, phone 0860 002 108 or email hospital@bonitas.co.za. General queries share the same number through queries@bonitas.co.za, the WhatsApp number is 076 172 3151 and the ambulance line is 0860 555 505. The details below were read from the Bonitas support page on 2 September 2026.
Hospital authorisation, often called pre-authorisation, is the scheme’s approval for planned or emergency hospital treatment. Without it a claim can be reduced or rejected, even where the member is otherwise fully covered.
Bonitas pre-authorisation contact details at a glance
| Route | Details |
|---|---|
| Hospital authorisations | 0860 002 108, hospital@bonitas.co.za |
| General queries | 0860 002 108, queries@bonitas.co.za |
| 076 172 3151 | |
| Ambulance | 0860 555 505 |
| Online | the Bonitas app and member portal |
Authorisations and general queries share the same number, 0860 002 108, so what separates them is the mailbox. Send an authorisation request to hospital@bonitas.co.za, not queries@, or it joins the general queue.
Bonitas publishes separate contact sets for its BonCap and BonCore plans, distinct from all other plans. Check which set applies to your option before calling.
What Bonitas asks for before it authorises
Have the membership number, the treating doctor’s practice number, the hospital, the procedure or ICD-10 code and the admission date. Authorisation is granted against a specific procedure at a specific facility, so changing either usually needs a new authorisation.
For the ambulance line, Bonitas asks specifically for your name, telephone number and medical aid number. Knowing that in advance matters, because the call is made under pressure.
An authorisation number is not a guarantee of payment in full. Benefits remain subject to your plan limits, and a shortfall can still arise where a provider charges above scheme rates.
When to phone Bonitas for a pre-authorisation
For a planned admission, obtain authorisation before the date, since schemes generally require it in advance. For an emergency, treatment happens first, but the admission must still be reported, normally within a short window such as the next working day. Ring as soon as you can and record the authorisation number.
Keep the authorisation number with the hospital paperwork. It is the reference every subsequent claim query turns on.
If Bonitas declines an authorisation
Bonitas publishes a formal dispute resolution process in its legal section, alongside its scheme rules, and a separate route to report fraud, waste and abuse.
Note the scheme’s own caveat: where the brochure, the website and the Scheme Rules disagree, the Scheme Rules prevail. Ask for the rule relied on in writing if an authorisation is declined, because that is the document a dispute is decided on.
If the scheme does not resolve it, a medical scheme member may take the matter to the Council for Medical Schemes, the statutory regulator, at no cost. Members are entitled to prescribed minimum benefits regardless of plan, and a PMB condition declined for want of authorisation is a legitimate ground for that escalation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Bonitas hospital authorisation number?
0860 002 108. Hospital authorisation requests go to hospital@bonitas.co.za at the same number, not to the general queries mailbox.
What is the Bonitas authorisation email address?
hospital@bonitas.co.za for authorisations and queries@bonitas.co.za for general queries. Sending an authorisation request to queries@ puts it in the general queue instead.
Does Bonitas take authorisation requests on WhatsApp?
The Bonitas support page lists WhatsApp on 076 172 3151 among its contact routes. For a hospital admission, phone 0860 002 108 or email hospital@bonitas.co.za, because the request needs your membership number, the doctor’s practice number, the facility, the procedure or ICD-10 code and the admission date.
How long before admission must I get a Bonitas pre-authorisation?
Before the admission date for planned treatment; schemes generally require authorisation in advance. After an emergency, the admission must still be reported, normally within a short window such as the next working day.
Does a Bonitas authorisation number guarantee payment?
No. Benefits remain subject to your plan limits, and a shortfall can still arise where a provider charges above scheme rates.
Sources
- bonitas.co.za support page, read 2 September 2026