LA Health
LA Health Medical Scheme is a not-for-profit closed medical scheme providing healthcare coverage exclusively to South African Local Government employees under Bargaining Council accreditation, offering six benefit options administered by Discovery Health.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersJohannesburg, South Africa
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What LA Health does
LA Health Medical Scheme is a South African not-for-profit closed medical scheme, founded circa 1970 and headquartered in Johannesburg, that provides medical scheme coverage exclusively to persons working for Local Government and affiliated organisations under accreditation from the South African Local Government Bargaining Council. The scheme offers six benefit options — LA Comprehensive, LA Core, LA Engage, LA Active, LA Focus, and LA KeyPlus — covering hospitalisation, chronic illness, oncology, maternity, home care, and day-to-day healthcare, supplemented by disease management programmes for HIV, diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiometabolic conditions. Administration, digital platform infrastructure, and the underlying technology stack (Discovery App, Discovery Digital Id) are provided by Discovery Health, a subsidiary of Discovery Holdings Limited, and members access wellness and lifestyle rewards through the Discovery Vitality partnership.
Revenue is generated through monthly subscription contributions from members, with pricing varying by selected benefit option and dependent composition and not publicly disclosed; the scheme reaches members via direct digital channels, a call centre (0860 103 933), and a network of Financial Advisors. The scheme employs 101-250 staff, operates nationally across South Africa, and maintains POPIA compliance. Digital touchpoints include a website, the Discovery App, Facebook, LinkedIn, and the 'Ask LA Health' AI chatbot for routine member queries. The scheme has a 50+ year operating history in the Local Government sector, and its growth strategy is primarily depth within its accredited vertical rather than horizontal expansion into new customer segments or geographies, pending the policy direction of South Africa's National Health Insurance implementation.
LA Health firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LA Health
- Legal name
- LA Health Medical Scheme
- Website
- https://lahealth.co.za
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- LA Health Medical Scheme is a not-for-profit closed medical scheme providing healthcare coverage exclusively to South African Local Government employees under Bargaining Council accreditation, offering six benefit options administered by Discovery Health.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LA Health industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Medical Scheme (Health Insurance)
- NAICS
- Health and Welfare Funds (525120), Health and Welfare Funds (52512), Health Care and Social Assistance (62)
- SIC
- Hospital & Medical Service Plans (6324), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Healthcare-Linked Social Benefits Administration (e.g., Medicaid/Means-Tested Health Coverage) (BPAIAKAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- General Medical Virtual Primary Care (Payer-Branded) (HLALACAA)
Keywords
Where LA Health is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Johannesburg
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
LA Health business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Medical Scheme Contributions: LA Health Medical Scheme operates as a subscription-based medical aid, collecting monthly contributions from members in exchange for healthcare benefits across six benefit options (LA Comprehensive, LA Core, LA Engage, LA Active, LA Focus, LA KeyPlus). Contributions fund hospital cover, day-to-day benefits, chronic illness benefits, and wellness programmes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Six benefit options ranging from comprehensive to focused coverage |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
LA Health product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LA Health Medical Scheme provides medical scheme (health insurance) coverage to persons working for Local Government and affiliated organisations in South Africa. The scheme offers six Benefit Options (LA Comprehensive, LA Core, LA Engage, LA Active, LA Focus, LA KeyPlus) covering hospital care, chronic illness benefits, day-to-day healthcare, maternity, emergency medical transport, and wellness programme access, administered by Discovery Health under accreditation from the South African Local Government Bargaining Council.
Product overview
LA Health Medical Scheme is a medical scheme (health insurance) that has operated in the South African Local Government industry for over 50 years. The scheme offers six distinct Benefit Options (LA Comprehensive, LA Core, LA Engage, LA Active, LA Focus, and LA KeyPlus) designed to suit different healthcare needs and budgets. The scheme is administered by Discovery Health and provides comprehensive medical cover including hospitalisation, chronic illness benefits, wellness programmes through a Discovery partnership, preventive care, and disease management programmes for conditions including HIV, cancer, diabetes, and kidney disease. The scheme is accredited by the South African Local Government Bargaining Council to provide medical scheme cover to Local Government employees and affiliated organisations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- LA Comprehensive: Comprehensive benefit option offering extensive medical cover
- LA Core
- LA Engage
- LA Active
- LA Focus
- LA KeyPlus
- LA Wellness
- WELLTH Fund
- Discovery Vitality
- Ask LA Health
Products and services
- LA Comprehensive Comprehensive medical cover benefit option offering extensive healthcare coverage with higher benefits and broader network access for Local Government employees and their dependents.
- LA Core Core benefit option providing essential medical cover with moderate benefits and network-based coverage for members.
- LA Engage Benefit option designed to engage members with healthcare coverage and wellness integration.
- LA Active Active-focused benefit option with coverage tailored for physically active members.
- LA Focus Focused benefit option targeting specific healthcare needs with concentrated coverage.
- LA KeyPlus Key benefit option providing essential hospital and chronic illness coverage at affordable rates.
- WELLTH Fund Health and wellness fund providing members with funds for day-to-day healthcare expenses and preventive care.
- Wellness Programme Integrated wellness and lifestyle programme offered through partnership with Discovery Vitality, providing rewards for healthy behaviour and access to wellness resources.
- Chronic Illness Benefit Coverage and support for chronic conditions requiring ongoing treatment and medication.
- HIV Care Programme Comprehensive care programme for members living with HIV, including treatment, monitoring, and support services.
- Oncology Programme Cancer treatment coverage and management programme for members diagnosed with cancer.
Companies that use LA Health
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
LA Health technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
LA Health partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Discovery HoldingscoreDiscovery Holdings is the holding company of the Discovery Group of Companies and administers LA Health Medical Scheme. Discovery provides the digital platform infrastructure, mobile applications (Discovery Apps), and website functionality. LA Health's site is owned by Discovery's holding company, and members access services through Discovery's digital ecosystem.
- Discovery VitalitycoreLA Health offers its members access to Discovery's Vitality wellness and lifestyle programme. Through this partnership, members can get healthier, get rewarded, and enjoy integrated health and lifestyle benefits. The programme is world-class and embedded within LA Health's benefit offerings.
- South African Local Government Bargaining CouncilcoreThe South African Local Government Bargaining Council has accredited LA Health to provide medical scheme cover to persons working for Local Government. This accreditation is the foundational basis for LA Health's existence and primary customer base.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
LA Health competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Medshield Medical Scheme: Open South African medical scheme with multiple benefit options and corporate/government employer group business. Comparable in contribution structure, option-tiering strategy, and regulatory environment to LA Health.
- Bestmed Medical Scheme: Open medical scheme with a strong footprint among corporate and government-affiliated employer groups in South Africa. Comparable tiered benefit design and contribution-based model to LA Health.
- Bonitas Medical Fund: One of the largest open medical schemes in South Africa, offering multiple benefit options across employer groups including government-affiliated workforces. Bonitas is a direct substitute for LA Health-eligible employees who opt for an open scheme.
- CompCare Wellness Medical Scheme: Open medical scheme with employer-group distribution and wellness-focused benefit design. Comparable in regulatory environment, contribution model, and target customer profile to LA Health.
- Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS): GEMS is the designated medical scheme for South African central government employees, mirroring LA Health's closed-scheme model for local government. Both are bargaining-council-anchored, employer-segment-restricted schemes governed by the Medical Schemes Act and competing for the broader "public-sector employee" wallet.
- Discovery Health Medical Scheme: Administered by LA Health's own parent, Discovery Health Medical Scheme is SA's largest open medical scheme. It shares the same Discovery back-office, Vitality wellness integration, and digital platform as LA Health, and competes for adjacent public-sector contributors who may opt for an open scheme.
- KeyHealth Medical Scheme: Open South African medical scheme offering tiered options including a KeyCare-equivalent low-cost plan, similar in positioning to LA KeyPlus. Targets comparable employer-group and individual contributors.
- Fedhealth Medical Scheme: Established open medical scheme with multiple benefit options and employer-group distribution. Operates under the same Medical Schemes Act as LA Health and competes for the same segment of government and salaried employee contributors.
- Momentum Health (Momentum Medical Scheme): Open medical scheme within the Momentum/RMIG group, with tiered benefit options and corporate employer distribution. Competes for the same SA private healthcare rand as LA Health and operates in the same Medical Schemes Act framework.
- Sizwe Hosmed Medical Scheme: Open medical scheme serving South African corporate and government-affiliated employer groups. Operates under the same Medical Schemes Act and competes for similar mid-to-low income contributor segments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
LA Health social profiles
Digital presenceLA Health compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
LA Health financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LA Health leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
LA Health funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LA Health M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LA Health
What does LA Health do?
LA Health Medical Scheme provides medical scheme (health insurance) coverage to persons working for Local Government and affiliated organisations in South Africa. The scheme offers six Benefit Options (LA Comprehensive, LA Core, LA Engage, LA Active, LA Focus, LA KeyPlus) covering hospital care, chronic illness benefits, day-to-day healthcare, maternity, emergency medical transport, and wellness programme access, administered by Discovery Health under accreditation from the South African Local Government Bargaining Council.
Is LA Health a public or private company?
LA Health is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was LA Health founded?
LA Health was founded in 1970. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is LA Health based?
LA Health is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does LA Health make money?
One revenue line is on record: medical Scheme Contributions.
Who are LA Health's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Medshield Medical Scheme, Bestmed Medical Scheme, Bonitas Medical Fund, CompCare Wellness Medical Scheme, Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS), Discovery Health Medical Scheme, KeyHealth Medical Scheme, Fedhealth Medical Scheme, Momentum Health (Momentum Medical Scheme) and Sizwe Hosmed Medical Scheme.
Does LA Health have an API?
No public API is recorded for LA Health.
What industry is LA Health in?
LA Health's product category is Medical Scheme (Health Insurance). Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAKAH, Healthcare-Linked Social Benefits Administration (e.g., Medicaid/Means-Tested Health Coverage), with a secondary code of HLALACAA, General Medical Virtual Primary Care (Payer-Branded). Its NAICS code is 525120 and its SIC code is 6324.