The Swearing-In
Shave down and oaths. The clean-lip line-up, before the growing begins.
The posse presents
TheRegulators
Mount up for men's mental health
One posse. Many moustaches. No man rides alone.
Chapter one (the silence)
Men aren't talking. We want to change that.
Most of us know a man who has struggled, and too many of us have lost one. Yet many men still don't ask for help, and many don't know where to find it.
Nearly 4×
South African men die by suicide at nearly four times the rate of women.
Sources: WHO Global Health Estimates 2019, via Africa Check.
Women's mental health matters every bit as much, but this ride is about the men who aren't talking. If that's you, you don't have to carry it alone: call SADAG on 0800 567 567, any time, day or night.
Chapter two (help that already exists)
Care you might already be covered for
The biggest gap isn't always money. It's knowing what help is already out there. If you're on medical aid, the law says your scheme must pay for certain mental health care. These are Prescribed Minimum Benefits, or PMBs, and most members have never heard of them.
What they are
Under the Medical Schemes Act, every medical scheme, on every option, must cover the diagnosis, treatment and care of a set list of conditions: about 270 conditions, 26 chronic conditions and any emergency.
Mental health is on the list
For major depression, for example, that's up to 15 outpatient therapy sessions, or up to 3 weeks in hospital, a year. Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and acute stress after trauma are on the list too.
Not from your savings
PMB care should be paid from the scheme's risk pool, not your medical savings account. If it came out of savings, you can ask your scheme to reprocess the claims.
Rules apply
Schemes can ask for pre-authorisation and send you to their own network of providers. Going outside it can mean a co-payment, so ask first.
If you're on medical aid, ask your scheme or your doctor about PMBs.
General information only, not advice on any claim. PMB guidance can change, so check the details with your scheme.
Chapter three (where the gap is)
And for the men with no cover?
Many South Africans have no medical aid. For those who do, the limits can run out long before a serious illness does. That's where our bounty lies.
The bounty
R100,000
Every rand goes to fund men who have no medical aid or have used up their PMB cover. It pays for:
- Psychologist sessions
- Psychiatrist visits
- Mental health clinic admission
Chapter four (mount up)
Coming this November
The posse shaves down on 31 October, grows from 1 to 30 November, and rides together all month.