An MSA is a ring-fenced account topped up monthly from a portion of your contribution. You spend it at the GP, dispensary, or optometrist, typically swiped at point of service. Three things to know: (1) unspent MSA at year-end usually rolls over to the next year; (2) legally, the MSA is YOUR money, so when you switch schemes you can transfer the balance; (3) once depleted, what happens depends on your plan: Saver plans leave you self-funded, while Comprehensive plans have an Above Threshold Benefit.
SA example: On Discovery Classic Comprehensive, the annual MSA for a main member is R29,550, or roughly R2,463 a month to spend on routine care before the self-payment gap kicks in.