BERF Terms

1. What BERF Is

The BedWatch Emergency Response Fund (BERF) is a ring-fenced fund constituted from a portion of annual subscriber fees. Its purpose is to contribute toward the emergency medical stabilisation costs of qualifying annual subscribers at registered BedWatch Africa partner facilities.

BERF is a goodwill contribution, not a contractual obligation. BedWatch Africa reserves the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue BERF at any time with 60 days’ notice to annual subscribers.

2. BERF Eligibility

To be eligible for a BERF contribution, all of the following must be met:

• You must hold a current, paid annual BedWatch Africa subscription (individual or family annual plan)
• Your subscription must have been active for at least 30 days before the emergency (waiting period)
• The emergency treatment must have been received at a registered and verified BedWatch Africa partner facility
• The emergency must be a genuine acute medical emergency — not a routine consultation, elective procedure, or planned admission
• A BERF claim must be submitted within 30 days of the emergency treatment
• Only one BERF claim per subscriber account is permitted per 12-month rolling period

3. BERF Contribution Amount

The maximum BERF contribution per qualifying claim is GHS 1,000. This contribution is paid directly to the treating facility, not to the subscriber. It covers a contribution toward emergency stabilisation costs only and does not cover the full cost of treatment, hospitalisation, medication, surgery, or ongoing care.

4. BERF Claim Process

To submit a BERF claim:

• Log into your BedWatch Africa dashboard and navigate to BERF Claims
• Submit the claim form including: date of emergency, facility name, nature of emergency, and any documentation available
• The treating facility will be contacted to verify the emergency and provide itemised cost information
• A BedWatch Africa claims officer will review and approve or reject the claim within 5 working days
• Approved claims are paid directly to the facility within 48 working hours of approval

5. BERF Exclusions

BERF does not cover:

• Routine or non-emergency consultations
• Elective procedures or planned admissions
• Dental treatment
• Mental health treatment
• Maternity care not constituting an acute emergency
• Treatment received at unverified or non-partner facilities
• Treatment received before the 30-day waiting period has elapsed
• Claims submitted more than 30 days after the emergency
• Second or subsequent claims within a 12-month rolling period
• Day pass, monthly, or visitor subscribers

6. Fund Sustainability

25% of every annual subscription payment is ring-fenced into the BERF fund. BedWatch Africa will maintain a minimum reserve equivalent to 3 months of projected claims before paying any BERF contributions. If the fund falls below this reserve, BERF payments may be deferred until the reserve is restored.

7. Legal Classification

BERF is structured as a subscriber community contribution fund. It is not:

• A health insurance product
• A medical scheme
• A guarantee of payment
• A contractually enforceable obligation

BedWatch Africa will seek legal counsel to ensure BERF’s structure and operation complies with all applicable Ghanaian laws including the National Health Insurance Act 2003 (Act 650) and the Insurance Act 2021 (Act 1061).