Harare — FIDELITY Life Financial Services has developed an innovative medical aid card, the "Life Card" for Fidelity Life Medical Aid Society that will allow members to facilitate bank transactions.

Flimas operates as a unit under Fidelity Life Financial Services, which is a subsidiary of ZSE listed Fidelity Life Assurance.

FLFS general manager Mr Savemore Muchenje, speaking at the launch of the FLIMAS Life Card last Friday said the initiative came from the realisation that members need a card that falls in line with ever changing lifestyles.

"This calls for relentless innovation on the part of medical aid societies and Flimas has taken the lead in that regard and developed a new medical aid card the "Life Card that is all encompassing, multi purpose and is set to bring real convenience to the member, the service provider as well as the society itself," he said.

Mr Muchenje indicated that the card would also allow members to pay utility bills, conduct ATM withdrawals and facilitate the payment of goods and related financial transactions.

He revealed that currently the service is available through Kingdom Bank, driven by E-Tranzact, but would encompass other financial institutions in the future.

He also said using the card, service providers would receive on line real time payment, whilst the medical aid society would be able to cross sell its other products such as funeral cover and micro financing.

In his speech at the launch, the Minister of Health and Child Welfare Dr David Parirenyatwa commended the Life Card, which allows members to predetermine how much they are eligible for before seeking medical service.

"In today's environment, keeping things simple is the key; it saves time and money and this is what members are looking for. This calls for relentless innovation on the part of medical aid societies and Flimas has taken the lead in this regard".

Flimas was established over 40 years ago as a closed society and opened to the public in 2002 in a move to provide solutions to clients needs in managing health care provisions. Flimas is the first medical aid society to launch such a product on the market.