Make the switch to private health insurance that works for you.
Privacy Policy and T&C
Hospital insurance comes in four levels: Basic, Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each one covers a different number of hospital services; the higher the tier, the more it includes (and the more it costs). Here’s a quick look:
Basic & Basic Plus: Average: $106.94. Minimal cover. Often taken for tax purposes or essentials like dental surgery or endoscopy.
Bronze & Bronze Plus: Average: $125.32. Includes cancer treatments. Bronze Plus may cover lung, chest, and reconstructive surgery.
Silver & Silver Plus: Average: $187.01. Covers heart, pregnancy, cataracts and more. Silver Plus often includes joint replacements.
Gold: Average: $263.22. Full in-hospital cover, including IVF, psychiatric care and weight loss surgery.
| Benefit | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Avoid Long Hospital Waits | Access treatment faster for non-urgent surgeries than in the public system. |
| Cut Costs at Tax Time | Private health cover can help avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge. |
| Beat the Lifetime Loading | Take out cover before 31 to avoid extra charges on premiums later. |
| Claim More With Extras | Cover services like dental, optical, and physio not included under Medicare. |
| Better Options and Flexibility | Compare plans to find affordable or full-cover options that suit your needs. |
| Reason to Switch | What You Gain |
|---|---|
| Keep or Shorten Waiting Periods | New insurer may match existing wait times, avoiding the reset. |
| Avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge | Stay covered to keep your tax exemption. |
| Keep Your Lifetime Health Cover Status | Avoid higher premiums by maintaining your cover history. |
| Access More Hospitals | Expand your treatment options with a larger hospital network. |
| Update Your Extras Cover | Review and adjust extras to better match your current health needs. |
| State | Singles | Couples 50+ |
|---|---|---|
| QLD | $219.61 | $439.23 |
| VIC | $229.40 | $458.80 |
| NSW | $212.33 | $424.66 |
| SA | $204.64 | $409.28 |
| WA | $186.82 | $373.64 |
| TAS | $206.51 | $413.03 |
| AUS (Average) | $208.89 | $419.77 |
| Feature | Private Health Cover | Medicare Australia |
| Surgeries & Procedures | Covers elective and medically necessary treatments | Elective procedures in public hospitals only |
| Hospital Accommodation | Access to private rooms (if available) in a private hospital | Beds in public hospital wards, generally in shared rooms |
| Surgery Wait Times | Shorter wait times for elective procedures | Longer waits for non-urgent procedures |
| Doctor Choice | Option to select your surgeon or specialist | The practitioner is allocated by the hospital |
| Extras Benefits | Rebates for dental, optical, physio, and more | Non-medical services are fully funded by the patient |
| Avoiding Medicare Levy Surcharge | Yes, if held appropriately | No exemption; 1-1.5% surcharge applies if above income thresholds |
| Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) | Avoids LHC loading if maintained from age 30 | Pays extra (2% per year) if private cover started late |
Est monthly cost electricity $140.51
Basic Plan information documents
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Est. Monthly Cost ℹ
Est monthly cost electricity $140.51
Basic Plan information documents
Below Demo ℹ
Est. Monthly Cost ℹ
Cover checkups, fillings and more with extras for dental. Keep oral health in check without large out-of-pocket bills.
Need glasses or contacts? Optical extras help cover frames, lenses, and tests so your eyesight stays clear and affordable.
Most health funds include waiting times before claims. We’ll explain what applies and how to avoid unnecessary delays.
Includes hospital and extras for parents and kids. Find a plan that suits your growing family’s health needs.
Want to switch insurance providers? Keep your current waiting periods and enjoy a simple, hassle-free transition.
Ambulance trips can be costly. Some states cover it, some don’t. Find a plan that includes emergency services.
Visitors and temporary residents often need cover that meets visa rules. We’ve got options made just for you.
One policy for both of you. Save time and possibly money by combining into a single, convenient health cover.
From singles to couples, growing families or parents-to-be, we help you compare health insurance plans based on your stage of life and what you need.
A co-payment is an additional amount that you pay as an in-patient, but it is calculated on a daily basis. For example, you may pay between $50 and $250 per day for staying in hospital. You should check with your health fund to make sure that your policy does not include both co-payments and an excess as this would make a hospital stay expensive. It may also be worthwhile seeing whether a co-payment or an excess option is more financially beneficial to you, especially if the annual amount is capped.
Most states and territories will charge you if you call an ambulance and require treatment. This is because they are not covered by Medicare. However, if you are a concession holder you may be entitled to a discount or a free service.
If I call an ambulance but I don’t need to be taken to hospital, will I still be charged?
Maybe. Every time you call an ambulance you will be charged a “call-out” fee even if a paramedic treats you and you don’t need to attend hospital. If you need to go to hospital, you will be charged an additional amount. It is best to check with your health fund to see if just one or both portions are covered.
If you have hospital cover on your policy, you will be treated as a private patient which means all or most of your costs will be paid for. This includes, your accommodation whilst in hospital, any treatment you have (including operations or procedures), any medication you receive. 75% of this is covered by the Medicare Benefits Schedule, whilst the remaining 25% is covered by your health fund.
This gives you additional “extras” that are not covered by Medicare. For example, they may include dental, podiatry, chiropractic, optical or physiotherapy. The number of extras you are entitled to will depend on the level of cover you receive and are usually set at annual or lifetime limits.
Maybe. It depends on your circumstances and what you want from your insurance. You should take time to read through our health insurance information and consider your own personal circumstances before deciding.
Of course, having peace of mind is always an added benefit when it comes to your health, knowing that should you become ill or need any remedial treatment, that you would be entitled to some additional extras.
A waiting period is the length of time you must wait until you are able to use a particular service on your health fund. For example, some policies state that you must wait 12 months before using any pregnancy benefits, whilst others say you must have your policy for 2 months before using any physiotherapy benefits.
Each health insurance provider will have their own set waiting periods and some may even transfer any waiting time served from your current policy to your new one. However, if you are upgrading your policy, you will have to wait until you have served the waiting period for the additional services.
There are so many different providers and policies so it is hard to give a figure for a monthly cost. Call us on 1300 786 045 or complete the online comparison for now.
An excess is a single payment that you make directly to the hospital if you are admitted, whether as a day patient or longer stay. The amount can vary, but generally, the more excess you pay, the less the cost of your policy is overall.
Some insurance companies may charge an excess per in-patient stay, whilst others have an annual cap. Some also charge an excess if you call an ambulance.
If you have hospital cover on your policy you can typically choose your hospital as long as it is a hospital affiliated with your chosen health insurance provider. You can also choose your doctor and it will not affect your fee coverage. This does vary between insurers and their variety of affiliated hospitals – with your coverage depending on your policy.
Since the fees and charges vary per state, you will need to check with your health fund to see if you are covered for ambulance call outs if you are in a different state or territory from the one you live in. For example, if you live in New South Wales and need an ambulance whilst on holiday in Queensland, you may not be covered.
If you do not have private health insurance and you are earning over a certain amount, you may have to pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge. This is a percentage of your taxable income that goes towards providing the Medicare service.
If you are unsure or need more advice on this, you should contact the Australian Tax Office or consult your own financial advisor.
It will be written in your policy whether you are covered for private ambulances, transport and air ambulance. This may vary from policy to policy.
One would expect that an “emergency” situation is classified as a life-threatening injury or condition. However, it depends on the individual health fund and what their definition is, so it’s best to check with the provider to see what you would be covered for.
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