Private health insurance helps with the cost of healthcare in a private hospital. It lets you avoid public waiting lists, choose your own doctor and can provide you with your own private room. Not all policies are created equal, so it's important to compare health insurance and find the best health cover for you. There are two main types of cover: hospital and extras.
Private health insurance give you access to the same hospital services covered by Medicare – but you get access to your own doctor, private room and waiting times are significantly shorter.
Extras insurance cover does cover healthcare costs that aren't typically covered by the public healthcare system, such as dental, physiotherapy and optical.
If you go to a private hospital as a private patient, Medicare will pay 75% of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) fee. Your health insurance covers the other 25%, plus accommodation costs and theatre fees. Sometimes there's a gap between the MBS fee and the total cost of your procedure. You may need to pay this unless your health insurance has no gap cover.
Hospital cover helps pay for a range of hospital treatments in a private hospital. This can include joint reconstructions, hernia operations and childbirth.
Extras cover helps towards out-of-hospital healthcare. This includes trips to the dentist, eye care by an optomotrists, physiotherapists and natural therapies.
Take our 30 second quiz to see if you need private health insurance at all. It's an important product, but not everybody needs it.
The private health insurance rebate makes health insurance cheaper for most people. Your exact rebate is determined by your age and income.
Whether you're a high earner or turning 30, there are a few things you need to know about private health insurance at tax time.
The price of health insurance can vary a lot based on your age, income and your lifestyle.
Switching health funds is quick and easy. You can transfer your waiting periods, while potentially saving money with new sign-up deals.
Extras benefit limits place a cap on the amount you can claim. They typically reset every 12 months. A higher limit may mean a more expensive policy, but not always.
Waiting periods apply to both extras and hospital policies - you'll need to serve these before claiming a benefit. Some extras policies let you skip some waiting periods.
In the first quarter of 2025, the average emergency department wait time in Victoria public hospitals was 14 minutes. However this varies depending on the severity of your condition.
In February 2025, the average waiting time for patients visiting Canberra Hospital emergency department was 30 minutes.
Private health insurance provides coverage beyond Medicare. It can make in-hospital healthcare more convenient and everyday healthcare costs more affordable. Learn more.
Extras health insurance comes in hundreds of varieties...literally. Learn more and compare extras cover from dozens of providers before you buy.
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