Health insurance for orthotics

Health insurance for orthotics is covered under extras cover, available from less than $11 per week.

Who is this cover for?

Key takeaways

  • You can get health insurance for orthotics and orthopaedic shoes with top tier extras insurance, generally included under podiatry.
  • Top extras cover with orthotics starts at around $46 per month, or $11 per week.
  • The waiting period for orthotics cover is generally around 2 months.

Compare extras that covers orthotics

Here are some extras policies from Finder partners that cover orthotics. All prices are based on a single individual with less than $97,000 income and living in Sydney.

1 - 21 of 21
Name and lozenges Finder Score Treatments Price
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
$61.85
per month
Go to SiteView details
Growing Family 60
Extras cover
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
Want a $50 gift card when you join & maintain eligible Extras? Plus, get 2&6 month waits waived on extras. New members only. T&Cs apply. Excludes Healthy Living Extras.
$63.40
per month
Go to SiteView details
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
Want a $50 gift card when you join & maintain eligible Extras? Plus, get 2&6 month waits waived on extras. New members only. T&Cs apply. Excludes Healthy Living Extras.
$66.80
per month
Go to SiteView details
GMHBA Core Extras
Extras cover
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
$68.65
per month
Go to SiteView details
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
Want a $50 gift card when you join & maintain eligible Extras? Plus, get 2&6 month waits waived on extras. New members only. T&Cs apply. Excludes Healthy Living Extras.
$77.45
per month
Go to SiteView details
Frank More Extras
Extras cover
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
$78.70
per month
Go to SiteView details
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
$80.71
per month
Go to SiteView details
Family Extras
Extras cover
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
$82.35
per month
Go to SiteView details
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
$87.10
per month
Go to SiteView details
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
$93.35
per month
Go to SiteView details
black 70 boost
Extras cover
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
$96.90
per month
Go to SiteView details
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
$101.25
per month
Go to SiteView details
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
$101.65
per month
Go to SiteView details
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
Want a $50 gift card when you join & maintain eligible Extras? Plus, get 2&6 month waits waived on extras. New members only. T&Cs apply. Excludes Healthy Living Extras.
$108.35
per month
Go to SiteView details
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
$112.35
per month
Go to SiteView details
Super Extras
Extras cover
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
$124.10
per month
Go to SiteView details
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
Want a $50 gift card when you join & maintain eligible Extras? Plus, get 2&6 month waits waived on extras. New members only. T&Cs apply. Excludes Healthy Living Extras.
$125.60
per month
Go to SiteView details
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
$146.00
per month
Go to SiteView details
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
$146.40
per month
Go to SiteView details
Qantas Top Extras
Extras cover
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
$157.90
per month
Go to SiteView details
Finder score
  • General dental
  • Major dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial massage
  • Hearing aids
Want a $50 gift card when you join & maintain eligible Extras? Plus, get 2&6 month waits waived on extras. New members only. T&Cs apply. Excludes Healthy Living Extras.
$168.35
per month
Go to SiteView details
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Showing 21 of 21 results

Finder Score - Health Insurance Extras

Each month we analyse over 10,000 extras insurance products and rate each one on price and features. What we end up with is a nice round number out of 10 that helps you compare extras cover a bit faster.

We want to compare apples to apples, not apples to apple pie. It doesn't make sense to compare a top extras policy with coverage for hearing aids and braces against a policy designed only for dental. So we've separated all the extras policies on the market into pools and categories. Once in their pools and categories, each product gets a price score and a features score, which are then combined to give the Final Score.

Read the full Finder Score methodology

Why compare health insurance with Finder?

  • We don't ask for your phone or email to see prices.

  • With 1 click, you can open your results to nearly every fund in Australia.

  • You pay the same price as going direct – we charge no fees.

What are orthotics?

An orthotist is an allied health professional who can, according to the Australian Orthotic Prosthetic Association, "Assess and treat the physical and functional limitations of people resulting from illnesses and disabilities, including limb amputations." Orthotists can prescribe, design, fit and monitor the performance of orthotic and prosthetic devices.

Orthotics, which are also called orthoses, are specially designed braces, appliances and inserts that can be fitted to the body. There are orthoses available for knees, ankles and feet – for example, shoe inserts – plus orthoses to protect fractures and spinal orthoses. These appliances are used to:

  • Assist in rehabilitation
  • Control biomechanical alignment
  • Correct deformities
  • Reduce pain
  • Increase mobility and independence
  • Prevent injury or protect an injury while it heals

Are orthotic services covered by health insurance?

The good news is that many Australian private health funds include cover for orthotics as part of some extras policies. However, you will usually need to take out a comprehensive extras cover in order to receive benefits for orthotics, as it is commonly excluded from basic extras policies.

It is also important to be aware that health funds classify orthotics differently. Some funds will list orthotics in its own section with a single annual benefit limit you can claim for orthoses and treatment by an orthotist. Other health funds will combine orthotics with other appliances under a health aids with a shared annual benefit limit.

Which Australian health funds cover orthotics?

The table below lists Australian health funds with extras policies that cover orthotics.

Health fundExtras Policies and annual limit benefits*Waiting Periods
ahm
  • Family Extras. $150 per person
  • Super Extras. $200 per person
  • 12 months
Australian Unity
  • Comprehensive Extras. $300 per person
  • Classic Extras. $350 per person
  • Advanced 80% Extras. $600 per person
  • 12 months
Bupa
  • Lifestyle Extras. $200 per person
  • Super Extras. $300 per person
  • Top Extras. $450 per person
  • 12 months
CUA Health
  • 75 Extras. $500 per person
  • Total Extras. $400 per person
  • Classic Extras. $210 per person
  • 12 months
GMHBA
  • Mid Extras 65%. $200 per person
  • Top Extras 75%. $250 per person
  • 12 months
HBF
  • Complete 60. $200 per person
  • Top 70. $250 per person
  • 12 months
HCF
  • Vital Extras. $200 per person
  • Top Extras. $250 per person
  • 12 months
Health Care Insurance
  • Premier Extras. $200 per person
  • Healthy Extras. $200 per person
  • 2 months
hif
  • Premium Options. $240 per person
  • Super Options. $200 per person
  • 12 months
Latrobe Health Services
  • Premier Extras. $600 per person
  • Premier Single and Couples Extras. $400 per person
  • Premier Families Extras. $400 per person
  • Core Extras. $300 per person
  • 12 months
  • 2 months
Medibank
  • Growing Family Extras Only. $300 per person
  • Top Extras. $200 per person
  • 2 months
Mildura Health Fund
  • Five Star Extras. $650 per person
  • Mid Extras $540 per person
  • Base Extras. $390 per person
  • 12 months
nib
  • Top Extras. $400 per person
  • 2 months
Peoplecare
  • Premium Extras. $700 per person
  • High Extra. $500 per person
Queensland Country Health Fund
  • Premium Extras. $600 per person.
  • Essential Extras. $400 per person.
  • Select Extras. $400 per person.
  • Young Extras. $300 per person.
  • 2 months
St. Lukes Health
  • Super Extras. $200 per person
  • 12 months
Transport Health
  • Top Extras. $200 per person
  • 12 months
ACA Health
  • Restricted health fund
  • Complete Ancillary. $400 per person
  • 12 months
Defence Health
  • Restricted health fund
  • Premier Extras. $300 per person
  • Value Extras. $100 per person
  • 12 months
Navy Health
  • Restricted health fund
  • Premium Extras. $300 per person
  • Healthy Living Extras. $200 per person
  • 2 month
RT Health
  • Restricted health fund
  • Premium Extra. $175 per person
  • Smart Extras. $140 per person
  • 12 months
TUH
  • Restricted health fund
  • Comprehensive Extras. $360 per membership year
  • 2 months

*The policies listed in this table are extras only. However, in most cases these can be combined with hospital cover.

Are orthotists the same as podiatrists?

Although there are some similarities between the work they do, orthotists and podiatrists are two very different types of health professionals.

  • Orthotists. Work exclusively with orthoses, which are devices fitted externally to the body to treat a wide variety of physical limitations resulting from illnesses, disabilities and deformities. In some cases this involves using orthotics to treat abnormalities, prevent injuries and improve normal functions of the lower limbs and feet.
  • Podiatrists. Concentrate solely on the disorders of the lower limbs. Treatment from a podiatrist may sometimes involve the fitting of orthotic devices, but it can also involve more palliative treatment such as the removal of calluses, warts, corns and ingrown toenails.

What should I be aware of when claiming for orthotics?

  • Certified supplier. Before you lodge a claim for orthotic appliances, be aware that the items will need to be provided by a registered orthotist, orthotic supplier or podiatrist. Make sure your health fund will cover your orthotics purchase from your chosen supplier before you pay for your appliance.
  • Waiting periods. Familiarise yourself with the different waiting periods that apply to orthotics under your policy. Some health funds will impose a blanket waiting period on all orthotics claims, such as 12 months. However, some health funds will impose separate waiting periods on the repair, maintenance, hire and replacement of orthotic equipment, so be sure to check the fine print before taking out cover.
  • Annual benefit limits. Check the limits that apply to your cover. In addition to an annual benefit limit for orthotics, your health fund may impose limits on the amount it will pay for specific orthotic devices, or it may agree to cover a certain percentage of your bill for specific orthotic appliances. Remember that any annual limit listed may also include any benefits you receive for other health aids and appliances.

Frequently asked questions

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Editor

Richard Laycock is Finder’s insights editor after spending the last five years writing and editing articles about insurance. His musings can be found across the web including on MoneyMag, Yahoo Finance and Travel Weekly. Richard studied Media at Macquarie University and The Missouri School of Journalism and has a Tier 1 Certification in General Advice for Life Insurance. See full bio

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