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HCF health insurance review

Our verdict: HCF has competitively priced Bronze Plus, Silver Plus and Gold (but no Basic) hospital policies, as well as several good value extras policies.

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By

Tim Bennett

&

Gary Ross Hunter

Updated

Fact checked
4.0 ★★★★★ (146 reviews) Write a review

Pros

  • Most hospital policies cover more than the minimum tier requirements, but are still competitively priced.
  • Of the big funds, HCF had the highest member retention rate (98.6%) according to the latest Commonwealth Ombudsman figures.
  • "Starter Extras" is the cheapest extras policy with a benefit for remedial massage, starting at around $12 a month.

Cons

  • No Basic or Basic Plus policies available.
  • HCF received the highest number of complaints compared to market share of any of the big health funds.

Best Health Insurance - Bronze Hospital

HCF's Hospital Bronze Plus policy is the 2024 Finder Award winner in our bronze category. It won based on value for money, meaning policies that covered more treatments in a private hospital for a lower premium scored higher. It scored higher than all eligible bronze hospital policies on the market.

Full list of 2024 winners

Best Health Insurance - Silver Hospital Finalist

HCF's Hospital Standard Silver Plus ranked in second place out of all of the eligible silver policies we analysed. The not-for-profit health fund's policy costs approximately $30 per week and covers treatments including digestive system, heart and vascular system and back, neck and spine.

Full list of 2024 winners
Tim Bennett

I've had HCF ambulance cover for years now, and it's given me the peace of mind that I need. There's nothing worse than having to worry about the cost of an ambulance when you need it.
— Tim Bennett, insurance expert

HCF health insurance: Our verdict

HCF has a wide selection of comprehensive hospital policies that are competitively priced. It also offers several extras policies that are good value for particular treatments. It did receive more than its fair share of complaints in 2022, but it also had the highest member retention rate of all funds.

HCF is good if:

  • You're after a cheap Silver Plus policy. "Hospital Standard Silver Plus" is good value, covering 29 treatments from around $108 a month.
  • You want a mid-priced extras plan with good dental coverage. "Mid Extras" offers 100% back on up to 2 dental checks per year, from around $32 a month.

HCF is not great if:

  • You need a Basic or Basic Plus policy (especially if it's to avoid the MLS or LHC).
  • You want the best value Bronze Plus policy – we found comparable alternatives for less from Medibank and HBF**.

Review by our health insurance publisher Tim Bennett.

**"HCF Hospital Bronze Plus" covers 25 treatments from around $88 a month, while "HBF Bronze Hospital Plus" and "Medibank Bronze Plus Progress" each cover 26 treatments for around $90 and $90 a month, respectively.

Sign-up deals with HCF health insurance for April 2024

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Name Product

Get up to 8 weeks free

Ends 21 April 2024

When you join eligible cover by 21 April and stay with HCF. T&Cs apply.

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What types of health insurance does HCF offer?

1 - 3 of 3
Updated regularly
Name Product Treatments Price Apply Hide Compare
HCF MY FUTURE 750 BASIC PLUS
Basic Plus$750 excess
Hospital
  • Rehabilitation
  • Joint reconstructions
  • Dental surgery
  • Hernia and appendix
    • +7 other treatments covered
Extras
  • General Dental
  • Major Dental
  • Optical
  • Hearing aids
    • +6 other treatments covered
$101.14
per month
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All treatments
HCF MY FAMILY SILVER PLUS $750 EXCESS
Silver Plus$750 excess
Hospital
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
    • +28 other treatments covered
Extras
  • General Dental
  • Major Dental
  • Optical
  • Hearing aids
    • +7 other treatments covered
$207.70
per month
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All treatments
HCF MY FAMILY ADVANCED SILVER PLUS $750 EXCESS
Silver Plus$750 excess
Hospital
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
    • +28 other treatments covered
Extras
  • General Dental
  • Major Dental
  • Optical
  • Hearing aids
    • +10 other treatments covered
$232.06
per month
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All treatments
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1 - 4 of 4
Updated regularly
Name Product Treatments Price Apply Hide Compare
HCF HOSPITAL BRONZE PLUS $750 EXCESS
Bronze Plus$750 excess
  • Joint reconstructions
  • Ear nose and throat
  • Blood
  • Back neck and spine
  • Dental surgery
  • Eye excluding cataracts
  • Cancer
  • Lung and chest
    • +18 other treatments covered
$91.11
per month
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All treatments
HCF HOSPITAL STANDARD SILVER PLUS
Silver Plus$750 excess
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
    • +24 other treatments covered
$114.03
per month
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All treatments
HCF HOSPITAL SILVER PLUS $750 EXCESS
Silver Plus$750 excess
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
    • +26 other treatments covered
$174.38
per month
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All treatments
HCF HOSPITAL PREMIUM GOLD $750 EXCESS
Gold$750 excess
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • Sleep studies
  • Weight loss surgery
  • Rehabilitation
  • Insulin pumps
    • +30 other treatments covered
$245.63
per month
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All treatments
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1 - 7 of 7
Updated regularly
Name Product Treatments Price Apply Hide Compare
HCF AMBULANCE ONLY
Extras cover
  • General Dental
  • Major Dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial Massage
  • Hearing aids
$4.98
per month
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All treatments
HCF STARTER EXTRAS
Extras cover
  • General Dental
  • Major Dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial Massage
  • Hearing aids
    • +1 other treatments covered
$13.16
per month
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All treatments
HCF STARTER EXTRAS (WITH OPTICAL)
Extras cover
  • General Dental
  • Major Dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial Massage
  • Hearing aids
    • +1 other treatments covered
$17.42
per month
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All treatments
HCF FLEX MY EXTRAS
Extras cover
  • General Dental
  • Major Dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial Massage
  • Hearing aids
    • +1 other treatments covered
$29.33
per month
Go to Site
All treatments
HCF MID EXTRAS
Extras cover
  • General Dental
  • Major Dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial Massage
  • Hearing aids
    • +2 other treatments covered
$35.06
per month
Go to Site
All treatments
HCF VITAL EXTRAS
Extras cover
  • General Dental
  • Major Dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial Massage
  • Hearing aids
    • +6 other treatments covered
$61.86
per month
Go to Site
All treatments
HCF TOP EXTRAS
Extras cover
  • General Dental
  • Major Dental
  • Optical
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Psychology
  • Remedial Massage
  • Hearing aids
    • +6 other treatments covered
$82.33
per month
Go to Site
All treatments
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HCF health insurance complaints

We looked at the 2022 ombudsman health insurance complaints. Here's how HCF stacked up:

  • Of all funds with more than 0.5% market share, HCF ranked 15th out of 19 for the proportion of complaints compared to market share.
  • Proportionally, HCF had the highest number of complaints when compared to the big health funds.
This chart shows the weighted volume of complaints received by each health fund, according to the Commonwealth Ombudsman. The lower the number, the better. Only non-restricted funds with a national market share of at least 0.1% are included here. HCF is fifteenth overall in this ranking. The weighting ensures that funds are compared fairly; larger funds serve more customers so can potentially get more complaints.

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