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Not-for-profit health funds
Where to find not-for-profit health funds in Australia
Types
Guides
Government Schemes
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In a recent Finder survey, participants were asked if they would be more likely to choose a not-for-profit health insurer over a for-profit one. Not surprisingly 36.4% said yes, but more interestingly, 27.4% said they didn’t know there were not-for-profit health insurers out there.
So with such a large percentage of people unaware of their existence, we thought we’d provide a brief rundown on not-for-profit health funds in Australia.
What are not-for-profit health funds?
Insurers such as HCF, Frank Health Insurance, HBF and Westfund are all not-for-profit health funds. Put simply, this means that they're not in insurance to make money for themselves. Rather, the money goes towards running the business; the rest goes back to you, the member.
This is unlike a for-profit health fund, which is owned by outside interests and makes a profit out of members' premiums to provide a return to its owners and/or shareholders.
A not-for-profit health fund can be open to anyone to join or it can be a restricted fund where members and their families must be aligned with a particular employment group or professional association.
List of not-for-profit health insurers
According to privatehealth.gov.au, these funds report as a mutual organisation that operates on a not-for-profit basis:
| Health Fund | Bronze Policies Available | Silver Policies Available< | Gold Policies Available< | Extras Policies Available< | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 HCF | 1 | 4 | 1 | 10 | Go to Site |
 Peoplecare Health Insurance | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | Go to Site |
 HBF | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | Go to Site |
 GMHBA | 2 | 4 | 2 | 6 | More info |
 ACA | 1 | None | 2 | 2 | More info |
 CBHS Health Fund | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | More info |
 CDH | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | More info |
 Defence Health | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | More info |
 Emergency Services Health | None | None | 1 | 1 | More info |
 Frank | 2 | 2 | None | 7 | More info |
 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | More info |
 Health Partners | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | More info |
 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | More info |
 Latrobe Health Services | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | More info |
 Mildura Health Fund | None | None | 1 | 4 | More info |
 Navy Health | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | More info |
 Nurses & Midwives Health | None | 2 | 1 | 2 | More info |
 Phoenix Health Fund | 3 | 3 | None | 3 | More info |
 Police Health | None | None | 1 | 1 | More info |
 RT Health Fund | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | More info |
 RBHS | None | None | 1 | 1 | More info |
 St.Lukes Health | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | More info |
 | None | 1 | 1 | 3 | More info |
 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | More info |
 | None | 1 | 1 | 2 | More info |
 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | More info |
The list of restricted not-for-profit funds which limit membership to certain groups includes:
Note: Doctors' Health is a for-profit fund that is owned by the Avant Mutual Group, a group that operates on a not-for-profit basis.
What are the differences?
There are several differences between not-for-profit and for-profit health funds.
- They have different business structures – a not-for-profit is a mutual organisation, while a for-profit is often a corporation with owners and shareholders.
- Not-for-profit funds generally have lower premiums – because they exist solely to benefit members, they return a higher percentage of funds to their members in the form of cheaper premiums.
- Not-for-profit funds often have better benefits – because all monies are returned to the fund, any surplus is spent on improving member benefits.
- Not-for-profit funds can have more flexible terms – conditions such as excesses, waiting periods and pre-existing conditions are sometimes reduced or waived altogether.
Is a not-for-profit fund right for you?
Before you rush out and look for a not-for-profit health fund to join, you should keep the following things in mind:
- While most restricted funds are open to family members, this may be limited to immediate family only (ie, spouse and dependent children).
- Previous employment in an industry can go back a number of years, so you may be eligible to join a restricted fund even if you haven’t worked in an industry for some time.
- Membership of a restricted health fund can sometimes also give you access to other member benefits like industry super and life insurance.
- Cheaper premiums should only be one consideration when looking at not-for-profit health funds. You also need to ensure the level of cover on offer is adequate for your needs.
Compare more health insurance options
In 5 clicks you can compare health cover available from Australian funds. To search for a not-for-profit fund, simply select funds and choose your provider on the results screen.
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