Medibank Health Insurance Review

If you’re considering investing in health insurance and wondering if Medibank is a good option for you, this article will provide you will all the essential information you’re looking for.

Medibank is an affordable, non-profit health insurer, offering private healthcare.  All members are covered by a versatile range of hospital benefits, with various options available

About Medibank private health insurance

Medibank’s philosophy centres on better health for all people. They view every interaction with a customer as an opportunity to build a relationship. Members are promised:

1. Better choices, with assistance and guidance on how to make positive health decisions.
2. Better confidence in receiving quality cover.
3. Better outcomes, by promoting an improved health system that produces quality outcomes while containing health costs.

As one of Australia’s largest providers of private health and insurance solutions, Medibank has helped 3.8 million Australians to live fuller, healthier lives.

Benefits of being a Medibank member

Medibank offers a range of cover for people from all walks of life, including singles cover, couples cover, family cover, single parent cover, corporate health cover and working visa health cover. As a Medibank policy holder, you have:

• Control over your healthcare.
• Choice about the service you use.
• Your choice of doctor.
• Choice of appointment times.
• Better quality of care.
• The ability to avoid financial penalties such as the Medicare Levy Charge.

The Medibank Community Fund continually aims to keep premiums affordable through expanding its membership base. This enables Medibank to ease the pressure on premiums for all members and to continue helping communities to live in better health.

Who are Medibank Providers?

• Hearing Aid Providers.
• Dentists: Providing free dental check- up and cleanings every year at any Member’s Choice dentist, over and above your annual dental limit. This excludes x-rays and a two month waiting period applies.
• Dental Prosthesis.
• Optical retail outlets.
• Chiropractors.
• Physiotherapists.
• Podiatrists.
• Acupuncturists.
• Naturopaths
• Remedial massage therapists.

It is worth noting that Medibank’s agreements with their various Members Choice providers are subject to change without notice. It might be a good idea to confirm whether your preferred provider is part of their Members’ Choice network, before commencing with treatment.

Medibank health insurance cover options according to your life stage

Medibank Health Insurance offers you a variety of options. The most important aspect is that your treatment both in and outside of hospital will be taken care of.

Singles Cover

Couples Cover

Medibank Couples Cover has the same benefits as the Singles Cover Option but with the following added benefits:

Families Cover

If you’re adding a new-born to an existing Family Policy, Medibank needs to be notified within 2 months of their date of birth. This will help you avoid serving any waiting period.

Sometimes a waiting period may apply. This includes a 12 month period for pre-existing conditions and some dental services. A waiting period is the period of time you need to wait before being able to receive benefits for services or items covered. You will not be able to receive benefits for anything you might have obtained while serving a waiting period before joining Medibank.

Corporate health cover

With this option, your employer does the hard work for you, leaving you with the Flexi 80 option. Flexi 80 allows you to use your Flexible Extras at any recognised provider, in the way you choose to, with an 80% back. Flexi 80 offers 100% back on optical items.

Working Visa health cover

Each option includes unlimited emergency ambulance cover.

• Working Visa Basic Insurance helps towards hospital accommodation costs as well as all fees incurred by medical expert practitioners.
• Working Visa Hospital Insurance helps if your country has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA), in which case you might receive some Medicare benefits.

What factors influence the cost of Medibank Health Insurance?

• The cover option product you have chosen.
• Your level of cover: Basic, essentials, top ups and complete cover.
• Whether your specialists chose to participate in GapCover and treat you at a Members’ Choice Hospital, in which case your extra costs will be reduced and sometimes even eliminated.
• The excess you choose to pay in the event of a claim.
• Private Health Insurance Government Rebate, which is determined by your family status and income.
• The number of people covered by your insurance policy.

Medibank private health insurance waiting periods

Waiting periods refer to those periods of time you will have to wait before being able to receive benefits for services or items offered by Medibank. This applies when you are changing cover, or joining as a new member. However, if you have an accident after joining Medibank or changing cover and you require treatment, the 2 month waiting period indicated below, will be waived.

Medibank Waiting periods:

We trust that you have found this information about Medibank’s private health insurance coverage useful and informative. If you would like to update your existing cover or are looking for new cover, it might be worth comparing quotes from a variety of companies to find your perfect fit.