Whether we’re answering your call, or helping you switch from another health fund, we don’t like to keep people waiting. But unfortunately waiting periods (the time you have to wait before you can claim for treatment) are a universal necessity. All health funds have them. We wouldn’t be able to offer our competitive premiums or rebates without them. Waiting periods protect us and our members against people who simply join our health fund to claim large amounts and then leave.
However, we always try to keep waiting periods to an absolute minimum. That’s why, if you switch to HIF from another health fund, we’ll take your previous membership into account so you don’t have to re-serve waiting periods on an equivalent level of Hospital cover.
Important please note: Members with lower levels of cover for psychiatric care are entitled to upgrade their cover without serving a two month waiting period to access higher benefits for specialist psychiatric treatment. This waiting period free upgrade is only available once in a lifetime. Download our Health Cover Guide for more information or give us a call on 1300 134 060.
Private Hospital Cover Waiting Periods
| Category | Basic Plus | Bronze, Bronze Plus, Silver & Silver Plus | Gold Top |
|---|
| Treatment received as the result of an accident1 | 1 day | No waits | No waits |
| General hospitalisation | 2 months | 2 months | 2 months |
Psychiatric care, rehabilitation and palliative care (regardless of whether it's pre-existing or not) | 2 months | 2 months | 2 months |
| Pregnancy and Birth | Not covered | Not covered | 12 months |
| Pre-existing conditions or ailments (PEA)2 | 12 months | 12 months | 12 months |
| Emergency Ambulance3 | 1 day | 1 day | 1 day |
| Non-Emergency Ambulance3 | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
1 An accident means an unforeseen event, occurring by chance and caused by an external force or object which results in an injury to the body requiring immediate medical treatment in hospital within 24 hours of the accident. If further hospital treatment (as an admitted patient) is required, the patient must be re-admitted to a hospital within 90 days of the initial hospital treatment.
2 A Pre-existing Ailment (PEA) is an ailment, condition or illness where the signs and symptoms, in the opinion of a HIF appointed medical practitioner, existed at any time in the six months prior to joining HIF - even if you were not aware of it. As with all Australian health funds, you are required to wait 12 months before claiming on any pre-existing condition.
3 Not covered: Transportation from a hospital to your home, nursing home or other hospital. Transportation for ongoing medical treatment. Off road or air ambulance (e.g. plane, helicopter or boat). A $50 per trip co-payment applies if your ambulance is classified as 'non-emergency'.
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