Private hospital cover allows you to plan for the journey ahead, such as choosing to have natural birth, or booking in an elective caesarean (which isn't always an option in the public system); And with over 65 years experience, HIF are experts in covering the birth of babies and the needs of new parents.
- You can choose your own hospital, obstetrician and other specialists
- You’ll enjoy private room accommodation for maternity
- You’ll be fully covered for labour ward fees
- Your partner can stay with you in hospital as a boarder at no extra cost
- There’s no limit to the number of legal dependents that can be included on a family policy with us
- You have access to over thousands of private hospitals and day facilities across Australia
Now that you’re expecting
You can choose your own hospital, obstetrician and other specialists. Some obstetricians will only deliver at certain hospitals and will usually book your hospital stay for you. It’s best to book early so you have a better chance of getting into the hospital you and your obstetrician choose. It’s important that you know your private hospital insurance only pays benefits for services provided while you’re an in-patient of a hospital. This means that we’ll only pay benefits towards your doctor’s costs while you’re admitted to hospital. Medical services incurred outside of hospital including specialist consultations, obstetrician’s check-ups and confinement fee. These costs, like your visits to your GP, can only be claimed on Medicare.
It’s important to understand that you may incur some additional out-of-pocket fees (also known as a Medical Gap) depending on your chosen Obstetrician, as they’ll have their own set of fees for each medical item number. If you have chosen an Obstetrician who has opted in for HIF’s AccessGap scheme then you will have a minimal gap (if any), but providers can charge on a case-by-case basis, so we always recommend that our members request a list of fees in advance and then complete our Medical Benefit Estimate so that we can advise you of our contribution upfront . To find your nearest AccessGap provider and the terms of usage, check out our online provider search tool.
What will you need to pay the hospital?
You’ll need to pay the hospital any excess, co-payment plus any personal expenses, eg. Newspapers, additional meals.
Are there additional costs for your baby? What if your baby needs medical treatment in hospital?
If your baby has not been admitted as a patient to hospital, as is the case with most births without complications, the fee for the paediatrician’s visit cannot be claimed on your private health insurance policy. This cost can only be claimed on Medicare and usually a gap is payable, depending on how much the paediatrician charges above the Medicare Scheduled fee.
If your baby needs to have an operation or go to the special care nursery, he or she will be admitted to the hospital as an in-patient. In this case to ensure your baby is covered for these services, you’ll need to add your baby to your membership as soon as possible. We’ll then cover the costs for hospital accommodation, intensive care and theatre fees in private hospitals in line with your level of cover.