Understanding health insurance

A cover that helps with the cost of a member's hospital stay as a private patient including:
- hospital accommodation on the ward,
- in-patient medical treatment; and
- associated appliances provided during the admission e.g. approved internal prostheses

Read more: What's the difference between Medicare and private health insurance?

Extras cover gives you money back for non-hospital services such as dental, physio, optical and more. 

The amount of money you can claim back depends on the level of cover you have. 

Generally speaking, the higher the level of cover, the higher your annual limit and higher the percentage you can claim back. 

Read more: Is Extras cover worth it?

The Australian government provides the Australian Government Rebate on private health insurance to encourage people to take out private health insurance. Find out more about the Australian Government Rebate.

All health funds have waiting periods. In short, a waiting period is a period of time you need to wait after taking out your cover before you can receive benefits for services or items covered.

You’re not able to receive benefits for any items or services you might have obtained while you’re serving a waiting period or before you joined Medibank.