Hospital cover

If you need to go to Hospital and choose to be admitted as a private patient, Hospital cover can provide benefits towards the costs of your treatment – like doctor’s fees, operating theatre costs, meals, and accommodation.¹ You could also have more control, choice and flexibility throughout your experience which can help you feel better supported. 

Learn more about the difference between Hospital and Extras cover.

The type of services for which you may be eligible to receive benefits, depends on: 

• the level of cover and inclusions in your policy, and 
• whether you’ve served any waiting periods that apply. 

Generally, the higher the level of cover, the more services you can claim towards. Gold is the most comprehensive level of cover, followed by Silver, Bronze, and Basic. All health insurers are required to categorise their policies in this way, to help make it easier to understand and compare health insurance products. 

If you’re not sure what tier of Hospital cover is right for you, you can refer to our guide: Gold, Silver, Bronze and Basic: Private health insurance tiers explained 

If you need to go to Hospital, Hospital cover can give you more control, choice and flexibility throughout your experience to help you feel better supported while also receiving benefits towards the cost of your treatment. 

Hospital cover can help make your finances healthier too. The government’s Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) loading means if you don't have private Hospital cover by July 1st following your 31st birthday, and choose to take it out later in life, you'll have to pay a 2% higher hospital premium for every year you delay getting it. 

With Hospital cover, you could also get a tax break. The Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) is a  government levy for Australians earning more than $101k as a single or $202k as a family, couple or single parent who do not hold private Hospital cover. You can avoid paying this additional tax surcharge of up to 1.5% of your income by holding an appropriate level of hospital cover for the full financial year.^$ Use our Medicare Levy Surcharge Calculator to find out how much extra tax you could be paying without Hospital cover. 

You could avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge if you and your dependants have eligible private Hospital cover for the entire financial year. Any level of private Hospital cover qualifies, as long as the excess does not exceed $750 for singles or $1,500 for couples and families.²  

It’s important to know that Medicare, Australia’s public healthcare system, doesn’t cover the cost of ambulance services in any Australian state or territory.³ This means that, depending on which state you live in, having Ambulance cover can help you feel better prepared for the unexpected. 

With Medibank, no matter which Hospital or Extras policy you choose, you'll have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your cover includes unlimited emergency ambulance.^ 

Select your state or territory of residency to learn more about how ambulance services work for you, including how much an ambulance could cost in your situation: 

Your Hospital cover won’t pay benefits towards any treatments or services provided out of hospital - think dental check-ups, optical, physio, and more. This is where Extras cover can help. While Medicare or your Hospital cover might help with the big stuff like surgeries and hospital stays, Extras cover can step in for those routine and preventative health services that help you stay in tip-top shape. 

Comparison sites can be handy for some people, but they don't always compare other ways you can unlock the most value from your cover so it’s important to consider how each fund’s policies can support you in taking care of your health, beyond standard inclusions. 

When you're comparing policies, you should also consider: 

• Is it the right cover for my health needs, now and in the future?
• Are there waiting periods I’ll need to serve before being able to receive benefits from your health insurer? If you're switching funds, the good news is, Medibank recognise any waiting periods you've already served.^& 
• How easy is it to make a claim? 

Need help choosing a policy that suits you? Learn more about how to choose health insurance.

Or want to see how we compare to other health funds? Find out here.