Health insurance for mental health

Things you need to know

¹ Australian Institute of Health and Welfare; Prevalence and impact of mental illness; retrieved May 2025.

² Commonwealth Ombudsman; What is mental health?; retrieved May 2025.

^¶ Counsellors must be registered with Australian Counselling Association, Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia, Australian Traditional Medicine Society. Mental Health Social Workers must hold a mental health accreditation by the Australian Association of Social Workers. Medibank will pay benefits towards pharmacogenetic tests for all conditions. Benefits will only be paid towards pharmacogenetic tests administered in-person, or for approved home kits where supporting documentation from a medical practitioner outlining the clinical purpose is supplied.

^# Medibank has Members' Choice providers for these services only. By choosing a Members' Choice provider you are guaranteed to receive the percentage back shown on the cover. 

‡ A Restricted Service is a service where we pay the minimum benefit set by the government towards hospital accommodation. If you're treated in a private hospital for a Restricted Service, you are likely to incur substantial out-of-pocket expenses because this minimum benefit will not be enough to cover all hospital costs. For Restricted services as a private patient in a public hospital we will pay minimum shared room benefits.

^> Two month waiting period applies. We'll pay a benefit up to an annual limit per membership towards any admission fee ("facility fee") charged by the Private Hospital for patients attending a Private Accident and Emergency Department. The fee amount varies by Private Hospital and does not include medical and other charges (such as charges for diagnostic imaging or pathology), so out of pocket expenses may still apply. Only available at Private Hospitals with an Accident and Emergency Department. Members will need to submit a claim to receive the benefit and may have to pay upfront.

^~ Some referred services may involve out-of-pocket costs and waiting periods may apply.

^## Member must be 18+ and hold a Medibank health insurance policy.

* For Medibank members with Mental Health Support benefit included in their extras cover. Annual limits apply. Mental Health Social Workers must hold a mental health accreditation by the Australian Association of Social Workers.

^@ Counsellors must be registered with Australian Counselling Association, Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia, Australian Traditional Medicine Society. Mental Health Social Workers must hold a mental health accreditation by the Australian Association of Social Workers.

^& Medibank will pay benefits towards pharmacogenetic tests for all conditions. Benefits will only be paid towards pharmacogenetic tests administered in-person, or for approved home kits where supporting documentation from a medical practitioner outlining the clinical purpose is supplied.

^% We pay limited benefits for restricted services. This means that if you choose to be treated in a private hospital the benefits we pay will not cover all hospital costs and are likely to result in significant out-of-pocket expenses. For restricted services in a Public hospital we will pay minimum shared room benefits.

^€ Not available for members with extras only cover, ambulance only cover, Overseas Student Health Cover or Overseas Workers or Visitors Health Cover.

^§ For members with mental health support included in their Extras cover. Annual limits apply. Counsellors must be registered with Australian Counselling Association, Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia, Australian Traditional Medicine Society.

While we hope you find this information helpful, please note that it is general in nature. It is not health advice, and is not tailored to meet your individual health needs. You should always consult a trusted health professional before making decisions about your health care. While we have prepared the information carefully, we can’t guarantee that it is accurate, complete or up-to-date. And while we may mention goods or services provided by others, we aren’t specifically endorsing them and can’t accept responsibility for them. For these reasons we are unable to accept responsibility for any loss that may be sustained from acting on this information (subject to applicable consumer guarantees).