Access Gap Cover
TUH aims to close the gap on in-hospital medical expenses for our members by including Access Gap Cover with all levels of hospital cover.
Medicare covers 75% of the Medicare Benefit Schedule (MBS) fee set by the Government for eligible inpatient services. TUH covers the remaining 25% of the MBS fee. But if your medical practitioner charges above the MBS fee, you’ll need to pay an additional out-of-pocket amount, known as the ‘gap’.
If your practitioner chooses to participate in our Access Gap Cover scheme, you will have lower or no out-of-pocket costs. In most cases, TUH will receive the account, make Medicare claims on your behalf, and pay the practitioner directly.
Participation in this scheme is the personal choice of individual medical practitioners, so prior to treatment, please
• request an estimate of costs from your doctor (see Informed financial consent)
• ask your doctor if they have chosen to participate in our Access Gap Cover scheme
• ask your doctor to confirm if any assisting specialists use Access Gap Cover.
For more information on Access Gap Cover and to search for Access Gap Doctors, please click here.
See also Medical Gap cover.
Accidents
You are immediately covered for hospital treatment for accidents with no waiting periods to serve, providing you joined TUH prior to the accident and have the appropriate level of cover for that treatment and your premium payments are up to date.
An accident is an unexpected incident that results in injury and requires immediate treatment. Accidents are not related to any other ailment, illness or condition.
If you have been involved in an accident and received compensation or damages from a third party
- you cannot claim additional benefits in relation to this accident
- you must repay TUH any benefits and associated costs already paid by TUH.
See Emergency departments.
Active Health Bonus
The Active Health Bonus is a reward available to members with eligible levels of cover, when one adult member completes the Health-e-Profile, our online health assessment, in each consecutive twelve month period. You may use the bonus to pay the out-of-pocket costs for extras treatments (up to the annual limit).
The Active Health Bonus limit is per policy, per calendar year. A six-month waiting period to receive the bonus applies from your join date.
The following are not claimable under the Active Health Bonus:
- co-payments for Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS) prescriptions
- any difference between the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee and the doctor’s charge for medical expenses
- any medical expense our Fund Rules or legislation prevents us from paying
- hospital excesses.
If you decrease/change your level of cover, you may receive a reduced or no Active Health Bonus.
Australian Government Rebate on Private Health Insurance
The Government provides a rebate on private health insurance premiums. The rebate you receive depends on your age (persons aged 65 and over receive a higher rebate) and your household income. You must be eligible for Medicare benefits to qualify for the rebate.
You can claim the rebate as a reduction of your premiums, or as a tax rebate when you lodge your annual tax return.
To have the rebate deducted from the premium you pay, just complete the application form for the Australian Government Rebate on Private Health Insurance when you join TUH.
Please visit privatehealth.gov.au for more information.
Ambulance transport
Subject to the state-based terms below, emergency ambulance is covered when it results from an event that is unplanned, non-routine, and requires immediate medical attention.
You are not covered for transportation from a hospital to your home, a nursing home, or another hospital (if you have been admitted to the transferring [first] hospital). You are also not covered for transportation from your home, a nursing home or hospital for ongoing medical treatment, e.g. chemotherapy or dialysis. No benefit will be paid in respect of air ambulance services.
QLD residents
All Queensland residents are covered by Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) agreements, including interstate travel. Any claims are to be submitted directly to QAS.
NSW and ACT residents
If you live in ACT or NSW, an ambulance levy to cover transportation or attendance by NSW ambulance is included in your hospital cover. If you receive a NSW Ambulance account, send it to us. If you require ambulance assistance in another state, you will be covered if you have combined hospital and extras cover.
When a dependant resides in NSW or the ACT, but the main member’s residential address is in another state, ambulance cover is only covered on combined hospital and extras covers.
TAS residents
All Tasmanian residents are covered by Ambulance Tasmania. If a Tasmanian resident requires services in QLD or SA, they’re not covered by the state scheme and can only claim if they are on combined hospital and extras cover.
All other states and territories
You are entitled to full cover for emergency ambulance transportation or attendance if you have combined hospital and extras cover. If you receive an ambulance account, send it to us for payment.
Benefit
The amount you receive from TUH when you make a claim. See your product guide for a list of benefits payable under your cover or please call us. Benefits cannot exceed the fee for service incurred.
Benefit Limitation Period (BLP)
A benefit limitation period of the first 24 months of membership applies for members who are new to private health insurance and those upgrading from a hospital cover which excludes or restricts benefits for the below services.
Easy Choice and Total Care Hospital (no excess or $300 excess):
- Gastric banding and bariatric/obesity surgery, including reversal
Total Care Hospital ($500 excess):
- Gastric banding and bariatric/obesity surgery, including reversal
- Pregnancy and birth-related treatment
- Newborn/neonatal care
During the BLP, we pay the minimum hospital default benefits as per the law, which means you may have significant out-of-pocket costs to pay for the treatment. Waiting periods still apply for services with a BLP. For example, after serving the 2 months waiting period for the service your benefit will be limited to a default benefit for the following 22 months. After 24 months you are entitled to the full benefit claimable for the treatment.
Calendar year
A 12 month period commencing 1 January and ending 31 December.
Chronic Disease Management Programs
We offer a range of Chronic Disease Management Programs that are designed to decrease the risk of developing a chronic disease or to assist in the management of diagnosed chronic diseases. Note that product and clinical eligibility apply to these programs.
Current programs:
• Disease Management Programs - you must have held hospital cover for at least six months and clinical eligibility applies.
• Healthy Weight for Life - you must have held eligible hospital cover for at least twelve months and extras cover for at least six months and clinical eligibility applies.
• Care Coordination - you must have held eligible hospital cover for at least twelve months and extras cover for at least six months and clinical eligibility applies.
Claiming
If a benefit is payable to you, it will be paid directly into your nominated bank account.
We offer easy ways to claim:
- Swipe your membership card at your HICAPS/HealthPoint participating health care provider - just and your benefit is applied immediately
- Photograph your receipts and submit your claim through the TUH mobile app, available on Google Play and the iTunes Store.
- Claim for eligible services through Member Services Online.*
- Send your claim form and original accounts or receipts to PO Box 265, Fortitude Valley 4006.
For inpatient Medical Gap Cover treatment the Medicare statement of benefits is required to process your entitlements.
We retain all documents unless you indicate otherwise.
Any account or receipt submitted must be on an official receipt or account form, and bear the provider’s official stamp. It must be legible and display the provider’s name, provider number, practice address, ABN/ACN, the date of service, a description of the service, the name of the patient and the cost. Cash register dockets will not be accepted.
All claims are subject to private health insurance laws, Fund Rules and policies and procedures.
*Please retain your original accounts and receipts for 12 months after your claim has been paid, as they may be subject to audits.
Cooling off period
You have the right to a 30 day cooling off period if you change your mind about joining TUH or changing your level of cover, provided there are no claims made during the period. The 30 day period commences from
- the joining date;
- the date the level of cover increases; or
- the date the level of cover decreases.
For the latter two, the cover reverts back to the previous level of cover.
Cosmetic surgery
Cosmetic surgery refers to procedures performed that are non-medically necessary. We are unable to pay benefits for these procedures or the hospital costs associated with them.
To help us determine if your treatment is medically necessary, we may ask for further information from your treating practitioner before we can confirm your correct benefit entitlements. If in doubt, talk to your doctor and call us before committing to any treatment. See Plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Default benefit
This benefit is determined by the Government and is the minimum amount funds must pay for accommodation costs in hospitals. Default benefits do not provide any benefit for labour ward or theatre fees. The default benefit covers the cost of
- shared accommodation as a private patient at a public hospital;
- a reduced level of accommodation benefits as a private patient at a private hospital;
- Access Gap/Medical Gap Cover with participating doctors; and
- surgically implanted prostheses – we will cover the full cost of any Government approved (no gap) prostheses and the minimum benefit for gap permitted prostheses.
Significant out-of-pocket costs may result if the treatment can only be claimed at the default benefit rates so remember to check whether your cover suits your needs or if applicable choose a contracted hospital.
Dental
General dental
The general dental treatments you’re covered for depend on the item number for that treatment. Some covers exclude certain procedures. Contact us for a quote on the item number or use the benefit quote function in Member Services Online.
Dental prosthetists
Benefits are paid for treatment by registered dental prosthetists at 75% of the benefit which would be payable for treatment provided by registered dentists.
Major dental
Major dental includes all dental services relating to dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, onlays, facings, dental implants, endodontia, periodontia, anti-snore devices and orthodontia. Conditions apply for Active Choice, Young Choice and Mid Range Extras. Major dental is not covered on Basic Extras.
Orthodontics
Benefits are paid for active treatment and annual limits apply. To be eligible you must submit an orthodontic treatment plan from your orthodontist at the commencement of treatment. TUH will then advise the benefits available in writing, taking into account previous orthodontic benefits paid by TUH or any previous fund and length of active treatment. For more information please contact us.
Dependant
- A natural child, stepchild, legally adopted child or child to whom the policy holder is the legal guardian or who is in the policy holder’s legal custody.
- The policy holder’s adult children, who are not married or in a de facto relationship and who are under 21 years of age.
Extended dependant cover
TUH offers single parents and families with non-student children (including apprentices) the opportunity to purchase extended dependant cover. This allows young adults who are single (i.e. not married or in a defacto relationship), not covered as a student dependant and earning less than $50,000 (taxable income) a year, to be covered on their parents’/guardians’ policy until the age of 25.
Extended dependant cover is available for Ultimate Choice, Easy Choice and Total Care Hospital with $300 excess combined with Comprehensive Extras.
Student dependants
A policy holder’s student dependent child who is
- a full time student at a recognised education facility for the whole of the academic year;
- under age 25;
- unmarried and not in a de facto relationship; and
- earning a taxable income under $50,000.
A policy holder must complete and return to TUH a Adult Dependant Registration form upon commencement of study.
Students are not covered if they cease or defer study during the year.
Emergency departments
Visits to public or private hospital emergency departments or other hospital treatments where you are not admitted as an inpatient (as determined by law), are not covered by private health insurance.
Excess
An excess is an amount you elect to contribute towards the cost of your hospital treatment (including same day surgery and procedures, such as chemotherapy and dialysis). Agreeing to pay an excess if you need hospitalisation reduces the amount of premium you pay. An excess is only payable once per adult per calendar year.
The hospital excess is not charged for dependants.
Note: Reducing your excess is considered to be upgrading your membership. We will charge your previous excess within the first two months of the upgrade for pre-existing ailments or conditions.
Excluded services
These are services for which no benefit is payable under some levels of cover. Examples of excluded services include:
- obstetrics (pregnancy and birth-related treatments;
- labour ward;
- infertility investigations and assisted reproductive services;
- sterility reversals;
- joint replacements and revisions;
- cataracts, eye lens, glaucoma and macular degeneration; and
- dialysis.
Please contact us or refer to your product guide for exclusions and restrictions that might apply to your level of cover.
Informed financial consent
Before you receive treatment as a private patient in hospital, you are entitled to ask your doctor, your health fund and your hospital about any out-of-pocket costs you may incur.
Ask your treating doctor or specialist, wherever practical, how much their fee will be and if you will need to pay a gap. For major treatment, this information should preferably be provided in writing. It is your right to ask for this information before you agree to a proposed treatment. In some circumstances, such as emergency admissions, it will not be possible for your doctor to obtain informed financial consent before the service is provided.
You may have more than one doctor involved in your treatment, such as a surgeon and anaesthetist. Your surgeon should be able to advise who else will be treating you and how you can contact the other doctors to seek fee information from them. See Access Gap Cover.
Law/legislation
The main law governing private health insurance is the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 and associated Rules. TUH must also comply with its Fund Rules.
Lifetime Health Cover
Lifetime Health Cover is a Government initiative designed to encourage people to get private health cover early in life and to maintain membership. If you take out hospital cover after 1 July following your 31st birthday, your base premium will increase by 2% for each year you are over the age of 30 up to a maximum of 70%. This surcharge also applies to your partner if over 30. If you were born on or before 1 July 1934 you will not be affected by the Lifetime Health Cover surcharge.
Any loading you pay is removed once you have paid the higher premium for a continuous period of 10 years.
IMPORTANT: Having standalone extras cover will not exempt you from paying the Lifetime Health Cover loading.
Lifetime mental health waiting period waiver
Since 1 April 2018, policyholders may be able to upgrade from a policy which offers restricted benefits for hospital psychiatric services to a policy which fully covers psychiatric services without having to serve the normal two-month waiting period.
This option is part of a Government reform designed to make it easier for policyholders to access psychiatric services when they need it.
This exemption from the two-month waiting period can only be used once in a person’s lifetime, regardless of whether you have transferred between insurers.
If you have not fully served the waiting period on your previous policy, the unexpired waiting period will still apply. If your previous policy had an excess, the excess provisions of the previous policy will apply for the first two-months of any upgrade.
During your hospital admission you must be under the care of a consultant psychiatrist or addiction medicine specialist and the option to upgrade your policy must be taken within five working days of your admission to hospital. On upgrading, your premium will change to the rate of the upgraded policy.
Limit
Annual limit
The maximum amount payable per calendar year for an extras benefit. The annual limit is renewed on 1 January each year.
Sub limit
A limit which is applied annually (or another specified period of time) on the benefit paid for a particular item or service within an overall category limit.
For example: With our Easy Choice cover, you have an annual overall major dental limit of $2000. Crowns and bridges have a sub-limit of $650 for your first year, so this is the maximum benefit you can claim for this item. Your overall annual limit will then be reduced to $1350 which you can use for other treatments within the major dental category.
Maternity
See Pregnancy and birth-related treatment.
Medical Gap Cover
Medicare covers 75% of the Medicare Benefit Schedule (MBS) fee set by the Government for eligible inpatient services. TUH covers the remaining 25% of the MBS fee. If your doctor charges above the MBS fee, you'll need to an additional out-of-pocket cost, known as the 'gap', unless it's covered by our Access Gap Cover.
Medical practitioner
A person registered or licensed as a medical practitioner under a law of a State or Territory that provides for the registration or licensing of medical practitioners, in accordance with the Health Insurance Act 1973.
Membership eligibility
To qualify for membership with TUH, you must be aged over 18 and meet either of the eligibility criteria below:
- A current or former member of any Australian union.
- A family member of a person who is eligible to join TUH. This includes parent, partner or former partner, dependent child, adult child (and their partner), grandchild, brother or sister (and their partner and dependent children).
Medicare Benefits Schedule
The benefits you receive from Medicare are based on a schedule of fees for medical services set by the Australian Government. The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) lists a wide range of consultations, procedures and tests, and the schedule fee for each of these items. Benefits are only payable for hospital procedures that are listed in the MBS and/or meet the eligibility criteria for Medicare benefits. You can look up a service or item number via www.mbsonline.gov.au or ask your medical practitioner.
Nursing Home Type Patients
Non-acute certified admissions exceeding 35 days may be defined as Nursing Home Type Patient. Co-payment may apply, please contact us for more information.
Out-of-pocket costs
Hospital
Possible hospital out-of-pocket costs include
- hospital treatment that is not medically necessary or treatment which is not eligible for Medicare benefits
- charges in excess fo the public hospital default benefit during a relevant benefit limitation period
- cosmetic surgery
- outpatient treatment
- charges above the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) fee
- some pharmacy items
- personal incidentals (e.g. toiletries, newspapers, tv, etc.)
- experimental procedures/therapies
- high cost medications*
- robotic surgery consumables*
- medical devices not included in hospital theatre fee charges as determined by law.
*Special consideration for benefits toward high cost medications, exceptional medical procedures or other extraordinary costs related to the health care of a TUH member may be given at the discretion of TUH in accordance with the hospital contract. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Access Gap/Medical Gap Cover is limited to treatment provided during inpatient hospital admission.
For more information please refer to the Ombudsman’s brochure ‘Doctor’s Bills’ which you can download from www.ombudsman.gov.au. Alternatively you can contact us and we’ll send you a copy.
Extras
An extras out-of-pocket cost is the difference between the amount a service provider charges and the benefit TUH pays. For example, if a physiotherapist charges $70 for a visit and TUH pays a benefit of $32, the out-of-pocket cost would be $38.
Visiting a preferred service provider may reduce the out-of-pocket costs you are required to pay. For a list of TUH’s preferred dental and optical providers, please click here.
Overseas products, treatments and services
We do not pay benefits for services provided or products purchased overseas, including internet purchases where the goods are provided from an overseas supplier. This is to ensure you receive the high level of consumer protection and quality of service that is provided under Australian standards and health conditions.
Overseas travel
Private health insurance does not cover you for medical/hospital/extras treatment received while travelling overseas or while on a cruise ship in Australian waters. We recommend you obtain travel insurance for all overseas travel.
Payments
Your health insurance premiums are payable in advance. Your membership payments must be up to date to enable you to make claims. There are several ways to pay:
- Direct debit: We can automatically debit payments from your financial institution or bank account on a fortnightly, monthly, quarterly and half-yearly basis.
- Credit card: We can charge your preferred credit card monthly, quarterly and half-yearly.
- Accounts: If you haven't set up an automatic payment, we'll send your account to your nominated email or postal address on a monthly, quarterly and half-yearly basis. Pay by BPAY, credit card (over the phone, online, through our mobile app, or at our Health Hub).
If you are experiencing difficulty in making regular payments, please contact us to discuss payment options. Your membership will automatically cease if your payments are more than two months in arrears.
Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is run by the Australian Government to subsidise prescription medicines for Australians who have a Medicare card. If a medicine is subsidised under the PBS, you pay a lower price for the medicine, and the Government pays the rest. For more information, see www.pbs.gov.au.
If your cover includes pharmaceutical, you are able to claim the amount above the PBS fee up to the benefit amount.
Benefit excludes medicines or medications which are
- prescriptions less than PBS co-payment
- available without a medical practitioner’s prescription
- not approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration
- prescribed for contraceptive purposes.
Plastic and reconstructive surgery
Plastic and reconstructive surgery refers to the evaluation and treatment to correct functional impairments caused by trauma and congenital abnormalities. Plastic surgery can be performed to approximate a normal appearance, for example, a breast reconstruction following a mastectomy or skin grafting following burns. Plastic and reconstructive surgery is a restricted service on some levels of cover so please check your level of cover if you believe you may require this benefit. It is also important to note that plastic and reconstructive surgery is not cosmetic surgery.
Cosmetic surgery is performed for non-therapeutic purposes and no benefit is paid by TUH.
All hospital claims in the first twelve months of membership for new members, members upgrading to a higher level of hospital cover or transferring from another fund are subject to the pre-existing ailment or condition rule. This rule refers to an ailment, condition or illness, the signs or symptoms of which existed at any time during the six months before a member joined the Fund or upgraded to a higher level of cover, even though a diagnosis may not have been made.
Our appointed medical adviser will decide if a condition is pre-existing based on medical notes and standard medical practice. If your claim is deemed pre-existing you will receive the benefits relating to your previous lower level of cover or will not be paid if no previous hospital cover was held.
Please allow five days for all the information to be received and assessed by the medical adviser.
A waiting period of twelve months is standard practice within the private health insurance industry to receive benefits for a pre-existing ailment. Two months apply to palliative care, psychiatric services and rehabilitation. More about pre-existing ailments.
Pregnancy and birth-related treatment
While most of our covers include cover for obstetrics, some don’t. Please refer to the relevant product guide to see if you have the correct level of cover. Please be aware that a twelve month waiting period applies, and some covers may have a Benefit Limitation Period as well.
By law, TUH is unable to pay any expenses relating to visits to your obstetrician, gynaecologist or other doctors (including scans and doctor’s management fees) either before or after you are hospitalised. Medicare will usually pay a benefit on these services.
To ensure your baby is covered from birth, members on single and couple cover must transfer to family or single parent membership within three months of your child's birth and ensure the additional premium is paid from the date of the baby's birth.
Paediatric services provided to your baby in hospital are only claimable if the hospital deems it medically necessary and admits your baby as an inpatient.
Contact us for detailed information about Pregnancy and birth-related treatment or download the flyer below.
Download flyer
Rate protection
You may pay your membership for up to six months in advance at the rate that applies at the time. This means that you will not have to pay extra for the period covered by your premium payment if premiums increase during the period for which you have paid. Rate protection will cease if you change your level of cover or suspend membership. Any amount paid in advance of the date of the cover change or suspension will be applied at the rate that is current at that time.
Rebate
See Australian Government Rebate on Private Health Insurance.
Remote travel and accommodation
A benefit is payable towards accommodation for the person requiring medical treatment or, in the case of hospitalisation, the accompanying person who must also be covered under the membership. Benefit is only payable where a tariff is charged by a registered accommodation facility and valid receipts will be required. Under this benefit members travelling 300 kilometres or more return are also able to claim for travel expenses incurred to a maximum of one (1) claim only per family per trip (this includes appointments at the TUH Health Hub).
Restricted services
For services listed as restricted (for specific levels of cover) we will pay the default benefit for hospital accommodation as determined by the Government for restricted services. Examples of restricted services include
- psychiatric services
- rehabilitation
- surgery by a podiatrist
- gastric banding and obesity surgery
- plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Refer to individual product guides for services with restricted benefits. Any excess applicable to your cover will be charged even where a default benefit only is paid.
The default benefit does not cover theatre or labour ward fee benefits.
School accident cover
This cover is available for Ultimate Choice, Easy Choice and Family Extras covers only. It covers your dependent child for accidents occurring while attending, or travelling to or from school or an organised school activity. Benefits are limited to single parent and family cover.
Services covered under the school accident cover include
- travel expenses
- parking expenses
- physiotherapy (in addition to other physiotherapy benefit entitlements).
Please see the extras cover section of your product brochure for benefits, limits and sub limits. Benefits for other extras services resulting from a school accident will be considered individually.
Excludes:
- on-street parking fees
- services that are covered by Medicare
- services where you can make a claim for compensation
- services provided more than twelve months after the accident
Spouse/partner authority
A policy holder can request that their spouse/partner (on the same policy) be authorised to operate the policy on the same level as the policy holder (excluding joining/terminating membership and removing dependants). This can be done by contacting us or by downloading the Spouse/Partner Authority form. The policy holder may withdraw the authority at any time by notifying us, in writing or over the phone. See Transaction authority.
Surgically implanted prostheses
A surgically implanted prosthesis is a piece of equipment that is implanted into the body during a hospital procedure, such as artificial hip, a pacemaker, a cardiac stent, screws and plates. Most Government-approved surgically implanted prostheses are covered by your hospital cover, however, some will require a patient contribution to be paid if the supplier charges above the listed benefit. If a gap amount applies to your prosthesis your surgeon/hospital will arrange for you to complete an Informed financial consent form.
Suspension of cover
Financial hardship
If you are experiencing financial hardship and have been a financial member of TUH for at least six months, we may allow you to suspend your membership for a minimum period of one month to a maximum period of twelve months. Suspensions will be approved for an initial period of six months with an option to extend to a maximum period of twelve months. Multiple suspensions are allowed, however twelve months must be served between consecutive suspensions. No claims can be made while your membership is suspended or for treatment that occurred while your membership was suspended.
Overseas travel
If you are travelling overseas and have been a financial member of TUH for at least twelve months, you may suspend your membership for a minimum period of two calendar months to a maximum period of three years. Premiums must be paid up to date after you depart Australia, i.e. your suspension date plus one day. Two suspensions are allowed per calendar year. The second suspension can commence after you have resumed the policy for a period equal to the length of your previous absence or nine months, whichever is shorter. Please contact us to request an Application for Suspension of Membership form, or download the form here. No claims can be made while your membership is suspended.
An application to suspend membership must be made prior to the date of overseas departure.
Travel information to verify departure and return dates will be required at the time of application of suspension, unless you have a one-way ticket, in which case verification of return date will be required on resumption.
Please refer to the conditions that apply to suspension of membership, which are listed on the Application for Suspension of Membership form and the accompanying information sheet.
The remainder of any waiting periods or Benefit Limitation Periods not completed prior to departure will continue when membership is resumed.
Transaction authority
For any persons, other than your spouse/partner, to make transactions on your policy a Power of Attorney is required. For enquiries about the policy a Third Party Enquiry form must be completed. See Spouse/partner authority.
Transferring to TUH
Hospital cover
When you transfer to TUH from another fund you will receive continuity of equivalent cover providing you join TUH within two months of leaving your former health fund. If any waiting periods have not been served (at all or in part) with your former fund you will be required to serve the balance of the waiting period before you can claim any benefits from TUH. Where your new cover has higher benefits (including a lower excess or fewer excluded/restricted services) waiting periods will apply.
In case of a lower excess, you'll need to pay the previous higher excess for a hospitalisation in the first two months of cover.
Extras cover
When you transfer to an equivalent level of cover with TUH you will receive the first year benefits and limits (for covers that have annual limits that increase with years of membership) for all services, provided all waiting periods have been served with the previous fund.
Credit will be given for waiting periods partially served with your previous fund or on a previous level of cover if you are upgrading. If you transfer to a level of cover that provides services not covered by your previous fund, all relevant waiting periods for these services must be served with us.
Any benefits paid by your previous fund will be deducted from the TUH limits until the waiting period is served. Continuity of membership will only be taken into account if you join TUH within two months of ceasing membership with your previous health fund.
Waiting periods
For all new memberships and upgrades of cover (where your new cover has higher benefits, lower excess or more services), including transfers from another fund, the following conditions will apply:
- two months for all hospital and extras services unless specified otherwise
- two months for palliative care, psychiatric services*, rehabilitation and home care programs
- six months for Active Health Bonus, outpatient midwife services and optical (Young Choice, Family Extras, Healthy Options (60%) Extras and Mid Range Extras)
- twelve months for pre-existing ailments or conditions (excluding palliative care, psychiatric services and rehabilitation), pregnancy and birth-related treatment and prostheses
- twelve months for major dental, orthodontia, orthotics, hearing aids and mechanical/ health appliances
- two years for refractive laser eye surgery.
If you have transferred from another health fund on a comparable level of cover and have served waiting periods you will be able to claim straight away.
There are no waiting periods for accidents that occur after you join TUH.
Some services do not apply to all levels of cover. See your product guide for details on services available on your specific level of cover.
*Refer to Lifetime mental health waiting period waiver for details on circumstances where this may not apply.
Workers Compensation
Claims for work-related injuries must be submitted directly to WorkCover of the Workers Compensation authority in your state. In the event that WorkCover rejects your claim, TUH may make payment relevant to your level of cover. We require fully itemised accounts/receipts with a copy of WorkCover’s letter stating that you are not entitled to WorkCover benefits.