How to make the most of your extras over

Getting the most out of your extras cover means more money saved, and a boost to your family’s health and wellbeing.

The end of the year is rapidly approaching, and that means your extras benefits will soon refresh. Unused limits don’t carry over, so make the most of your cover by making sure you’re up to date with all your health checks before the busy festive period kicks off.

Preventive health checks are important at any age, but are especially key for those in their 30s and 40s to detect and get on top of any emerging issues. Now is the time to book in for your check-ups or treatments, like remedial massage, physio, osteo, chiro, podiatry, speech pathology and acupuncture.

Our wide network of extras providers makes accessing care and managing your wellbeing easy. Depending on your level of cover, which service you choose and which specialist or service provider you see, you could get 100% back^* through our no-gap services.

Here are some simple tips to help you get the most out of your extras cover before it refreshes on 1 January.

Book in your dental check

Regular dental check-ups aren’t just about having nice white teeth, they’re also important to keep your gums healthy and maintain good oral health. Poor gum health can affect things like your bone and heart health, so regular check-ups can help to pick up issues before they become serious. This is especially important if you’re a smoker, have diabetes or eat a high-sugar diet. Keeping on top of your oral health will also save you money in the long run, because recognising issues early will prevent the need for larger-scale dental work down the track.

We want our members to be able to access affordable dental care, and you can get this at our HCF Dental Centres or by seeing a provider in our no-gap More for Teeth network.

If you visit one of our HCF Dental Centres, you’ll get high-quality treatment with one or two dental check-ups a year at no cost, and 100% back* on a range of dental services, including check-ups, fluoride treatments and scale and cleans. Our dental centres also provide a range of popular dental services, like straightening with aligners and braces, and teeth whitening.

You can also access our no-gap provider network of over 10,000 dentists through our More for Teeth program, who offer eligible members 100% back* on a range of the most common diagnostic and preventive services (subject to your annual limits and any waiting periods). The More for Teeth program saved members $65m across the 2021-2022 financial year.

So if you’re overdue for a check-up, book one to get on top of your dental health.

Protect your eyes and update your frames

If you’re under the age of 40 and haven’t noticed any changes in your eyesight, it’s worth knowing that regular eye checks can pick up any eye health issues before you’re aware of them.

This means you can tackle any problems early on and reduce the chance of potential vision loss. Regular eye checks are especially important if you work at a computer and have a lot of screen time.

You can also use your extras cover to choose from a range of prescription glasses (excluding add-ons like high index material, coatings and tinting) or prescription sunglasses. If you’re in Sydney we have eight HCF Eye Centres.

Our More For Eyes program means eligible HCF members can access a range of frames at our Eyecare Centres and our participating provider network including Dresden and Specsavers. Eligible members can also get free digital retinal imaging with your eye test.

Manage your muscles

Long days at your computer (or hours scrolling social media on your phone) can cause neck and shoulder pain. You may be able to claim on the physio treatments you need to prevent injury or feel better, and on the first appointment eligible HCF members may get 100% back^* at selected providers.

Remedial massage can help by releasing tension and reducing recovery time. Even if you’re not currently experiencing physical pain, a massage has a range of health benefits, from easing anxiety and depression to helping fight fatigue.

Other body aches and pains, including niggles when you’re exercising, can also benefit from physio. 

Eligible HCF members seeing a provider in our More for You network can get 100% back^* on your first appointment with a chiro, osteo or podiatrist at selected providers.

Speak to a dietitian

The food you put into your body has a big impact on your wellbeing, both mentally and physically.

A dietitian can help with weight management, or give appropriate advice if you’re training for a big event. They can also provide personalised meal plans and diet advice to make sure you’re giving your body the nutrients it needs to maximise your skin, gut, brain and overall health. Setting the foundations for a good diet can take guidance, so find out if your extras cover includes dietetics by checking your cover.

Know your cover

It’s important to know what you’re covered for, so you can get the right checks and be your healthiest self. Download the My Membership app, log in to online member services or call 13 13 34 to check you’re eligible for the extras you want to claim.

If you're new to private health insurance or have recently changed to a higher level of cover, there may be waiting periods to claim for some extras services.

If you have dependants and they're listed on your policy, they can now stay on family health cover until they turn 31 (if they are single and rely on you for support) - as either student dependants for no extra cost, or on Extended Family Cover which is available on eligible covers and adds a loading to your premium.

Some products also offer a range of other extras like vaccines, non-PBS listed medications, hearing aids and our health management programs which include Learn to Swim and Antenatal/Postnatal services.

Find a provider

Once you know which extras you can use before the end of the year, and what the annual limits are on your level of cover, the next step is to find a provider for the service you want.

Our Find a Provider tool is an easy online tool that lets you search by service, suburb or postcode to find specialists and extras services near you.

Uncommon Care is our bottom line

When it comes to healthcare, people want to know they’ll be genuinely cared for in their time of need. As Australia’s largest not-for-profit health fund, we put people before profit. That means our members are at the heart of everything we do and we put their health before anything else.

Words by Carolyn Tate
Published October 2022