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Prime Choice

Comparable to other funds top cover

Cover Highlights

  • No exclusions or restrictions for services eligible for Medicare benefits
  • It has two pricing levels due to offering the choice of either a nil excess or an excess option. Prime Choice has a great per admission excess of $250. Only $250 of excess is paid per admission until the full amount of excess is paid for the year.
  • National Ambulance Cover

What you get:

Effective 1 April 2011

Excess

Single membership options: no excess or $500 per calendar year.

Family, couple or sole-parent family membership options: no excess or $1,000 per calendar year.


$250 of excess is paid per admission until the full amount of excess is paid for the year. The total excess amount applies to the entire membership not for each person covered by the membership.

Co-payments 

None

Waiting Periods

None for accidents

12 months for pre-existing conditions

12 months for obstetrics

2 months for psychiatric, rehabilitation and palliative care (whether or not for a pre-existing condition), and all other treatments

Exclusions

None

Benefit restrictions

Plastic and reconstructive surgery benefits for hospital and medical costs are restricted to services eligible for Medicare benefits. When chosen for cosmetic reasons only default hospital accommodation benefits apply.

Ambulance

National cover for emergency and medically necessary ambulance services when
  • an ambulance is called to attend you but you are not subsequently taken to hospital
  • it is medically necessary for you to be transported by an ambulance to be admitted to hospital
  • you need immediate medical attention at a hospital or other approved facility
  • you are an admitted patient and need to be transferred to another hospital

Accommodation

In a contracted private hospital or day-only facility, or a public hospital as a private patient all costs of accommodation are covered after the excess is paid. In non-contract hospitals and day-only facilities the lowest contracted benefit is paid and you can expect to have out-of-pocket expenses.

Hospital services

After the excess is paid all costs are covered for theatre and labour ward services while you are an in-patient.

Medical services

gap cover

The cost of doctors' services delivered while you are an admitted patient can be covered by the Access Gap Cover scheme which reduces or eliminates your medical services out-of-pocket expenses. When your doctor agrees to participate in the Access Gap Cover scheme the Fund covers the scheme's scheduled amount for your treatment. The doctor may choose to charge you a payment above the scheme's scheduled amount. This may be no more than $400 per service, or for the birth of a child no more than $800 for the total confinement. Most pathology and radiology providers have contracts with us, so while you are an admitted patient most of these services will have no out-of-pocket expense. Claims using this gap scheme should be submitted directly to the Fund. Check that your doctors have marked any bills sent to you as Access Gap cover accounts. To find doctors who participate in this gap scheme use the Doctor Search facility on this website.

Pharmaceuticals

In a contracted private hospital or day-only facility, or a public hospital as a private patient all costs of PBS pharmaceuticals related to the condition being treated are covered, and the cost of non-PBS items related to the condition being treated are covered as per the contract with the hospital. In non-contract hospitals and day-only facilities the lowest contracted benefit is paid and you can expect to have out-of-pocket expenses.

Prostheses

Covers 100% of the minimum cost specified for government approved prostheses.

Other

Up to $70 per day for travel and accommodation where a doctor certifies the need for a parent, spouse or child to be with a member in hospital more than 200 kms from home. An annual limit of $800 applies.

What you can expect to pay if you go to hospital

Your excess For personal items such as newspapers and television hire. The difference between the Medicare Schedule fee and your doctor’s fee. From 1 August 2007 this will only apply if your doctor does not wish to participate in the Access Gap Scheme.

 

Looking for Extras Cover as well?

You can add Extras cover to your Hospital Cover

View Extras Options