How we cover your eye health
Doctors’ Health Fund offers generous benefits on all levels of extras cover when it comes to optical benefits. Our highest level of extras cover, Total Extras, gives members premium benefits and comprehensive cover on a range of services and on 1 April, we increased the two-year fixed optical benefit to $700.
Why did Total Extras optical benefits increase?
Every year we review our polices to ensure they keep up with the growing costs of healthcare. This year, one of those policy changes included the Total Extras optical limit increasing from $600 to $700 every two years. Essential Extras and Starter Extras continue to have generous optical limits of $500 and $300 every two years respectively.
How do optical limits work and what do they cover?
Optical limits renew every two calendar years, meaning you have your set limit to use within a two-year time period. They renew on 1 January either every odd or even year, depending on when you joined us. You can easily check your reset date on the app, Online Member Services or by calling our team.
Optical benefits cover your choice of contact lenses or frame fittings with prescription lenses as well as a $50 benefit for optical repairs. Prescription sunglasses are also covered. The benefits can be claimed in one go, or over more than one transaction, and we’ll pay 100% of the cost up to your two-year limit.
Optical discounts
All Doctors’ Health Fund members have access to discounts at popular optical retailers. Some of these retailers include Bailey Nelson, Clearly and OPSM and the discounts can be applied when you make a purchase in store. To find out more about what discounts Doctors’ Health Fund offers and how to redeem these, head to our optical discounts page.
Laser eye surgery
Laser eye surgery is becoming a popular procedure to correct vision and benefits are available for this service under Total Extras. When common laser eye surgeries are performed by a registered ophthalmologist in a clinic, we’ll pay a benefit of $800 per eye. You can claim this benefit for each eye (up to $1,600). Once these limits are reached, they will reset after 5 calendar years.
Eye care in hospital
All our hospital policies include the ‘Eye (excluding cataracts)’ clinical category, which covers inpatient investigation and treatment of conditions such as retinal detachment, tear duct conditions and eye infections. For Cataracts, cover is provided under Prime Choice Gold and Top Cover Gold. Therefore, if you are currently on Smart Starter Bronze Plus and need cataract surgery, you will need to upgrade and serve the relevant waiting periods.
If you require eye surgery, your specialist will provide the Medicare item numbers they will use for their procedure. We encourage you to contact our team once you have this information to confirm your cover.
Contact us
Get in touch with our team if you have any questions about making the most of optical benefits, to check your optical limit reset date, or if you have been considering upgrading your extras cover.
