Looking for more control over the cost of your premiums?
A new higher excess level became available from 1 April on some of our hospital covers. This gives you more options to reduce your hospital premiums and more flexibility in what you pay for your hospital insurance.
Most people already choose to pay an excess when they go to hospital. Choosing a hospital cover with the new higher $750 excess can reduce your health insurance premiums – while still meeting the requirement to avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge (find out more)
How does an excess affect my premium?
Your choice of excess impacts the cost of your premiums.
You only ever pay an excess if you're admitted to hospital. If your hospital cover has an excess, this is a fixed amount you agree to pay towards your hospital admission (same day or overnight) before ahm pays you any benefits.
Everyone is different, so it's important to think about the relationship between your excess and your premium, how frequently you’re admitted to hospital, and the excess you’ll be happy to pay if you’re admitted.
Fit and healthy? A higher excess could give you more flexibility in what you pay for your hospital cover
- but be aware of the following:
Changing your excess resets your membership year. This means, if you choose a higher $750 excess and you are admitted to hospital, you’ll have to pay your new $750 excess – even if you have already paid $500 for a hospital admission in the last 12 months.
You can change back to a $500 excess within 30 days of changing; meaning we will revert back to the date of your previous membership year and acknowledge any previous excess payments paid under the $500 excess.