Health insurance
- July 1, 2008
Conception
For your peace of mind, ensure you're insured before you conceive.
If you want hospital cover when you give birth to your baby, you will need to double-check the requirements with your own health fund. If you don't have health insurance and you think you might need it, start looking at the options as soon as possible.
Many funds require you to be a member of a fund plan, including hospital cover, for a minimum of twelve months prior to utilising the fund for any obstetrics services.
This generally means that you will need to have signed up for your required level of hospital cover at least three months prior to falling pregnant. Your health fund will usually double check conception dates with your Health Practitioner if the timing is close.
The introduction of a 30% rebate for members of private health funds in Australia offers an increased incentive to utilise private health cover.
Most funds also offer different levels of cover which enable you to choose more flexible cover options to suit your budget. For example with some funds you can choose your own Health Practitioner in a public hospital, but reduce the cost of cover by staying in a shared ward.
Always shop around for health cover and check waiting periods and details of specific cover carefully.
Chat to other Essential Baby members about health insurance.
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