Did you know you can upgrade your hospital cover for psychiatric care without further waiting?

That’s right! If you or someone you know needs help, you can take advantage of this exemption if you have completed a 2-month waiting period for limited psychiatric benefits.

Why do we think this is important for everyone to know?

The hard truth is 1 in 5 people in Australia experience mental health challenges in any given year. You or someone you know may, at some time, require access to urgent mental health treatment and may put it off because your current health insurance coverage doesn’t include it. For this reason, we want to bring attention to an important Federal policy that could save lives.

Who can access this?

This exemption applies to hospital or hospital-substitute care for mental health services and drug and alcohol treatment. By upgrading your health insurance policy coverage (from limited psychiatric benefits), you’ll have access to improved benefits and the potential to receive coverage for treatments you had before upgrading.

When can I access it?

The best part? You can do it anytime, but only once in your lifetime. Also, if you upgrade within 5 days of going into the hospital, you may be able to get cover for the treatment you had before upgrading. However, if you upgrade more than 5 days after being admitted, you will be eligible for cover only from the date you upgraded.

Many patients, even healthcare providers may not be familiar with this policy which has motivated us to share this message. Patients are encouraged to contact their health insurer for further information on the policy but should still visit their GP to initiate their mental health care.

At Qualitas Health, we believe your mental well-being should never be compromised due to waiting periods or financial constraints. Please remember this policy is there to save lives, and we urge you to take advantage of it to ensure you receive the care you deserve at the time you need it.

To learn more about our mental health services, visit the link below. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions or to schedule an appointment.

Source: [Waiting periods and exemptions] LINK: https://www.health.gov.au/topics/private-health-insurance/what-private-health-insurance-covers/waiting-periods-and-exemptions#:~:text=about%20waiting%20periods.-,Mental%20health%20waiting%20period%20exemptions,only%20once%20in%20your%20lifetime