Is a Silver Plus policy better than Silver?

By Trudie McConnochie Published 3 weeks ago

If Gold Hospital Cover is out of your budget but a Silver policy doesn’t cover as many health services and treatments as you need, a Silver Plus Hospital Cover policy might be the best form of health insurance for you. Silver Plus policies can be cheaper than Gold, and they often cover Joint Replacements – and with hip and knee replacements being among the most common elective surgeries in Australia, that’s a big plus (pun intended).

Indoor,Shot,Of,Casually,Dressed,Young,Woman,Holding,Papers,In — Image credit: Shutterstock

What’s the difference between Silver and Silver Plus Hospital Cover?

Out of 38 hospital services (known as clinical categories), a Silver policy will cover you for 29, while a Silver Plus policy will cover anywhere from 29 upwards (but not as many as Gold, which covers all 38). The amount of cover is up to the insurer – and there’s a lot of variation in the market.

Here’s one example of a Silver policy compared to a Silver Plus policy:

Silver clinical categories

Silver Plus clinical categories

1. Back, neck and spine
2. Blood
3. Bone, joint and muscle
4. Brain and nervous system
5. Breast surgery
6. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy for cancer
7. Dental surgery
8. Diabetes management (excluding insulin pumps)
9. Digestive system
10. Ear, nose and throat
11. Eye (not cataracts)
12. Gastrointestinal endoscopy
13. Gynaecology
14. Heart and vascular system
15. Hernia and appendix
16. Hospital psychiatric services (R)
17. Implantation of hearing devices
18. Joint reconstructions
19. Kidney and bladder
20. Lung and chest
21. Male reproductive system
22. Miscarriage and termination of prgnancy
23. Pain management
24. Palliative care (R)
25. Plastic and reconstructive surgery (medically necessary)
26. Podiatric surgery (provided by a registered podiatric surgeon)
27. Rehabilitation (R)
28. Skin
29. Tonsils, adenoids and grommets

All the treatments and services covered by Silver, as well as:

30. Cataracts
31. Dialysis for chronic kidney failure
32. Insulin pumps
33, Joint replacements
34. Pain management with device
35. Sleep studies

(R) = Restricted means the insurer offers only ‘restricted’ cover for this treatment. You will be only partially covered for the costs of this treatment and may incur out-of-pocket costs you have to pay yourself.

Make sure you check how much is covered, and consider waiting periods, the excess and other policy conditions before you buy.

How much does Silver Plus Hospital Cover cost?

The cost of Silver Plus Hospital Cover varies depending on the insurer and the number of Clinical Categories it covers. Using the healthslips.com.au Calculator we compared Silver Hospital Cover for one adult in Victoria with a $750 excess. Here’s what we found…

Silver		Silver Plus
Cheapest per month	Most expensive per month	Cheapest per month	Most expensive per month
$166.95	$199.20	$168.15	$378.39

If you’re considering a Silver Plus policy that’s at the higher end of that scale, it’s worth getting a quote for Gold as well – sometimes Silver Plus policies can actually be more expensive than Gold cover, so it pays to shop around.

The cheapest and most expensive Silver and Silver Plus policies found on the healthslips.com.au Calculator. Image credit: Shutterstock

How do I find the cheapest Silver Plus policy?

The easiest way to find the best Silver Plus Policy for you at the best price is to search every policy in the market – and the healthslips.com.au Calculator is the fastest way to do it. We compare every policy in Australia for free, and we don’t ask for your contact details, nor do we try and sell you insurance. Not only can you compare up to 10 policies, you can compare across different tiers, which means comparing Basic, Bronze and Silver policies (and Plus policies) all at the same time. We’re completely unbiased and we show you all your options to make sure you don’t miss anything. Try the healthslips.com.au Calculator now to search for the Silver Plus policy that’s right for your budget and healthcare needs.

Trudie McConnochie

Writer and Researcher

Knowledge is power – that’s the guiding principle behind everything Trudie writes, and it’s a philosophy she brings to her work at healthslips.com.au. By breaking down complex information into easy-to-understand blogs and stories, she aims to empower Australians to make the best choices and an informed decision around private health insurance.

Trudie understands firsthand some of the complexity of private health insurance having moved to Australia from New Zealand and having to navigate a vastly different public healthcare system and health insurance structure.

Trudie holds a Bachelor of Communication Studies (journalism major) from the Auckland University of Technology.