What is the difference between Hospital Cover and Extras Cover?

In Australia, there are 2 main types of private health insurance – Hospital Cover and Extras Cover. 

Hospital Cover

Hospital Cover helps you pay for the cost of treatment as a private patient in hospital. 

It helps you cover the cost of being treated as a private patient in a public hospital, private hospital or day hospital.

Depending on the Hospital Cover tier (Basic, Bronze, Silver or Gold) you choose, your policy covers some or all of your:

• hospital accommodation costs (including meals)
• theatre costs.

Extras Cover

Extras Cover is also known as general treatment or ancillary cover. It is a type of health insurance that helps you pay for health services that are not covered by Medicare and received outside hospital. 

Medical and allied health services such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and chiropractic, fall under Extras Cover.