Hospital Psychiatric Services

What is covered under Hospital Psychiatric Services?

Hospital Cover for Hospital Psychiatric Services includes hospital treatment to treat and care for patients with psychiatric, mental or behavioural disorders and addiction.

Examples include treatments for:

• psychoses such as schizophrenia
• mood disorders such as depression
• eating disorders
• addiction.

This clinical category includes these treatments listed in the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS).

Which Hospital Cover tiers include Hospital Psychiatric Services?

What does it mean if cover is ‘optional’?

‘Optional’ means that the Australian Government allows insurers to choose whether or not to cover the clinical category under that Hospital Cover tier.

What does ‘restricted cover’ mean? 

Restricted cover means the insurer pays only limited benefits. 

If insurers offer cover for Hospital Psychiatric Services under a Basic, Bronze or Silver Hospital Cover, they can do so on a ‘restricted’ basis. If you are admitted as a private patient in a private hospital for treatments under this clinical category, you will face considerable out-of-pocket costs.

You should check with your insurer before agreeing to be treated as a private patient in a private hospital if you have restricted cover for Hospital Psychiatric Services. 

Does Medicare cover Hospital Psychiatric Services?

Yes. Medicare includes all treatments under the Hospital Psychiatric Services clinical category.

If there is an MBS item number for the treatment, Medicare covers it. 

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