rt health

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About rt health

What is rt health?

rt Health is a private health insurer that operates as an open health fund. 

Background

rt health began in 1889 when a group of railway workers at Sydney’s Eveleigh rail workshops formed a co-op. The co-op would help workers and their families pay for medical treatment if they became ill or were injured. 

Eventually, the co-op became the Railway and Tramway Hospital Fund, which is Australian oldest registered health fund. The fund is now known as rt health.

In 2021, Australia’s largest not-for-profit health fund HCF took over rt health. It now operates as a subsidiary of HCF but still uses the rt health brand.

Originally, rt health restricted its membership to transport and energy sector employees and their families. It is now an open fund.

Who can join rt health?

As rt health is now an open fund, anyone can join.

What products does rt health offer?

rt health offers:

• Hospital Cover
• Extras Cover.

Do rt health policies include Ambulance Cover?

rt health includes emergency Ambulance Cover with:

• Hospital Cover
• Extras Cover
• Combined Hospital and Extras Cover.

However, in the following states and territories, your cover may be capped:

• NT
• SA
• VIC
• WA.

Check your policy to see whether your Ambulance Cover is capped.

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Is rt health a not-for-profit health insurer?

Yes. rt Health is a not-for-profit health insurer. Its parent company HCF is also a not-for-profit insurer.

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Does rt health operate in all Australian states and territories?

Yes. rt Health operates in all Australian states and territories.

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How does rt health Hospital Cover compare with other insurers?

Benchmarks	rt health	Industry average
Member retention for Hospital Cover	88.2%	86.9%
% hospital-related charges covered	89.1%	89.9%

Source: Private Health Insurance Ombudsman: State of the Health Funds Report: 2023

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Does rt health have agreements with some private hospitals or day hospitals to provide services at low cost or with no out-of-pocket costs?

Yes. rt health has agreements with a number of private hospitals that allow it to provide services to its members at low cost or with no out-of-pocket costs:

Location	Number of private Agreement Hospitals	Industry maximum
ACT	4	6
NSW	94	98
NT	2	2
QLD	49	60
SA	21	23
TAS	9	9
VIC	73	76
WA	21	24

RT Health also has agreements with a number of day hospitals so it can provide services at low cost or with no out-of-pocket costs:

Location	Number of day Agreement Hospitals	Industry maximum
ACT	8	9
NSW	86	103
NT	1	2
QLD	48	57
SA	24	30
TAS	5	8
VIC	69	79
WA	20	24

Source: rt health: performance

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How does rt health Extras Cover compare with other insurers?

Benchmark	rt health	Industry average
% Extras Cover charges covered	50.3%	51.1%

Source: Private Health Insurance Ombudsman: State of the Health Funds Report: 2023

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How does rt health compare with other private health insurers?

Benchmarks	rt Health	Industry average
Market share	12.5%	–
% services with no gap	86.7%	88.3%
% services with no gap or where known gap payment made	97.2%	97.2%
Market share of complaints to the PHIO	13.5%	3.1%
% complaints investigated by the PHIO	10.4%	3.1%
Benefits as a % of contributions	87.7%	80.5%
Management expenses as a % of contribution income	11.5%	13.1%
Management expenses per average policy	$472	$592

Source: Private Health Insurance Ombudsman: State of the Health Funds Report: 2023

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Is rt health a member of any industry organisations?

Yes. The insurer is a member of the Members Health Fund Alliance, an alliance of not-for-profit, member-owned, regional or community-based health insurers.

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Does rt health let me claim online or via an app?

Yes. rt health allows you to make a claim online using the rt health mobile app.

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How to contact rt health

Phone:

1300 886 123

Website:

https://www.rthealthfund.com.au/

Email:

help@rthealthfund.com.au

Address:

Level 3
403 George Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000

Postal address:

PO Box 545
STRAWBERRY HILLS NSW 2012

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