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At CBHS we help you manage your health challenges. We believe in offering you the services, support and tools you need to live your best life.
Our Better Living Programs are available to support eligible members towards a healthier lifestyle. Each Better Living Program is subject to its own eligibility criteria.
Contact us for more information and to confirm your eligibility for a program.

Waiting Periods

Make sure you know what waiting periods, if any, are applicable to your level of cover.

Waiting periods apply to those who are new to private health insurance or those who already have cover with CBHS Corporate Health or another fund and choose to upgrade to a higher level of cover. Parts of waiting periods served within one health fund can be completed in another when a person transfers funds. If you upgrade your level of cover waiting periods may apply to benefits not previously included within your original cover.

Waiting periods for types of cover

Hospital cover

 

Hospital waiting periodCalendar month
Pre-existing conditions1 (except for hospital psychiatric services, rehabilitation and palliative care)12 months
Pregnancy and birth12 months
Hospital psychiatric services2, rehabilitation and palliative care2 months
Accidents3, emergency ambulance transport1 day
All Other Treatments2 months

1If you have a pre-existing condition, a waiting period of 12 months will apply before we will pay hospital or medical benefits towards any treatment for that condition. A pre-existing ailment is one where signs or symptoms of your ailment, illness or condition, in the opinion of a medical practitioner appointed by the health fund (not your own doctor), existed at any time during the six months preceding the day on which you purchased your Hospital cover or upgraded to a higher level of Hospital cover. The only person authorised to decide that an ailment is pre-existing is the medical practitioner appointed by CBHS Corporate Health. Our medical practitioner must, however, consider any information regarding signs and symptoms provided by your treating medical practitioner(s).

2Once you have served the two-month waiting period, you can choose to upgrade your cover (once in a lifetime) and access the higher benefits for hospital psychiatric treatment associated with that cover, without serving an additional waiting period.

3Accident means an unexpected or unforeseen event caused by an external force or object resulting in an injury to the body which requires treatment by a medical practitioner, Hospital or dentist (as the context requires) but excludes pregnancy. 

Extras cover
Extras waiting periodCalendar month
Major dental (periodontics, endodontics, inlays, onlays, facings, veneers, occlusal therapy, dentures, implants, crowns and bridges), orthodontia, artificial aids, healthcare appliances, oxygen and oxygen apparatus and hearing aids12 months
Prescribed optical appliances 6 months
All other services 2 months

Government initiatives
Learn more about how the Government interacts with your health insurance.

Age-based discount

More affordable hospital cover for young Australians.

Medicare Levy Surcharge

Calculate your Medicare Levy Surcharge based on income.

Lifetime Health Cover

Uncover the benefits of Lifetime Health Cover loading.

Australian Government Rebate on private health insurance

The Australian Government Rebate on private health insurance is designed to help cover the cost of heath cover premiums.

Private Health Insurance Reforms

Everything you need to know about the Government's Private Health Insurance Reforms initiative.

For more information on waiting periods, click here to view the Health Benefit Fund Rules.

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The CBHS Group acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we gather, live and work. We pay our respect to First Nations peoples and their Elders, past and present.

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