On this page:
- Who is Health Care Insurance?
- Does HCI get many complaints from members?
- How good is HCI's gap cover?
- How many hospital agreements does HCI have in each state?
- Does HCI offer ambulance cover?
- Does HCI let you claim online or in-app?
Who is Health Care Insurance?
Health Care Insurance (HCI) is a nonprofit health fund established in 1938. Based in Tasmania, it has more than 13,000 members and is entirely member-owned. It's part of Members Health, an alliance of nonprofit and mutual health funds.
Phone: 1800 804 950
Website: hciltd.com.au
Does HCI get many complaints from members?
HCI has a Low complaints rating.
When we score policies we give each fund a complaints rating, based on the number of complaints and serious disputes the Ombudsman deals with. We take into account the size of the fund, so big funds don't get automatically penalised for having more complaints. The ratings are Low, Medium and High. A Low rating is better than a High rating – it means the fund has fewer complaints and fewer serious disputes for its size.
How good is HCI's gap cover?
A medical gap is the difference between Medicare's recommended fee and what your doctor actually charges for a treatment or service.
Health funds have agreements with particular doctors and hospitals to cover all of the gap, which are called 'no gap agreements', or part of that gap, which are called 'known gap agreements' (these will have lower out-of-pocket costs, usually less than $500).
Our graphic below displays the CHOICE gap rating, which takes into account the percentage of services where members either paid no gap or a known gap, compared to the state average.
Rating scale
- Well above average
- Above average
- Average
- Below average
- Well below average
How many hospital agreements does HCI have in each state?
The benefit amount your fund pays you for hospital services depends not only on the type of cover you buy, but also whether your fund has an agreement with the hospital where you're treated.
The table below shows how many hospital agreements HCI has in your state compared to the fund with the highest number (the industry maximum). Note that public hospitals don't have agreements with specific funds and are generally treated as though they're agreement hospitals.
Does HCI offer ambulance cover?
HCI Premier Extras and Premier Package policies have cover for emergency ambulance.
Does HCI offer family policies that cover adult children?
- Adult children are covered on family policies for free until they turn 23.
- Full-time students are covered on family policies for free until they turn 32.
- Adult children younger than 32 can be covered on extended family policies for an extra cost.
Does HCI let you claim online or in-app?
You can claim online or in-app (iOS and Android).
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In more than 60 years of making a difference for Australian consumers, we've never taken ads or sponsorship.
Instead we're funded by members who value expert reviews and independent product testing.
With no self-interest behind our advice, you don't just buy smarter, you get the answers that you need.
You know without hesitation what's safe for you and your family.
And you'll never be alone when something goes wrong or a business treats you unfairly.
Learn more about CHOICE membership today
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
