Basic Hospital Plus Elevate Hospital Cover

Affordable hospital cover for a selection of commonly used treatments, including bone, joint and muscle. from $16.28 weekly
or $32.57 fortnightly
from $15.79 weekly from $32.57 fortnightly

Get 8 weeks FREE on us!
New members who join by 23 April 2024 and keep eligible hospital and extras cover receive 8 weeks FREE cover. Terms & conditions apply.

Learn more
Finder Health Insurance Awards 2024 - Best Basic Hospital cover of the Year

Best Basic Hospital Cover 2023 & 2024

HBF Basic Hospital Plus Elevate awarded by Finder.


Why choose Hospital Cover?

Comfort

Cover for your own private room1

Ambulance cover

Unlimited urgent ambulance by road2

Accident Cover

Cover for in-patient hospital treatment as a result of an accident3 from the day after you join

Family friendly

No excess for kids4

What you're covered for with Basic Hospital Plus Elevate

  • Gastrointestinal endoscopy
  • Skin
  • Kidney and bladder
  • Bone, joint and muscle
  • Dental surgery
  • Joint reconstructions
  • Gynaecology
  • Tonsils, adenoids and grommets
  • Hernia and appendix
  • Palliative care
  • Rehabilitation
  • Hospital psychiatric services
  • Digestive system
  • Ear, nose and throat
  • Male reproductive system
  • Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy for cancer
  • Miscarriage and termination of pregnancy
  • Blood

What's not covered on Basic Hospital Plus Elevate

Basic Hospital Plus Elevate covers a selection of commonly used treatments, including bone, joint and muscle. However, some services are not covered such as:

  • Back, neck and spine
  • Heart and vascular system
  • Pregnancy and birth

To see the full list of exclusions, view the Basic Hospital Plus Elevate product sheet.

If you need cover for any of the excluded services, you may want to compare your other options.

How does Basic Hospital Plus Elevate stack up?

Going with private health was a good thing for me. I got to decide when to have my surgery, and I felt more in control.
Leanne
HBF member

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Why trust HBF for your health insurance

Looking after Australians for over 80 years

We always put our members first

We're a not-for-profit organisation, so we focus on giving more back to members

Commonly asked questions

What is hospital insurance?

Hospital insurance, also known as hospital cover, helps cover costs when you go to hospital for surgery and other types of medical treatment.

It helps cover the cost of doctors’ and anaesthetists’ fees, as well as other hospital costs like accommodation, prostheses and theatre fees.

With hospital insurance, you can go to a private hospital for treatment, choose your own specialist and time of treatment, and gain access to a private room (so long as it’s covered on your policy and there’s one available).

When can I start using my hospital insurance?

As soon as you have served your waiting periods.

When you buy hospital insurance for the first time, rejoin after a break from cover or you upgrade to include a new service or procedure, there are waiting periods you need to serve before you can claim.

Waiting periods for hospital insurance fall into two buckets: 12 months for pre-existing conditions, pregnancy and birth and 2 months for most other procedures and services.

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What is excess?

An excess is a sum of money you pay upfront before you receive hospital treatment. Generally, the higher your excess, the lower your premium. The excess is paid once per member per calendar year (to a maximum of twice per couple or family policy) no matter how many times you may be hospitalised. The excess applies for day and overnight admissions. You won't be required to pay an excess for any dependent children on your family hospital cover.

How to manage out-of-pockets: Some HBF products have a lower excess option to reduce the amount you pay upfront when you go to hospital, but keep in mind a lower excess generally means a higher premium.

How much will I get back?

Where your treatment is an included service on your hospital cover, your hospital costs will either be fully or partially covered depending on the type of agreement your health fund has with your specialists and hospital.

With HBF, when you’re admitted to hospital for treatment you will get 100% back for the cost of your hospital accommodation and specialists so long as you choose providers that have ‘no-gap’ (otherwise known as ‘fully covered’) agreements with your health fund.

Just be aware of out-of-pocket costs, which can include excess or co-payments, as well any outpatient services.

What does hospital insurance cover?

Hospital insurance helps cover the cost of ‘inpatient’ services—these are treatments you receive when you’re formally admitted to hospital for care, e.g. for surgery.

The specific hospital procedures and services you’re covered for (e.g. chemotherapy, a colonoscopy, tonsil removal, knee reconstructions etc.) depends on the level of hospital cover you choose.

Generally, as your level of hospital cover goes up, so does the number of included services.

What does hospital insurance not cover?

Your hospital insurance cannot cover ‘outpatient’ services—these are treatments you receive when you haven’t been formally admitted to hospital, for example, tests and examinations (like x-rays and blood tests). In most cases, Medicare will help cover these services.

Depending on your level of cover, you may also have exclusions and/or restrictions. If a service is excluded, it’s not covered at all. Restricted services receive the minimum default benefit, which generally means a large out-of-pocket.

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We'll help you find our best cover that suits your needs.