The moments that matter

Most people do not call their health insurer to talk about the everyday things that matter to them, like travelling, spending time with family, staying active or feeling confident in their own body. They call because something has changed.

For one HBF member, that change came with a diagnosis of pre-diabetes. They were fit, health-conscious and accustomed to taking care of their health, but the news left them uncertain about what to do next.

That is the kind of moment where the right conversation could make a real difference.

On the other end of the call was Aron Shick, Member Experience Consultant in HBF’s Member Contact Centre. The member had called with a health concern, and Aron heard enough in the conversation to know there may be more HBF could do.

“It’s rare that a member comes right out and says the specific issue that Health Support can help them with,” Aron said. “In this case, they did.”

As they kept talking, Aron learned the member was also managing other health concerns. What stood out was not just the diagnosis, although that was important. It was that the member cared about living well and was looking for a way to act on it.

“The moment the member mentioned pre-diabetic, and expressed interest in getting help, I knew immediately that we had someone who clearly cared about their health,” he said.

A moment like that can change the direction of a call. It can take a member from feeling unsure about what comes next to being connected with people who can help them make sense of it, one step at a time.

The moment behind the question

For Aron, a positive experience starts with the member feeling in control of their own health program referral.

That means asking when they would like to be called back, explaining why another team may be in touch and making sure the next person has enough context to continue the conversation with care.

“Getting to know a member, asking ‘tell me a bit about your health?’ and really listening, then putting that in the referral shows the member we care about their outcomes.”

— Aron Shick, Member experience consultant

Sometimes a member mentions a health concern, and Aron can immediately explain the support HBF may be able to offer. Other times, the conversation needs a little courage.

“Sometimes there hasn’t been a natural segue to the conversation,” he said. “This is when you have to be brave.”

For Aron, that can mean asking for another minute or two of the member’s time to explain support they may not know they can access.

“We might lose two minutes explaining something to someone that they didn’t necessarily ask for, but the number of times I’ve done it and genuinely surprised someone with the support we offer is more often than not,” Aron said.

That first call matters because a member may not expect their health insurer to offer support beyond a policy question or claim.

“The whole process only works if someone trusts that you have their best interests at heart,” Aron said.

The moment before the phone rings

By the time the referral reached Health Programs, Aron had already done something Susie Zoethout knows well.

Before becoming a Health Programs Consultant, Susie worked in HBF’s call centre as a frontline Member Experience Consultant. She knows how fast-paced those conversations can be, how much a consultant needs to understand, and how important it is to hear what a member has to say.

Aron had captured the member’s concern, confirmed they were open to a call from Health Programs and shared enough context for Susie to continue without making the member start again. For Susie, that kind of handover matters because the member experience has already begun before she calls them.

The first thing she does is check whether the right support is actually available. That means looking at practical details like cover, age, program criteria, whether the member is already on another health support program and whether they have consented to the call.

The moment the next step feels possible

Then, Susie starts with open questions.

How have you been managing? What has been happening in your life? What would you like to feel more confident doing?

And she listens to understand what matters most to the member.

For one person, it might be keeping up with their grandchildren. For another, it could be climbing a flight of stairs without stopping to catch their breath. For someone else, it might be getting in and out of the caravan comfortably, walking somewhere beautiful and continuing to explore the country.

Susie loves caravanning herself, so she understands how quickly a health conversation can become a life conversation. Health is blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose, and it is also the trip someone wants to take, the family moment they want to be part of and the confidence of feeling more in charge of their own body.

“You find out what the member’s looking for, their priority, and then we link that benefit and we recommend a program for them,” Susie said.

In this case, the member was connected to The COACH Program, HBF’s phone-based health coaching program for eligible members managing, or at risk of, a chronic health condition.

Susie explains a program like COACH in small, manageable pieces. She links the support back to what the member wants to achieve, reassures them the coach does not replace their GP or specialist, and makes it clear the member has room to decide how it feels once they begin.

“I often say, ‘let’s see how it goes’,” Susie said.

This takes the pressure out of the decision, gives the member permission to try, and leaves space for uncertainty removing a barrier to the next step.

Susie’s role is to make the support feel achievable and relevant to the life they are trying to keep living, and she can often hear the shift when the member starts to believe they can do it.

“You can hear, ‘yeah, you know what? I think I can do this’, and you can feel the excitement over the phone”

— Susie Zoethout, Health programs consultant

The moment coaching begins

Once the member begins The COACH Program, the next part of the experience becomes more regular, more personal and more focused on the small choices that can support their long-term health.

Brianna Boljevac, Health Coach, speaks with members monthly over six months or so, providing evidence-based health support that is individualised to their needs. Her role includes answering questions, sharing recommended health advice and helping members set goals that support them to change behaviours and habits over time.

By the halfway point of the program, a member has usually received a lot of health information. They may have been encouraged to follow up with their doctor or broader healthcare team, and they may be working on lifestyle goals such as gradually increasing physical activity or monitoring things like blood pressure where needed.

For this member, who was already knowledgeable about their health, the value of the program is in the rhythm of their calls with Brianna.

“They mentioned they have really benefited from regular calls for a source of external accountability,” Brianna said. “It is easier to stay mindful and make health-conscious choices knowing that someone will be calling you to check in on your progress.”

This kind of support is dependent on trust. Because COACH is delivered over the phone, Brianna builds the relationship through small, consistent moments. Asking about the member’s day, remembering details they have shared, using their name, listening actively and celebrating progress when it happens.

The program is not only about giving advice. It is about helping a member feel more confident using that advice in their own life.

“I hope that by gaining knowledge about their current health and future health outcomes, they feel supported and motivated

— Brianna Boljevac, Health coach

The moment members never need to carry

While the member is speaking with a coach and focusing on their health, other people at HBF are helping the program continue in the background.

Joyce Siok and Andrea Fisher, both Claims Processors, helped process the claims connected to the member’s program.

Their work depends on accurate information, timely data, and careful checks. The member’s program needs to line up with the claim details, and anything that looks inconsistent needs to be picked up before it creates a delay.

The member may never see this work, and that is part of its value. When the claims process runs properly, the member can stay focused on the program rather than the process behind it.

“Accurate claims processing allows members to focus on their program without additional stress”

— Andrea Fisher, Claims processor

If something is wrong or delayed, the flow between provider, program and member can be affected. When Joyce and Andrea’s part is done well, the member can keep going without another piece of administration landing in their lap.

One member, many moments

Programs like COACH reflect HBF's belief that better health is not just about managing a condition. It's about helping people continue doing the things that matter most to them.

“At the end of the day, it’s about helping people feel healthier, more confident and able to do the things they enjoy. That’s what makes the work so rewarding.”

— Susie Zoethout, Health programs consultant

Members may never realise how many people work behind the scenes to support journeys like this. Each plays their part, working together to help members move forward with confidence and keep doing the things that matter most to them.