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2 & 6 Months Waiting Periods Waived On Extras + 5,000 Live Better Points @ Medibank (New Customers)

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EXTRAPOINTS

A policy like the Essential Extras includes a free checkup at a Members' Advantage Dentist and you can also get two pairs no gap at Specsavers from their $249 range.

For new members on new memberships who join and start eligible extras cover from 1 June – 10 July 2022 and who have not held Medibank health cover in previous 60 days (unless they are a dependent coming off their parent’s cover). Must quote promo code EXTRAPOINTS and set up direct debit when joining. Excludes Corporate covers, Hospital Cover, Accident Cover, Ambulance Cover, Overseas Visitors Health Insurance, Overseas Students Health Cover (OSHC), Working Visa Health Insurance, ahm covers and other selected covers. Not available to Medibank employees. Not available with any other offer. 2&6 month waits waived on extras terms: 2&6 month waiting periods on extras waived. Other waiting periods apply (including 12 months on some dental services). If you're switching from another fund and you've used any of your current limits (at that fund), that will count towards your annual limits with us. If you’ve reached your limits at your previous fund, you may not be able to claim straight away. Live Better Points terms: Must maintain direct debit and hold eligible product for 28 consecutive days from the policy start date to receive Live Better points. Policyholder will require access to a smartphone and will need to download either the Live Better stand-alone app or the My Medibank App and track any Live Better activity within 28 days after the policy start date. Must be 18 years or over and have a valid Australian residential address to register for Medibank Live Better. Policyholder will need to have registered a My Medibank account and linked their My Medibank account with their Live Better account within 28 days after the policy start date. Live Better points could take up to 8 weeks from the policy start date to be loaded to the policyholder’s Live Better account. Singles, single parents, families and couples will receive 5,000 Live Better Points. Live Better Rewards terms: Must be a Medibank member with hospital cover, extras cover, or hospital and extras cover, be up-to-date with premium payments and have signed up to Medibank Live Better with ‘My Medibank’ or have linked their MyMedibank account with their Live Better account to redeem rewards. Additional terms and conditions may apply to the redemption of a reward depending on the type of reward chosen. Read full Medibank Live Better terms here: https://www.medibank.com.au/livebetter/rewards/terms/

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closed Comments

  • +10

    Health insurance in Australia is a scam.

    • It is probably the only insurance you can legally "scam" the insurer if you exploit it correctly. Especially for medibank with the rewards system I frequently ended up getting paid to use the insurance.

      • +4

        Do tell

      • The points use to be better. Now only 2 500 point challenges a month. Got rid of the 150 weekly ones. Still covers 1 month of premiums a year @ $200

        • is it per calendar year or a year since your last claim on the points?

    • what an odd thing to say, you can always don't go the extras options, or just pay for the health cover loading. you have a choice.

      or you prefer the US system where your health insurance is tied to your employer?

      • whoever negged this, hope you find proof that what i said isn't true.

        try living in other countries where you can't even opt to pay for medical insurance. lol

        simply not understanding how it works doesn't make it a scam.

  • +2

    If you are only planning to keep the policy for a short time, the top 90 extra is of much better value. You get $250 specs credit and almost free sessions of 35 min massages.

    • +1

      How short can i keep the policy to make use of the extras?

      • +1

        Arbitrarily short. There is no min/contract at all. If you can finish everything you want in 1 day (which is perfectly doable) then you can cancel after 1 day.

        • +2

          Any tips? Just sign up, get the discount at Specsavers, then cancel?

    • Except most massage places do not accept health insurance for 35 minute sessions, they all require 60 minute sessions to claim

      • Ask around. I know 2 masseurs near me who are happy to do 35 mins no gap. As long as they have hicaps terminals it will be fine, and you can't go to in-network masseurs because it would be fixed percentage (90%) instead of fixed amount ($42.5 for top 90% 30min+ IIRC).

    • +3

      I just wanna get my teeth cleaned and filled, a new pair of prescription sunglass, maybe not planning to keep the policy long. Which one would be better?

      Currently looking for Essential Extras which gives 75% claim back

      • +2

        Definitely top 90%. A single filling is going to cost you $100-150 (before any claims payout) depending on location and number of surfaces, and the 15% difference between essential and top 90% is going to add up quickly. If you have not been keeping up well with your oral hygiene there is a high chance that you might need more services than you have expected.
        The 75% is only good for people who regularly visit the dentist and only requires check up and clean.

        • Damn I just understood which cover you're talking about!! It's the Top Extras with manually selecting the 90% rate back lol

          It's about $50/fortnight so should be able to get both done within the two weeks

          • +1

            @timliu1996: For wisdom teeth, you need to find out if it is a simple extraction or surgical extraction. Surgical extraction is considered as major dental by medibank and comes with a non waiavable 12m waiting period. I believe Bupa is the only insurer who classify Surgical extraction as routine dental with 6m waiting period.

            If it is a simple extraction, provided you have arranged all necessary appointments in advance, all your work can be done in 1 or 2 days.

            • @truetypezk: Thank you so much for your reply!
              I did clean and fill last year as I was in my parents private health insurance Bupa but I moved out so I haven't been with any health insurance since then. I do have four wisdom teeth but they are all above the gumline and can be seen in my mouth. None of them are growing against other teeth hence why I haven't done anything to them. I will join the top 90% and see what the dentist says.

              Say if I only joined a month and leave, is there a cooling period if I want to join back? Will they charge more if they see me just hopping around insurances?

              • +1

                @timliu1996: Ideally you should have sorted out your wisdom teeth before moving out of your old policy with Bupa. Yeah I would definitely recommend the top 90, and you can always downgrade if you prefer but if you wanna upgrade you won't get the 2/6m waiver again.

                If you join now, your first one off charge will be prorated to 11 June, that is the billing date medibank always use for new policy sign ups. After you complete the sign up, you can cancel your direct debit to avoid the hassle of having to call and ask for refunds. Your policy will lapse on 11 June which I think will give you enough time to do everything you want.

                Also if you have an Android phone, you can download their app and use the digital card for on the spot claiming. (A bit like google pay) It will be available for use immediately after the policy has been setup for you. This is important as in network no gap dentist can only do no-gap with on the spot claims. If you ask them to give you a bill and you claim from medibank yourself with the invoice later, you are going to be hit with a gap payment.

                • @truetypezk: Assuming the following scenario:

                  You sign-up on a random date for the minimum period (a week but you're charged a fortnight apparently, so ~$63, if chosing the 90% policy), you go to a Members Choice Advantage dentist the next day, use the app per your comments, and then cancel later that day. Will you be prorata refunded the remaing 12 - 13 days of the ~$63?

                  Second question; as you get 100% back with the Members Choice Advantage dentist, I imagine you're better off just going for the 60% back plan, as you still get the dentist visit free and then are only paying ~$26 for the fortnight, assuming its just a standard check-up? Assuming you don't get a prorata refund, this would be the cheaper option?

                  • +2

                    @mikeadwell: Upon sign-up, the initial charge period is always on a monthly basis, prorated to the upcoming 11th (e.g. if you sign up on 1st June, it will be for 1-11 June). The charge cycle (fortnightly/monthly/annually) is only applicable after this initial prorated payment.

                    I think you should be able to get a prorated refund if so desired, but I have never bothered doing so with the 11th day "trick". I just make my appointments in advance and sign up a few days before 11th. You are also free to set the next upcoming debit date by paying a prorated one off charge covering the period between the current payment date and the proposed new payment date, PROVIDED that your premium is not in arrears. What this means is that say you have signed up on the 8th June and paid until 11 June, and realised that the earliest follow up appointment you can get is on the 13 June, all you need to do is set the next debit date to 13/14 June and pay for the 2/3 extra days.

                    You may wonder why I say 14 June instead of 13, this is because after your visit on the 13 you may find out that you actually need another additional follow up appointment. If your premium is already in arrears, you have no choice but to extend your policy by the minimum payment period (fortnightly if you have already changed it, otherwise monthly). But if your policy is still paid to date, you are free to extend it by any number of days you desire by setting a new debit date.

                    As for your 2nd qn, if you are confident that all you need is a check up and clean (say because you have been pulling off this trick for years), then yes the cheapest plan can do it no gap. However even though I am 90% confident that all I need is check up and clean, I still go for the highest 90% plan due to massage and specs credits. I usually visit the podiatrist as well to get my dry heels polished and a pair of customised sole insert. Some unscrupulous ones even allow you to buy expensive shoes with your policy.

                    You can also dip in on chiro and physio (cheap gym/fitness classes!) as healthy individual but a single/couple sessions usually provide negligible benefit.

                    • @truetypezk: @truetypezk Thanks for the very details response. Much appreciate the effort!

              • +2

                @timliu1996: As for your last 2 qns, the answers are both no. I have been doing it for years and never had any issues.

                Extra insurance is hardly a "real" insurance which is supposed to guard you again unforeseeable risks that comes with catastrophic financial consequences. If you use the extra insurance as intended by the insurance companies, you are essentially buying Entertainment books with a bunch of discount vouchers which encourage you to use services you won't otherwise be bothered with.

                • @truetypezk: Thank you again, you're truly amazing!

                • @truetypezk: Now on the Medibank website: "30 days cooling off period
                  If you're not completely happy with your cover in the first 30 days of joining, let us know and we'll transfer you to a more suitable cover or refund your premiums (as long as no claims have been made)."

                  Looks like its gonna be at least 30 days of initial payment to cancel now, cannot do the tricks you mention before :(

                  • @timliu1996: I am pretty sure you have misunderstood the 30 day cooling off period. Also I think the cooling off period is a regulatory requirement.

                  • @timliu1996: If you make a request within the cooling-off period and no claim has been made, the full payment will need to be refunded.
                    If a claim has already been made or you have passed the cooling-off period, insurance companies will either do a pro-rated refund or if they consider the policy as an annual policy (e.g. most car insurances), no refund will be given once a single claim has been made.
                    As I have always used the extension trick, I didn't have the chance to try and request a refund yet.

                    • @truetypezk: Now I fully understand! Thank you so much!!

                      I have just signed up today, didn't want to sign up when the deal posted as I was in the middle of end of the semester exams. Now I'm on holidays so hopefully can get everything I need done within a month!

        • Does 90% only give benefit for member's choice dentists? What about non-member's choice dentists - does the percentage matter for non-member choice providers? Thank you.

    • +1

      I mean, I'm getting quoted $120 for a fortnight as opposed to $37 for the 75% essentials. That's a pretty big difference.

      Really depends what you're planning on claiming I suppose.

      • Yeah and depends on how long you wanna keep it. If you just need some intensive work to be done (say a bunch of fillings and a night guard) and get new sunnies, the cost is trivial compared to what you get in return.

        • So I just want to max out the $250 optical, a general dental clean, max out on the $400 remedial massage, and maybe physio/chiro in between and then cancel it once I finish the $400 limit. Do you think it's worth doing it and with the 90% back?

    • +1

      Do these massages come with extras?

      • Yes, and the claimable amount depends on if it is in network and your level of coverage (essential vs top)

  • dont they always wave waiting on extras, they have any time recently ive looked at it

  • 5000 bonus points sounds a bit low
    I recall joining last year and got 40000 bonus rewards points (lowest tier family hospital + extra)

  • Can i join extras only? i do not wish to cancel HIF hospital only?

    • yes

      • What if I'm with another health insurance fund on hospital + extras but my extras have run out? Can I still join Medibank extras only?

        • +1

          You can have multiple extras policies

    • Is HIF hospital cover better than medibank?

  • +2

    They now offer "Get 6 weeks free and your 2 & 6 month waits waived on extras when you join and maintain eligible Bronze hospital & extras or above by June 30. Plus you could get 25,000 Live Better Points (singles) or 50,000 Live Better Points (couples/families) to redeem on rewards like gift cards."

    T&C:
    For new members on new memberships who join and start eligible combined bronze hospital and extras cover or above from 16 June – 30 June 2022 and who have not held Medibank health cover in previous 60 days (unless they are dependents coming off their parent’s cover). Must quote promo code ‘EVENBIGGER’ and set up direct debit when joining. Excludes Basic Covers, Corporate covers, Accident Cover, Ambulance Cover, Overseas Visitors Health Insurance, Overseas Students Health Cover (OSHC), Working Visa Health Insurance, ahm covers and other selected covers. Not available with any other offer. 6 weeks free terms: Must maintain direct debit and hold eligible product for 42 consecutive days from the policy start date to get next 6 weeks free. 2&6 month waits waived on extras terms: 2&6 month waiting periods on extras waived. Other waiting periods apply (including 12 months on some dental services). If you're switching from another fund and you’ve used any of your current limits (at that fund), that will count towards your annual limits with us. If you've reached your limits at your previous fund you may not be able to claim straight away on extras. Live Better Points terms: Must maintain direct debit and hold eligible product for 42 consecutive days from the policy start date to receive Live Better points. Singles and single parents will receive 25,000 Live Better Points, and families and couples will receive 50,000 Live Better Points. Policyholder will require access to a smartphone and will need to download either the Live Better stand-alone app or the My Medibank App and track any Live Better activity within 42 from the policy start date. Must be 18 years or over and have a valid Australian residential address to register for Medibank Live Better. Policyholder will need to have registered a My Medibank account and linked their My Medibank account with their Live Better account within 42 days from the policy start date. Live Better points could take up to 10 weeks from the policy start date to be loaded to the policyholder’s Live Better account. Live Better Rewards terms: Must be a Medibank member with hospital cover, extras cover, or hospital and extras cover, be up-to-date with premium payments and have signed up to Medibank Live Better with ‘My Medibank’ or have linked their MyMedibank account with their Live Better account to redeem rewards. Additional terms and conditions may apply to the redemption of a reward depending on the type of reward chosen. Read full Medibank Live Better terms here: https://www.medibank.com.au/livebetter/rewards/terms/

    • link please? I clicked the original post link and still see the 5000 points deal

      • Literally front page of medibank.com.au

  • Does customer who has not been with them for more than 1 year count as new customer?

    • First sentence of the T&C "For new members on new memberships who join and start eligible extras cover from 1 June – 10 July 2022 and who have not held Medibank health cover in previous 60 days (unless they are a dependent coming off their parent’s cover)."

  • So with this, best thing to do is go to your appointments then cancel the following day after you’ve done everything? How do you go about cancelling the direct debit? Have just joined now and can’t see anything to cancel direct debits.
    Do you have to ring them to cancel your membership? If so, what excuse do you give them for leaving so soon?

    • +1

      Doesn't matter what you say. Just say you don't want it anymore.

    • +1

      You can't cancel direct debit I believe, but you can always put it on a card that is getting invalid/out of balance soon:)

    • +1

      yep, typically have to ring them for all things payment related. From memory there was an option to update CC online but somehow that would still not register in their system

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