I’m pregnant! How will the private health fund changes affect me?

Posted in Pregnancy Health.
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Private health insurance is about to change in Australia. From April 1 2019, all providers will be moving towards a three-tier system: Gold, Silver, Bronze and Basic.

We covered what these changes cover extensively here.

The bottom line is that how these changes will affect your current policy, and crucially how much you pay, will be down to the individual health fund. 


Read more about health insurance: 


Listen to Jodi Bird on Feed Play Love

Pregnant couples advised they stay with their current provider 

So what do these changes mean for families who are growing? That is, currently pregnant or planning on getting pregnant soon?

Unfortunately, at the time of writing there is a lot of uncertainty. But health insurance expert Jodi Bird from CHOICE Australia says couples who are pregnant would be best staying with their current provider.

“Stay where you are until April 1. If you have the option to talk through your policy with someone before this date then that’s ideal,” says Jodie.

“But in most cases, you should stay with the provider you are with to avoid any delays waiting for the period to cover.”


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Will you end up paying more? 

The answer here is a maybe.

Depending on your health fund, pregnancy cover may be impacted – with some insurers potentially dropping pregnancy cover altogether, or increasing the premium. While in other cases, it’s also possible the insurer may offer a cheaper policy.

If you are trying to fall pregnant and don’t currently have insurance, Jodi recommends waiting until April.

“Start considering your options and allow the possibility of having to serve out a 12 month waiting period.”

Jodi also recommends avoiding any comparison sites for health insurance until the changes have gone through.

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