HCF SETS OUT FIVE REFORM PRIORITIES TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE
MONDAY, 19 OCTOBER 2026: HCF, Australia's largest not-for-profit health fund, has released five reform priorities aimed at improving access to timely, affordable and better-connected mental health care, following a national Roundtable involving more than 40 leaders from across Australia's mental health sector.
The priorities are outlined in HCF's new White Paper, A Shared Reform Agenda: Reimagining Mental Health Care, which brings together perspectives from consumer advocates, clinicians, providers, researchers, government representatives and insurers on opportunities to improve access to care, strengthen outcomes and support a more sustainable system.
The White Paper builds on HCF's Evidence to Action: Reimagining Mental Health Care report, developed with independent analysis from Nous Group, which examined growing pressures on access to mental health care, including ABS data showing that more than one in five Australians delayed or did not see a mental health professional because of cost.
The research found the proportion of insured Australians holding Gold private health cover – the primary hospital product providing unrestricted psychiatric benefits – fell from approximately 40 per cent in late 2019 to 28 per cent in late 2025, equivalent to around 885,000 fewer people holding comprehensive cover.
HCF CEO and Managing Director Lorraine Thomas said the White Paper will help move the conversation from identifying challenges towards practical reform.
"There’s already a lot of good work happening across Australia's mental health system, but too many people still struggle to access the care they need.
"The challenge now is turning good ideas into practical changes that make it easier for people to find support, navigate care and access the right help at the right time.
"This is ultimately about people, not systems.
"The real measure of success is whether we improve access, continuity of care and outcomes for Australians," Ms Thomas said.
The White Paper highlights the challenges many Australians face accessing timely, affordable and coordinated mental health care, often having to navigate disconnected services across public and private care, primary care and community settings.
A consistent theme throughout the Roundtable discussion was the importance of helping people access support earlier and ensuring care is better connected across their mental health journey.
Adjunct Professor Karen Price, former President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and Chair of the HCF Research Foundation, said the discussion should focus not only on treatment, but also on helping people manage their mental health over time.
"We are missing the concept of 'deep care'. Too often, we patch people up and put them back into the system, rather than helping them understand how to manage their condition and where to seek support before they reach crisis."
The White Paper explores opportunities to strengthen support before, during and after hospital treatment, while recognising the important role inpatient care plays for people with acute and complex needs.
Matt Hanrahan, CEO of Healthe Care, said hospital care should be supported by stronger services before, during and after treatment.
"Hospital-based care is, and will remain, a key component of the mental health system, providing essential care for people with acute and complex needs.
"Equally important is the availability of complementary services such as early intervention, intensive outpatient care, step-up and step-down programs, and effective discharge pathways that support recovery and improve long-term outcomes."
Roundtable participants prioritised five reform opportunities for further development:
- funding selected non-hospital treatments through private cover to support prevention and alternative models of care;
- enabling more flexible mental health support across the continuum of care, including prevention, hospital avoidance, chronic disease management and post-discharge support;
- modernising risk equalisation settings to better reflect mental health and chronic care;
- considering measured changes to product tiers and allowable services under hospital cover to better support contemporary models of care; and
- strengthening workforce capacity, including greater use of top-of-scope care and multidisciplinary models.
The five priorities sit across three reform levers:
- Shift demand through early intervention and care substitution;
- Rebalance risk and price signals across the private health insurance system; and
- Expand effective supply through workforce and care model reform.
The White Paper makes clear that these priorities are intended as areas for further development rather than fully designed policy proposals. Each will require further evidence, consultation, consumer and clinical input, implementation design and assessment of costs and benefits.
Participation in the Roundtable did not imply endorsement of every finding or reform option.
White Paper: A Shared Reform Agenda: Reimagining Mental Health Care
Evidence to Action Report: Evidence to Action: Reimagining Mental Health Care
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
Sources
- More than one in five Australians delayed or did not see a mental health professional because of cost – Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Patient Experiences Survey 2022-23; cited in HCF's Evidence to Action: Reimagining Mental Health Care report.
- Gold cover participation declined from approximately 40% to 28% between Q4 2019 and Q4 2025 – HCF’s Evidence to Action: Reimagining Mental Health Care report, based on Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Private Health Insurance Reforms data.
- Approximately 885,000 fewer insured people hold Gold cover compared with 2019 – HCF’s Evidence to Action: Reimagining Mental Health Care report, based on Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Private Health Insurance Reforms data.
- A Shared Reform Agenda: Reimagining Mental Health Care was informed by HCF's Evidence to Action research and a Roundtable involving more than 40 leaders from across Australia's mental health ecosystem, including consumer advocates, clinicians, providers, researchers, government representatives and insurers.
Analysis underpinning the Evidence to Action report was undertaken by Nous Group.
About the White Paper
A Shared Reform Agenda: Reimagining Mental Health Care identifies five reform priorities for further development aimed at improving access to care, strengthening continuity of care and supporting the long-term sustainability of Australia's mental health system. The priorities are not final policy positions and will require further consultation, evidence development and design work.
Media enquiries to:
Joni Thomes 0475 576 738 or jthomes@hcf.com.au
ABOUT HCF
HCF, Australia’s largest not-for-profit health fund protecting Australians since 1932, covers more than 2.1 million members with health and life1 insurance, travel2, pet 3 home4, landlord4 and car insurance4. HCF has been awarded Outstanding Value Health Insurance by Canstar eleven years in a row from 2016-2026. On average over the last 10 years, HCF has paid out more cents in every dollar in premiums on its health insurance products to members as benefits than the industry average*. To learn more about HCF go to hcf.com.au/about-us
* 88.7% compared to 84.4% across the industry. Calculated based on the average of the past 10 years, sourced from APRA Statistics: Operations of Private Health Insurers Annual Report data 2015–24 and Quarterly Private Health Insurance Statistics Jul 2024–Jun 2025.
1 Issued by HCF Life. Consider the PDS and TMD at hcf.com.au/lifeinfo
2 HCF Travel Insurance is arranged and managed by AWP Australia Pty Ltd ABN 52 097 227 177 AFSL 245631 trading as Allianz Global Assistance for the insurer Allianz Australia Insurance Limited ABN 15 000 122 850 AFSL 234708. Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and applicable sub-limits apply. Please consider the PDS at hcf.com.au/travel and TMD at allianzpartners.com.au/policies before deciding whether to buy the product.
3 HCF Pet Insurance is issued by PetSure (Australia) Pty Ltd, except for policies entered into before 21 March 2024 and subsequent renewals of those policies, which are issued by The Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd. Consider the PDS and TMD at hcf.com.au/petinsurance before deciding if the product is right for you.
4 Issued by Allianz Australia Insurance Limited ABN 15 000 122 850 AFSL 234708. Consider the PDS for Home insurance at hcf.com.au/home, for HCF Landlord insurance at hcf.com.au/landlord and for HCF Car insurance at hcf.com.au/car, and TMDs which are available for HCF Home insurance and HCF Landlord insurance here and for HCF Car insurance by calling 1300 657 046, before deciding if the product is right for you.
