It's really important to us that our members can look after their health and wellbeing, especially in these uncertain times. So, eligible members will now be able to claim for one-to-one telehealth services from recognised HCF providers for a limited time for the following services:

1. Birthing classes
2. Dietetics
3. Exercise physiology
4. Lactation consults
5. Occupational therapy
6. Podiatry
7. Psychology
8. Physiotherapy.
9. Speech Pathology
   

Please know we’ll pay telehealth claims for eligible members that are delivered:

• between 30 March 2020 and 31 December 2022; and
• one-to-one through an approved industry telehealth platform and in line with industry telehealth guidelines.

Remember to check your extras cover first to see if the above services are included and if any waiting periods or annual limits apply.

HOW TO CLAIM

1. Ask your provider to fill in an HCF Telehealth Extras Claim Form and send it back to you with a receipt. If you’d like to send this form to your provider, you can download it here or call us on 13 13 34 to send you one.
2. To send your claim:

• Visit the make a claim page in Online Member Services or use the HCF My Membership mobile app by taking a photo of your receipt, attaching the completed form and submitting them.
  
• Post your completed claim form and receipts, to: HCF, GPO Box 4242, Sydney NSW 2001.  

We understand times like these can be confusing, especially when it comes to going to hospital for an elective procedure. Following the postponement of some elective surgery, selected private hospitals are re-opening for non-urgent elective surgeries (depending on state restrictions). If your procedure has been postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions or you're booked in for an upcoming elective surgery, we recommend speaking to your treating specialist to confirm your surgery will still go ahead.

If your elective surgery was cancelled or delayed because of COVID-19 please contact your treating specialist to talk through when your surgery could take place. A number of factors will be considered in prioritising patients for elective surgery including: risk of COVID-19, patient health status, available resources including personal protective equipment and hospital intensive care beds.

There are few other environments where hygiene and safety is prioritised as highly as a hospital, and that’s more important now than ever. So while there’s still a lot of uncertainty around COVID-19 hospitals are doing everything they can to protect patients and health workers so you can get the treatment you need.

Your private health cover still gives you access to your choice of specialist and hospital and timely care when you need it most. You can also access health services not covered by Medicare such as physio, dental and optical.