HCF extras cover: 10 common questions answered

Published August 2025 | 5 min read
Expert contributor: Julie Macey, Head of Ancillary Benefits, HCF
Words by Angela Tufvesson

HCF extras cover can help you save on everyday health services and stay on top of your wellbeing. Here’s how to make the most of it.

Extras cover can help you save money on services like dental, optical, physio and more. It may also help you stay on top of your health and wellbeing, with access to services like dental check-ups and physio appointments, as well as a range of holistic health programs. 

With lots of different options to consider, extras cover can feel confusing – especially if you’re new to health insurance or you have specific needs. Are you covered for glasses and orthodontics? Can I claim on my gym membership? Can you choose your physio? What about Pilates and mental health support? And what’s the deal with annual limits and waiting times?

As Australia’s largest not-for-profit health fund, HCF puts the health and wellbeing of over 2 million members first. In financial year 2023-24, we paid out over $732 million for members' extras services and covered over 11 million approved services.

To help you make the most of your health cover, Julie Macey, HCF’s Head of Ancillary Benefits, answers some of the most common questions about extras cover.

1. Which services are usually included in HCF extras cover?

The most common services included in extras cover are dental, optical and physio, explains Julie. Depending on your level of extras cover, you might also be covered for services like vaccines, chiro, podiatry, speech pathology and natural therapies.

The treatments you’re covered for within each service can also vary. “For dental, a starter extras product might cover you for a check-up, scale and clean, and simple fillings. More comprehensive extras products will cover more complex procedures like crowns and bridges,” says Julie.

Using our Find a Provider tool, you can search and access our network of health providers who offer No-Gap services across a range of extras. Using this tool can help you to reduce or eliminate your out-of-pocket costs.

2. Can you choose which extras you’re covered for?

It depends on your extras, says Julie. “With some products you have no choice, while with others you do have choice.”

HCF Choose My Extras  lets you tailor your extras cover to your specific needs. You choose four extras services from a selected range like dental, optical, physio and more. And, if your lifestyle or health needs change, you can swap a service for a different one, as long as no-one on the policy has claimed on it during the calendar year.

This flexibility makes sure your cover adapts to your changing needs, which could provide you with the best-possible value.

3. Can you get glasses or contact lenses with extras cover?

Extras cover will usually pay towards the cost of prescription glasses and contact lenses. “Eyesight tests and other checks provided by an optometrist or ophthalmologist are generally reimbursed by Medicare, so health insurers don't cover those costs,” says Julie.

4. Can you claim medications with extras cover?

Julie explains that some extras cover includes coverage for HCF-approved vaccinations and pharmaceutical items that aren’t subsidised by the Government or listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Other extras cover may only include HCF-approved vaccinations.

“Contraception and over-the-counter medicines are generally not covered,” says Julie. “Vaccinations are easy to claim in your extras. They don't have a co-payment, and you can claim up to $50, including for HCF-approved travel vaccinations.”

You may also be able to claim for kids’ vaccinations that aren’t covered by the National Immunisation Program^*, making it easier to keep your family healthy.

5. How does claiming on extras work?

Claiming is simple, Julie explains. At many healthcare providers, all you need to do is swipe or tap your membership card. “The provider will make the claim for you, and you only need to pay if there's a gap,” she says.

However, if the provider isn’t set up to put the claim through, you can take a photo of your invoice and send it to us through our My Membership app or online member services. “We'll turn the claim around within a few days,” says Julie, explaining that the invoice needs to list your name, the provider’s details, the date and the services you received.

For some extras policies that cover aids and appliances – for example, a blood pressure monitor or a CPAP machine for sleep apnoea – you’ll need a letter from your doctor to support the claim. “This is to make sure we're paying for the devices for the person who it was prescribed for,” says Julie.

6. Are all extras providers covered by HCF?

Not all extras providers are part of HCF’s network, but we have one of the largest in Australia with over 16,000 health providers.

Our More for You programs offer 100% back^{^} on selected dental services and a range of optical and hearing items, as well as a first visit for physio, osteo and chiro services. Julie says HCF has around 11,000 dental providers in the More for Teeth program. “Certainly in metropolitan areas, people should be able to find a More for Teeth provider,” she says. We're making it easier for our members to book and manage their dental appointments.

Our 24-hour online dental booking tool allows members to schedule appointments with selected dental providers in our More for Teeth network.

In the financial year 2023-2024, our members potentially saved $95.5 million through our More for Teeth program, including an average of $192 in out-of-pocket costs that could be saved at a typical dental check-up with a participating dentist.

7. Are therapies like Pilates and naturopathy covered by HCF?

Following a recent government review, changes were made to the Private Health Insurance rules, allowing health funds to reintroduce coverage for seven natural therapy services from 1 July 2025. "This means that health funds will no longer be prevented from paying claims for these services," says Julie.

HCF welcomes the recent government changes and we're now accepting claims for pilates, yoga and tai chi under Health Management Programs.

If your doctor or physio has recommended a gym program or exercise program like pilates to treat a specific medical condition (like arthritis, hypertension, obesity, asthma, diabetes or osteoporosis) you can claim towards the cost if you have eligible extras cover, subject to annual limits. A two-month waiting period applies and the benefits are subject to annual limits. Ask your doctor, physio or other allied health provider to fill in the exercise and gym benefits form.

However, services like naturopathy, Alexander Technique, shiatsu and Western herbal medicine are currently not covered by HCF.

8. What’s the difference between dental cover and cover for orthodontics?

If your extras cover includes dental cover, it may or may not have cover for orthodontics. “Orthodontics is an expensive specialist treatment that typically takes place over a couple of years at least, and not all products include cover for orthodontics,” Julie explains.

She adds that an orthodontist completes an extra three years of specialised training beyond general dentistry, and HCF pays a higher benefit for treatment with an orthodontist than it does with a general dentist.

9. What are annual limits and waiting periods – and can you use someone else’s limits if you share a policy?

Annual limits are the maximum amount your insurer will pay for a specific service or treatment within a calendar year. They run from January to December and reset at the start of each year. “A typical example might be $300 towards physiotherapy,” Julie explains.

Waiting periods are the time you need to wait before you can start claiming on your cover. For most extras, this is between two and 12 months, depending on the service.

10. Can you claim mental health services?

With some extras cover, you can claim consultations with a psychologist, HCF-approved counsellor or accredited mental health social worker. You may also be eligible for a free annual HealthyMinds Check-in⁺ – a one-on-one chat with a psychologist from the comfort and privacy of your home.

You might also be able to claim the cost of cognitive behavioural therapy programs available through This Way Up⁺, which help you understand and improve mental challenges like stress, insomnia, anxiety, depression and even chronic pain.

100% back on popular extras

We genuinely want you to get great value from your health cover. Make sure you’re making the most from your cover with 100% back^{^} on one or two dental check-ups a year, prescription glasses^# from a selected range and a first visit to a physio, chiro or osteo with over 16,000 extras providers in our No-Gap network.