How to get more value from your health insurance extras cover

Published January 2026 | 4 min read
Expert contributor: James Bernauer, Senior Manager, Ancillary Provider Partnerships, HCF
Words by Angela Tufvesson

Key takeaways

• Most annual limits for HCF’s health insurance extras cover refresh on 1 January.
• Regularly review your cover throughout the year to make sure it meets your needs.
• Choose No-Gap providers through HCF’s Find a Provider tool to reduce out-of-pocket costs.
• Schedule routine appointments early in the year and use all your available limits before 1 January next year.
• Keep track of your extras usage in the My Membership app.

Make the most of your health insurance extras cover this year. Plan ahead so you use your benefits, reduce out-of-pocket costs and stay on top of your health.

Many people don’t realise just how much value their health insurance extras cover can offer. Understanding which benefits are included (and how to use them) is key to staying on top of your health and making your cover go further.

With HCF, most annual limits for extras cover refresh on 1 January. This means you can book dental and eye check-ups, physio appointments and vaccinations knowing your limits have reset for the year. If you finished last year with unused benefits, don’t waste them this year. Make the most of your extras cover by booking appointments as soon as you can.

You can maximise your health insurance extras cover this year by reviewing your cover, choosing No-Gap providers and tracking your usage through the My Membership app. Here’s how to make the most of your extras cover.

1. Make sure you have the best extras cover for you

HCF extras cover can help you stay on top of your health, with services like dental check-ups and physio appointments, as well as access to holistic health programs, explains James Bernauer, HCF’s Senior Manager, Ancillary Provider Partnerships.

“Using your extras regularly for preventive care like dental check-ups, helps you stay on top of small issues before they become bigger, more expensive health problems,” he says. 

Regularly reviewing your cover throughout the year, and making adjustments, changes or upgrades, will make sure it meets your needs.

“Your health needs change over time – for example, starting a family, taking up a new sport or needing more frequent dental or physio care. Reviewing your extras each year ensures your cover still fits your lifestyle, so you’re not paying for things you don’t use or missing benefits you need,” James says.

HCF’s Choose My Extras cover allows you to select and swap* your extras services as your needs change, so you only pay for what you intend to use.

2. Book your check-ups early

Instead of waiting until you have a toothache or sore back, give yourself a head start by booking routine health checks. Scheduling regular appointments like dental, optical or physio early in the year can help you use all your available benefits before the next annual reset and avoid a last-minute rush at the end of the year.

Taking advantage of regular dental cleans and eye tests can also help maintain long-term health and avoid costs down the track. “For services like dental, it encourages consistent, preventive care, supporting better health for you and fewer unexpected costs,” James says.

Eligible members can rely on us to bring together experienced clinicians to provide affordable care. Our network of HCF Eyecare Centres gives members in Sydney easy access to high-quality, affordable healthcare, and through our No-Gap Dental program, members who go to an HCF Dental Centre or More for Teeth provider get 100% back on a range of common diagnostic and preventive services, depending on their level of cover and annual limits^{^}. 

With HCF’s BookNow 24/7 online booking tool, you can schedule dental appointments with selected dental providers in HCF’s extensive More for Teeth network.

3. Choose No-Gap providers

Choosing No-Gap providers through HCF’s Find a Provider tool can save you money by reducing out-of-pocket costs. Seeing an HCF More for You provider means HCF can either cover the full cost of eligible services like dental check-ups or initial consultations for physio, chiro, osteo and podiatry, or get you discounts on services like optical. 

“Be sure to check your level of cover provides the benefit you want to claim before booking in,” James recommends. “It’s a simple way to stretch your benefits further and avoid any surprise bills.”

4. Take advantage of the full range of extras

Keen to use your extras cover for more than just dental, optical and physio? HCF extras cover includes services that might surprise you. These may include:

• health programs for families, like childbirth education and breastfeeding consultations
• weight management programs, and if approved by your doctor as part of a health management plan, swimming lessons, exercise classes and gym memberships
• mental health support, including access to THIS WAY UP⁺
• teeth whitening and custom mouthguards
• approved vaccinations, including travel vaccines and the shingles vaccine
• remedial massage and myotherapy
• podiatry, including orthotics.

5. Track your extras usage in the app

Regularly tracking your extras usage in the My Membership app lets you check your cover, see how much of your cover you’ve used and calculate any remaining benefits you've yet to claim. Plus, you can also find More for You program providers, see past claims and plan your appointments.

“The My Membership app also makes it easy to claim on the spot, helping you stay organised and get the most from your cover – even if you forget your membership card at your appointment,” James says.

Get 100% back on popular extras

Want to get more value out of your extras cover? With HCF, you can get 100% back^{^} on a range of preventive and diagnostic extras like dental check-ups and your first visit to a physio, chiro or osteo. Our No-Gap network has over 16,000 participating providers, helping you access preventive care with less worry about bills.