Private health insurance

Private health insurance policies cover some of the costs of treatment in a private hospital. Insurance can also help cover 'extras' – other medical services such as dental, physiotherapy, optical and more. Find out how Health helps to improve the private health insurance industry.

Are you affected by the Medibank Private and AHM cyberattack? Find out what to do if you think your Medicare card number, or Medicare provider number has been exposed.

Learn about private health insurance

Find out about private health insurance — what is it, why have it, how it works.

Understand private health insurance reforms

Reforms are happening to make private health insurance simpler and more affordable.

What is covered by private health insurance?

Private health insurance provides cover for health care not covered by Medicare.

Compare private health insurance policies

Use this online tool to select and compare private health insurance policies.

Rules for insurers and providers

What insurers offer and how they communicate with policy holders is governed by Australia's private health insurance laws. Insurers, private hospitals and medical device sponsors must also comply with certain processes. 

The Prostheses List

Private health insurers are required to pay benefits for the products listed on the Prostheses List. Find out what the Prostheses List includes, when we update it, and how to apply to list products on it or change current listings.

Updates for private health insurers

Read the latest private health insurance (PHI) circulars for updates on matters affecting private health insurers.

You can access PHI circulars published between 2010 and 2018 through Trove on the National Archives of Australia's site.

Private health insurance circulars

Latest resources

Latest resources

Private health insurance clinical category definitions 1 March 2023

Standard clinical category definitions for private health insurance hospital policies, as of 23 February 2023 and effective 1 March 2023.
48:03

Changes to the Prostheses List timeframes (2023/24)

This webinar recording provides an overview of the timing and impact of bypassing the March 2024 update and information on the Prostheses List reforms planned for 2023.

List of declared hospitals

The Minister for Health and Aged Care must declare a facility to be a hospital under section 121–5(6) of the Private Health Insurance Act 2007. View the current list of declared hospitals.

Review of the Prostheses List advisory committee and associated subcommittees

This review provides options and recommendations for the future governance of the Prostheses List. It was developed by Ernst & Young under the Department’s Prostheses List Reform program.

Reforms to private health insurance have started

From 1 April 2019, new rules are being introduced to help make private health insurance simpler, more affordable. This will make it easier for you to choose the cover that best suits you and your family.

Find out more