Member benefits
We offer a range of programs and benefits designed to support your health, help you navigate different stages of your life and access affordable quality care.
We want to keep you smiling
Our dental network offers you great value. With our national network of preferred dentists, you can access quality dental care at special member prices.
On most of our extras cover, you’ll have nothing to pay for preventative dental care. That means no-gap on your annual check-up and clean; no-gap for annual bitewing x-rays; and no-gap on other preventative dental treatment such as fissure sealing or plaque removal (see product guide for terms and service limits). More affordable dental care for the whole family.
Optical benefits never looked so good
Our optical network provides expert eye care and a great range of fashionable no-gap glasses. Get more value from your optical benefits at a network optometrist. Visit household names such as Specsavers, Q Optical Network, Bailey Nelson or George & Matilda Eyecare.
Choice, convenience and treatment when you need it
Waiting times at public hospitals have doubled on average since 2000 – sometimes stretching to more than a year. With our network of more than 500 agreement private hospitals you can get the treatment you need, when and where you need it. At an agreement private hospital, the accommodation and theatre fees for your included clinical treatment are covered.
Reduce your costs
If your doctor uses our Access Gap cover we can help to reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket medical expenses when you go to hospital. In 2023, Access Gap helped us to fully cover 89.7% of all hospital related medical expenses for our members.
Making a positive difference to the health of our members
Preventative health and wellbeing
Prevention is better than cure. So we’re doing more to help you stay well and out of hospital. We offer benefits to keep you healthy, including health screening tests and Quit smoking programs. And eligible members with hospital cover may receive the support of a qualified health coach to manage their risk factors for chronic health conditions.
Health programs for health challenges
We’ve partnered with reputable providers of targeted, evidence-based programs to address health challenges that impact health, wellness and quality of life. The programs are designed to target the risk factors for chronic health conditions including heart health, type 2 diabetes and osteoarthritis. For eligible members with hospital cover, a dedicated, trained health coach will partner with you on the road to better health and wellbeing.
Chronic Disease Management Programs
Healthy Weight for Life has three programs available for members. Through meal replacements, portion control and planning, physical activity and strengthening, and clinician support, this program can help develop the knowledge and skill to lose weight and then to maintain those results.
Helps members to reduce overall cardiac risk and improve day-to-day living. It’s suitable for members with body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 28 who have a cardiovascular condition (including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, irregular heartbeat, coronary artery blockage and many other conditions).
The osteoarthritis program helps members to manage knee and hip osteoarthritis. It is suitable for people with a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 28 who have hip or knee osteoarthritis.
Helps members reduce the overall risks of Type 2 diabetes and improve day-to-day living. It is suitable for people with a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 28 who have type 2 diabetes.
You’ll need to complete an eligibility checker to see if you qualify. This will be followed by a triage discussion with a Healthy Weight for Life health professional to determine if a GP referral is required. For many members a medical referral is not necessary. Click here to check your eligibility https://healthyweightforlife.com.au/eligibility/
Out of hospital care
Hospital in the Home, Rehabilitation in the Home and Home Nursing can provide you with the care you need in the comfort of your own home. That could mean not going to hospital, coming home from hospital early and receiving extra support when you do get home.
A service that supports acute medical services in the home. Referral to HITH is dependent on clinical and other criteria. If you meet these criteria, your treating doctor or discharge planning service at the hospital can refer you before you leave hospital to be treated at home.
An alternative to in-hospital or outpatient rehab including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, speech pathology, nursing and the coordination of this care in the home.
Members with select Defence Health cover can participate in the programs where their doctor considers it appropriate. A referral must be organised before leaving the hospital.
Depending on your product, your level of cover and clinical need, we can pay for a registered nurse in private practice to care for you in your home. Your doctor will arrange this with us if he or she believes you’ll recover faster after your acute hospital stay with a little extra care at home.
Members with Connections Hospital Gold, All Defence Hospital products, Ultimate Hospital Gold, ADF Total Package Gold, Advantage Hospital Silver Plus, Core Hospital Silver Plus, Premier Hospital Gold, ADF Top Hospital Gold, Top Hospital Gold, Value Hospital Silver Plus, ADF Public Hospital Basic Plus and Public Hospital Basic Plus cover can participate in the programs where their doctor considers it appropriate.
Everyday Hospital Bronze Plus, ADF Essentials Package Basic Plus, Essentials Hospital Basic Plus.
Mental Health and wellbeing programs
Mind Australia provides eligible members with mental health support sessions, delivered by a team of mental health professionals. The program provides flexible and accessible treatment to meet your needs, with a strong focus on recovery and rehabilitation – it has been shown to be just as effective as in-hospital care. You can develop strategies and practical skills to achieve the wellbeing goals that are important to you.
Clean Slate Clinic provides a comprehensive program of withdrawal and recovery support for alcohol dependence to eligible members. The program provides care with a dedicated specialist nurse and experienced doctors who will support you through three phases - Assessment, Detox, and Aftercare - to ensure you are ready and safe to withdraw (detox) at home, provide close monitoring by the clinical team, and a tailored recovery plan with ongoing nurse support to help you be successful into the long-term.
rTMS is a safe procedure for the treatment of psychiatric disorders, especially episodes of major depression. It is a mild form of brain stimulation where magnetic fields, generated by a simple coil placed on the head, are used to stimulate an area on the surface of the brain.
A session of rTMS typically takes between 20 and 45 minutes and is regularly provided on an outpatient basis. While receiving stimulation, the patient is fully awake. rTMS is usually well tolerated with minimal side effects. There is no need for any anaesthetic or sedation and there are no adverse effects on memory and thinking ability. Visit Monarch Mental Health Group for more information.
Eligible Members on Gold Products (with unrestricted psychiatric cover) diagnosed with treatment resistant depression may wish to discuss this as an option with their treating Psychiatrist or GP.