Adding extras? Is it worth it?

Extras cover is different to hospital cover.  

Hospital cover is an insurance product where benefits are payable if you’re hospitalised. But extras cover is like a bank of benefits that can be paid towards treatment that helps keep you well and out of hospital. 

So you can more readily take advantage of the value that’s included in your extras cover. 

Defence Health’s mid-level Value Extras costs around $930 per year. That cost goes down to $699 after the base tier Australian Government Rebate on Private Health Insurance is factored in (based on single cover in Victoria until 31/3/25).  

A wide range of treatment is available with Value Extras – including dental treatment, optical and psychology services, physiotherapy and speech therapy, medical devices and appliances and comprehensive ambulance services. The product offers potentially thousands of dollars in claimable benefits. 

Dental and optical networks offer more value  

Defence Health has a national dental network that makes dental care even more affordable. Using the mid-level Value Extras as an example again, you can take advantage of one no-gap preventative dental visit each year.  

That includes the check-up, scale and clean, plaque removal and x-rays – with nothing to pay! And your extras benefits work harder at a network dentist because of the agreed fees the dentist will charge for other treatment.  

You can also maximise the value of your extras cover at a ​Defence Health Optical Network provider​. In addition to gap-free frames, you can take advantage of discounts and network exclusives – beyond the annual optical limit. 

Use it or lose it

It’s up to you how much value you make of your extras cover. Get familiar with your product guide – or view your available benefits in your Member Portal. Most limits re-set on 1 July each year – you just need to plan your treatment within those limits to make the most of extras cover.