Defence Health 2026 premium approved by the Minister
Each year, the Minister of Health and Ageing reviews and approves premium changes for all health insurers.
At Defence Health, we carefully review premiums alongside the benefits and services we provide. While healthcare costs continue to rise, our focus remains the same; keeping cover affordable and delivering strong value for the Defence community we look after.
Like all health funds, we review premiums each year to balance affordability alongside the rising cost of healthcare in Australia. In the past 12 months, the cost of medical and hospital services has risen to more than 4.3%*.
The annual industry average premium is set to rise by 4.41% while the average 2026 Defence Health increase will only be 2.99% - lower than the industry average. This premium change will take effect from 1 April 2026.
Information is now available in your Member Portal.
*Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Consumer Price Index, accessed 28January 2026 release
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/consumer-price-index-australia/latest-release
Accessing your documents
Please note that not all members on a policy have access to all documents. If you require full access, please ask the policy holder to call us.
Defence Health Member Portal
- Member Portal – Just a reminder that you need to register before using the Member Portal for the first time.
- Tax statements – Click the ‘Tax statements’ tile on the Member Portal homepage. We send this information to the Tax Office for pre-filling of your tax return in July each year.
- Update payment details – Click the ’Edit payment details’ tile to update your bank or credit card payment details. If you set a future date for a change, the updated details will be visible from the day they apply.
- Make an ‘Express Claim’ – For faster payment, some claims can be made through the Member Portal. Online claims through the Member Portal are usually paid within two business days. Snap and send from your mobile will take longer than claiming online. You can claim the following services via Express Claim: general and major dental, optical, remedial massage, acupuncture and myotherapy, group physiotherapy, group exercise physiology, exercise physiology, psychology, speech therapy, occupational therapy, podiatry/chiropody, audiology, dietitian, physiotherapy, chiropractic/osteopathy.
- Accessing your documents - Please note that only policy holders and those with authority can access documents within a membership. If you require full access, please ask the policy holder to call us.
- How to register for the Member Portal - The first time you log in, you will need to take a few moments to register; this will give you access to your policy details and claims.
Make payments online
Our self-service functions make it easier for you (or the policyholder) to update your policy in the Member Portal:
- Make an immediate online payment to your membership. Click the ‘Make a payment’ tile on the home page.
- Update the account that we pay your claims benefits into. Click the ‘Edit payment details’ tile on the home page, scroll down to select the member and then select ‘View and edit’ and choose 'Claims account' from the list.
- Change your payment method or the frequency of your premium payments. Click the ‘Edit payment details’ tile on the home page, scroll down to select the member and then select ‘View and edit’ and choose ‘Premium payment’ from the list.
- Order a new membership card from the member menu at the top of the portal.
Our contact centre hours
- 8.30am to 8.00pm Monday to Thursday (AEST/AEDT)
- 8.30am to 6.00pm on Fridays (AEST/AEDT).
Some handy hints
To make your experience navigating our website easier, our team has created some helpful video tutorials which you can access below.