Latrobe health insurance review

Overview

Today, Latrobe Health covers 81,000 members Australia-wide.

A not-for-profit fund, Latrobe exists only to support its members, aiming to provide affordable cover, higher benefits, and helpful and prompt customer service. Latrobe Health services offers a range of hospital cover and extras plans.

Latrobe is still regionally focused and plays an active role in the community.

Latrobe Health Services isn't on our health funds panel but we're confident we can get you a great deal on your health insurance.

Hospital cover

Nobody chooses to go to hospital.

But when you do, hospital cover will help you get the treatment you need, where and when you want it.

It also helps to pay the bills, as fees for hospital rooms and specialists can add up.

Think about what services you're likely to need from your health insurance policy, and which ones are in line with your budget.

If you earn over $90,000 individually or $180,000 as a couple, you could avoid paying the Medicare Levy Surcharge.

Latrobe offers 5 types of hospital cover, ranging from Basic Hospital to cover the essentials, to Gold Hospital for the most comprehensive cover.

Healthy Start Hospital

Healthy Start is a combined hospital and extras package, providing cover for treatment in public hospitals and restricted cover for treatment in private hospitals.

It's a budget option but the hospital cover comes with a lot of restrictions.

Key inclusions:

• Covers a shared room in a public hospital when you are admitted as a private patient.

• Private hospital cover for treatment relating to an accident (some conditions apply)

• Limited dental and optical

Bronze Hospital

Bronze Hospital provides a base level of cover as well as no excess for hospital admissions for children on a family membership. Comes with a $250, $500 and $750 excess.

Key inclusions:

• Brain

• Joint reconstruction

• Digestive system

Bronze Plus Hospital

Bronze Plus provides a wide range of services at a weekly cost that's not much more than the Health Start package.

It doesn't come with extras -- you'll need to take these out at an extra cost.

Key inclusions:

• Ear, nose, and throat

• Gynaecology

• Lung and chest

Silver Hospital

The Silver Hospital cover provides a number of key inclusions but doesn't include any additional items you'd usually find in the highest Gold tier or a Silver Plus policy.

Key inclusions:

• Back, neck and spine

• Heart and vascular system

• Podiatric surgery

Silver Plus Hospital

A more extensive -- and more expensive -- hospital package.

Silver Plus covers everything Silver Hospital does but has a number of inclusions that are more likely to be used by older Australians.

Key inclusions:

• Cataracts

• Joint replacements

• Dialysis for chronic kidney failure

Ambulance cover

Emergency ambulance cover is included in all hospital and extras policies.

Extras cover

Latrobe’s extras reset date is not stated.

From dental, to optical, to chiro and more, extras insurance helps cover the bills for routine treatments with rebates of up to 100%.

While we’ve summarised the key points of Latrobe’s extras cover below, it’s always worth taking a closer look at potential gap fees, how much you can claim back, and whether your preferred healthcare provider is recognised by the health fund.gap feesgap fees

Take the time to work out what you need and what you're prepared to pay.

If this feels a bit overwhelming, our experts are here to help.

Basic Extras are only available with hospital cover.

Latrobe's other plans can be purchased with or without hospital cover.

Basic Extras

Basic Extras is designed to cover the basics, such as general dental, optical and some allied health services. You can only purchase this as a combined policy.

Key inclusions:

• General and major dental

• Optical

• Podiatry consultations, physiotherapy and osteotherapy

Core Family Extras

Latrobe's mid-range extras provide cover for common treatments. It's been designed with families in mind, with items such as speech therapy and antenatal. Major dental and orthodontics aren't included.

Key inclusions:

• 1 free dental examination

• Unlimited emergency ambulance transports

• Antenatal and postnatal classes

Core Essentials Extras

The Core Essentials extras cover is designed for younger Australians and is similar to the Core Family Extras, but without some of the family specifical items such as antenatal classes, making it a little bit cheaper.

Key inclusions:

• Dietician services

• Dietetics and nutrition

• Stress management and counselling

Core Complete Extras

A comprehensive mid-tier policy that comes with a lot more inclusions than the Singles and Couples, and Family packages, such as major dental and orthodontics.

Key inclusions:

• Hearing aids

• Psychology

• Speech therapy

Premier Families Extras

Latrobe's higher-level family extras policy comes with higher benefits and a lot more inclusions.

It's the only package that has access to an infant sleep school and covers Australian Breastfeeding Association fees.

Key inclusions:

• 2 free dental examinations

• Podiatry consultations and services including orthotics

• General and major dental

Premier Singles and Couples Extras

A top-tier extras policy designed to cut out items younger Australians probably won't need to use. It has a higher level of allied health rebates and access to a stop-smoking program.

Key inclusions:

• General and major dental

• Counselling and stress management

• Nutrition and dietetics

Premier Extras

Latrobe's general top-tier extras policy is available for singles, couples, and families.

It doesn't include items such as breastfeeding fees, but is comprehensive and includes health screening for moles and mammograms, making it more suitable for older Australians.

Key inclusions:

• No annual general dental limit per person.

• Orthodontics

• Visiting nurses, mole mapping, and mammograms

Waiting periods

To stop people signing up, claiming, then cancelling their health insurance, all insurers apply waiting periods.

Generally, the more expensive the treatment, the longer you'll wait.

But keep an eye out for special deals with waiting periods reduced or waived.

Hospital waiting periods

• 12 months for pre-existing conditions, pregnancy, and birth

• 2 months for hospital psychiatric services, rehabilitation, and palliative care as well as health programs, hospital substitution programs, and all other services

• 1 day for ambulance services

Extra waiting periods

• 12 months for major dental and health appliances such as a C-PAP machine

• 6 months for optical

• 2 months for general dental and all other services

Member benefits

Latrobe offers loyalty benefits on the family, and singles and couples extras packages, with the premium policies offering access to the QUIT smoking course.

How to claim

Claim on the spot through the HICAPS payment system at your provider.

You can also claim via the Latrobe Health claiming app, or fill out the claim form and send it via email or mail.

Hospital agreements

Latrobe has agreements with most private hospitals and day clinics across Australia.

When comparing policies, it's worth checking if your local hospitals and clinics are covered.

Our specialists at Compare Club can do this for you.

Customer service

Latrobe received 0.7% of complaints in 2021, and has a market share of 0.6% in the private health insurance sector^.

FAQs

1. Is Latrobe a not-for-profit fund?

Yes, Latrobe is a not-for-profit fund.

2. Who can apply? Are there restrictions?

Members must be aged 16 or over to apply.

3. Is it easy to switch to Latrobe?

Latrobe is not on Compare Club’s panel but they also own ahm, who we do compare.

We’re confident we can find you a good deal from the other funds we compare.

4. Do I need to re-serve waiting periods?

If you switch to an equivalent or lower level of cover, you won’t have to serve new waiting periods. However, you may need to serve new waiting periods if your new policy includes additional services or higher benefits

5. Can I change my level of cover?

Yes, you can choose a lower or higher level of cover.

If you move to a higher level of cover, you will usually need to serve waiting periods on the extra services/higher benefits.

6. Do I get the government rebate?

For every dollar of private health insurance premiums, the Australian Government provides eligible Australians with a rebate of up to 33.4% (depending on your age and income). To learn what you’re entitled to, read our rebate guide.

7. Do I have to pay the Lifetime Health Cover loading?

If you’re 31 or over, you usually need to pay 2% loading for each year you’ve gone without hospital cover since the 1st July following your 31st birthday. You can find out more here.

8. Up to what age are children covered?

Dependent children can be on your plan up to the ages of 18, or up to 25 if they are studying full-time.

Non-student dependents can only remain on your plan from 18 – 25 if you have a Family Care membership.

This guide is opinion only and should not be taken as medical or financial advice. Check with a financial professional before making any decisions.

^Private Health Ombudsman,Latrobe Health, accessed 13 January 2022.