Psychiatric, Rehabilitation and Palliative Care
Comprehensive Hospital
- Private Hospital: Psychiatric, rehabilitation and palliative care is a very complex area, and benefits paid by CBHS will depend on the contract in place with the hospital.
If your hospital has an agreement in place with CBHS and you have served all appropriate waiting periods, your initial admission will be covered. Be aware that the length of stay and the quantity of services (for example electric shock treatment, same day program and half day programs) may be limited. Your hospital should inform you if you will have out-of-pocket expenses
If your chosen hospital is not contracted with CBHS you will receive limited benefits and will face significant out-of-pocket expenses.
- Public Hospital: If you have Comprehensive Hospital cover you will be covered for all accommodation and associated costs for your admission.
Limited Hospital and Basic Hospital
- Private Hospital: If you have Limited Hospital or Basic Hospital cover and are admitted to a private hospital for palliative care, psychiatric or rehabilitation treatment, you will receive limited benefits, and will have significant out-of-pocket expenses.
- Public Hospital: If you have served all appropriate waiting periods you will be covered for all accommodation in a shared room and associated costs for your admission.
Under all CBHS Hospital Covers, payment for drugs and other supplies prescribed at the time of discharge from a public or private hospital are your responsibility.
Any excess is payable at the time of admission.
Post-natal Depression
Generally, mothers suffering post-natal depression are admitted as a patient and the baby is classed as a boarder. Contact the CBHS Member Care Centre on 1300 654 123 for information on post-natal depression admissions.
In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)
If you joined or upgraded a Hospital Cover in the last 12 months, waiting periods - including those for Pre-existing Ailments - may apply for IVF treatment. Please contact CBHS for details before commencing treatment if you are considering IVF.
Comprehensive Hospital
If you have Comprehensive Hospital cover and your chosen hospital is contracted with CBHS, you will be covered for all accommodation, intensive care, theatre and labour ward fees. If your chosen hospital is not contracted with CBHS you will receive limited benefits but will have significant out-of-pocket expenses. Any excess is payable at the time of admission.
Limited Hospital and Basic Hospital
Members with Limited Hospital or Basic Hospital cover will be covered for accommodation in a shared room and intensive care, and theatre and labour ward fees in a public hospital. Any excess is payable at the time of admission.
If you wish to attend a private hospital, you will experience significant out-of-pocket expenses.
Cosmetic/Plastic Surgery
If you require cosmetic or plastic surgery, please contact CBHS before admission to hospital to determine the benefit paid towards your treatment and accommodation.
Surgical Podiatry
Please contact CBHS for information relating to benefits for surgical podiatry. Before contacting CBHS please ensure that you know whether the treatment will be performed by a 'surgical podiatrist' or an 'orthopaedic surgeon' as this will affect the benefits paid.
Surgical Dental (performed in hospital)
Please contact CBHS for information relating to benefits for surgical dental. Your level of Extras Cover will affect the benefits you receive for surgeon costs. It is important that you know the dental item numbers and the hospital or day surgery where you will be receiving the treatment before contacting CBHS.
Nursing Home Type (NHT) patient
Unless a doctor supplies documentation of special exemption, public or private hospital patients who are hospitalised continuously for a period of more than 35 days are automatically classified as NHT patients. In such cases benefits are reduced to comply with legislation and members may face out-of-pocket expenses. Please contact CBHS for more information relating to NHT patients.
Overseas treatment
CBHS provides very limited coverage for treatments received overseas. Benefits are paid at the equivalent NSW non-agreement level for hospitalisation accommodation and no benefits are payable towards the cost of other hospital or doctors' fees. CBHS recommends taking out travel insurance when travelling overseas. CBHS members can obtain a 30% discount on travel insurance through CommInsure.
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Emergency Ambulance
Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Northern Territory
Hospital Covers pay the cost of emergency ambulance services when transported directly to hospital or treated at the scene due to a medical emergency. Transport must be provided by ambulance services recognised by CBHS.
Ambulance benefits are not payable for transportation to hospital for the routine management of an ongoing medical condition or transportation between hospitals.
New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory
Part of your hospital contribution is a levy charged by your State or Territory government. This entitles you to full ambulance cover within your State and emergency ambulance cover is all other States or Territories. If you receive a bill for ambulance services please forward it to CBHS for payment.
Queensland and Tasmania
Most ambulance services received within your state are provided by your State government and you should not receive a bill for these services.
If you receive ambulance services outside your State, the same conditions apply as for Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Northern Territory.