Natural therapies are back – adding more value to your Extras

If you’ve ever wished you could claim for things like naturopathy, yoga, or Pilates – this article is for you. CBHS Extras covers have had some exciting updates, and we’re pleased to share the good news with our members.

From 1 April 2026, we’ve added selected natural therapy benefits to eligible CBHS Extras covers, following changes to the private health insurance rules that allow health funds to offer cover for certain natural therapies.

This means more flexibility, more choice, and more ways to support your health.

There are steps to take to make a claim, which we’ll cover in this article.

Which benefits are back?

We’ve brought back six natural therapies, across Massage therapies, Oriental & natural therapies, and Health management programs.

Members with eligible Extras^* cover can now unlock these additional benefits. There are no changes to overall limits.

How to make a claim

Step one
Firstly, check if your Extras or packaged cover is eligible for these benefits (details at bottom of the page). You can check what type of cover you have in the CBHS app or Member Centre.

Step two
Make a claim. Note: the claims process varies depending on the therapy.

a. To claim on massage therapies and Oriental & natural therapies 
You can claim on the spot if your provider has HICAPS or iSOFT. Simply present your CBHS card and your benefit will be deducted from the total service fee. You can also submit claims online for these services using the CBHS app or by logging in to the Member Centre. You’ll need to:

• Provide an item number or service description
• Add the provider number that’s recognised by CBHS.

b. To claim on Pilates and yoga 
These are covered under your health management limit, separate from your gym and personal training benefits – so you can make the most of both! You’ll need to:

• Download a Health management program authorisation form
• Complete the form with your medical practitioner or a recognised provider
• Submit the completed form to CBHS, along with your claim and relevant receipts for the health management program. This form will be stored in our system, so you only need to submit it once.

Why were natural therapies removed in the first place?

Back in 2019, the Australian Government completed a Natural Therapies Review. This assessed whether certain therapies had enough clinical evidence to continue receiving private health insurance rebates. As a result, benefits for a range of natural therapies were removed across the entire industry.

More recently, the Government commissioned a new independent review of the clinical effectiveness. In leading the review, Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd AO, was satisfied there was enough evidence these therapies are effective to allow private health insurance to pay benefits for them. This gave health funds the option to reintroduce benefits for the selected natural therapies that met the required evidence standards.

We listened to member feedback, reviewed the updated evidence, and decided to reintroduce six natural therapies to our Extras cover.

Why this matters for our members

Health isn’t one-size-fits-all. Many people take a holistic approach, combining conventional healthcare with complementary therapies that support physical movement, stress management, and overall wellbeing.

Bringing natural therapies back:

• gives you more choice in how you use your Extras
• supports preventative and holistic approaches to health
• helps you get more value from your cover
• reflects what members have told us matters to them.

Thinking about upgrading or adding Extras to your cover?

Now is a good time to add CBHS Extras, or upgrade your cover to make the most of these additional benefits.

If you’d like to talk through your cover or understand how these changes apply to you, our Member Services team is here to help. Call us on 1300 654 123 or email help@cbhs.com.au.

You can also explore our Extras covers online to see what’s available.

More information and useful links

• Log in to the Member Centre to check your available Extras limits
• Read more on the Federal Government’s Natural Therapies Review.

_{^*Eligible Extras or packaged products are KickStart (Basic Plus), Top Extras, Intermediate Extras and Essential Extras, as well as these closed packaged products: Prestige (Gold), LiveLife (Gold), and StepUp (Bronze Plus).You can check your cover type in the Member Centre or on our app.}

_{^#CBHS can only pay a benefit for yoga/Pilates where the service is provided as part of a Health Management Program, certified by your GP or a Recognised Provider confirming that the yoga/Pilates is part of a Health Management Program. Approval form is available from the CBHS website. Please note that GP consultations are not covered by CBHS.}

_{Benefits for natural therapies are only available on eligible CBHS Extras covers from 1 April 2026 and are subject to your level of cover, applicable waiting periods, available limits, claiming rules and provider recognition requirements at the time of service. Pilates and yoga are only claimable where the applicable health management program requirements are met, including any required certification and completed forms. Before claiming, adding or upgrading cover, check your cover details and conditions in the CBHS app, Member Centre or by contacting CBHS.}

_{Sources:
https://www.health.gov.au/topics/private-health-insurance/reforms/natural-therapies-review
https://www.cbhs.com.au/tools-and-support/find-a-provider/recognised-providers}