Private Health Cover & Natural Therapies

You may have read this blog 'Is Australia Moving in a Healthy Direction?', that I wrote last year when natural therapies & private healthcare were making news in Australia, & seen some conversations & petitions on social media...but it’s all gone really quiet now. Ever wonder what happened? Well, I’ve been wondering. Did the public put enough pressure on the government that they’ve realised their error? I made a couple of calls this morning, & after a lengthy chat with some (very helpful) private health fund phone-answering-people, here’s an update of where it’s at: The Australian government has indeed decided that from April 2019, our private health funds will no longer be able to offer both the government rebate for private health cover AND include the following therapies in our cover:

Alexander technique
Aromatherapy
Bowen therapy
Buteyko
Feldenkrais
Herbalism
Homeopathy
Iridology
Kinesiology
Naturopathy
Pilates
Reflexology
Rolfing
Shiatsu
Tai chi
Yoga

Feeling Ripped Off?

So that means we’ll keep paying the same amount for our 'extras' policies, but this list of therapies will no longer be covered / you can’t claim for these services anymore & will have to pay the full cost of each treatment. Or - potentially, (depending on what the health funds decide to do), you can look for a fund that will still offer cover on these extras, but you’ll have to pay around 30% more for your policy (there will be no government rebate for these private health policies).

Switch Time?

There will likely be some big changes & a lot of people switching health funds around this time, depending on what the individual funds choose to do in response to the government policy change. Either way - it boils down to some really useful preventative therapies becoming more expensive to proactive health-conscious consumers, so that more $$ can be directed into the pharmaceutical industry & ‘end stage’ treatment of illnesses. Unfortunately, many of the most costly illnesses to our healthcare system (i.e. type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease) are also the most preventable, given early support from some therapies on the ‘no-longer-covered-list’ (i.e. if you consult with a naturopath semi-regularly throughout your 20’s / 30’s / 40’s (sometimes even just once would be enough), the chances of you ending up with diabetes & heart disease are SOOOO much lower, as they’ll help to direct & support you with healthy diet / lifestyle choices, & supplements where appropriate to maximise your health & vitality, rather than just treat illnesses as they come up).

What Were They Thinking?

Let’s encourage Australians to take even less responsibility for their health! We’ll offer no financial support for those wanting to be proactive, we’ll just channel all the funds into treatment of end stages of illness - when health is severely compromised already…often by diseases that could easily have been prevented, given the knowledge & support. Sad face. Angry face. Eye-rolling face. Good thinking guys. Don't get me wrong - I'm very aware & grateful for the amazing access to affordable medical care that we enjoy here in Australia, I just believe we should also encourage the use of natural therapies as well.

Massage Less Accessible, Psychiatric Treatment More Accessible.

Stress-relieving, mental-health-promoting remedial massage will no longer be covered under your private health policy from April 2019, but - feel comforted that with other changes made to the system recently, it’ll be easier to get psychiatric treatment when you need it. So if you have private health cover & are forced to stop getting your ‘now-too-expensive’ regular massage next year (& require immediate psychiatric treatment as a result - I’m sure it happens lol), rest assured that you’ll be well covered :) Love to hear your thoughts - will this change impact the way you manage your health? However you feel about it, it would be a great idea to book everyone in for a massage / treatment / consult & make the most of your wellbeing cover while it's still valid! Jeanie Xx jeanie@goodmix.com.au

Private Health Cover & Natural Therapies - 2018 Update