In 1963 when EBS (HealthCarePlus) was formed by our Union owners, their goal was to enable teachers, education sector members, and their families to access primary healthcare through competitive insurance plans to support their families’ health.

Today that support looks very different as it has evolved to meet the health and wellbeing challenges of all education and public service sector workers face today. 

And now, with the addition of Clearhead, we now can support you and your whānau in three key ways:

1. Making primary care more affordable

Primary care health services are a vital part of our health system - that not enough New Zealanders, take advantage of.  From GP visits to early consultations, screenings, treatments and tests across a wide range of health areas.  Primary care interventions can often be the difference between catching a problem early - or facing more serious impacts and costs, later on.

HealthCarePlus’s Primary healthcare plans are designed to make these services more affordable and accessible to everyday families.

From as little as $6.46** per week, our most comprehensive primary healthcare plan can help you and your family reduce the costs of a wide range of healthcare treatment including: dental, optical, physiotherapy, GP's and prescriptions, health screening and other benefits. To read more about that plan and our other plans, please click the banner below.

And today we support more than 13,000 union members and their families to be proactive with their health and wellbeing.  

We know from recent reports that “healthcare costs” and “having to wait” are major barriers to seeking help and that’s why I’m very proud of the fact that last year we saw $5.3 million given back to our members as they visited doctors, dentists, opticians and underwent tests and complimentary treatments like physiotherapy, acupuncture, mental therapy and osteopaths.      

John Seed, CE HealthCarePlus

2. Support you to live a healthier life

In addition to that we recognise that looking after our Member's health & wellbeing is much more than just providing access to affordable primary healthcare plans.  We need to provide more education, resources, and personalised support, and that is why all our Members who have a primary healthcare plan and/or Hospital Select Plan get access to our health and wellbeing program GoodForYou for FREE.

From diet & exercise, to better sleep, improving daily life, or reducing stress - it's all about helping you get the tools, motivation, and rewards to make more of every day. Our ‘10 Healthy Habits’ are the foundation to our program.  These easy to follow habits have stood the test of time.  When implemented these habits have a significant impact on your physical and mental wellbeing, both inside and outside the workplace.

3. Help you look after your mental wellbeing

It’s fair to say that the last couple of years have been very challenging for most and continue to be tough for many.  These challenges can impact our mental wellbeing and the way we’re feeling can change how we think, and how we deal with tough times too.

This is important as good mental wellbeing is vital for living a healthy life.  However, we know that mental distress is common, in fact, figures show that here in New Zealand, about four in five New Zealand adults have experienced some form of mental distress in the last year or so. 

That’s why HealthCarePlus is committed to improving the mental wellbeing support we give to our Members and so, we are happy to be doing something practical about it this year by partnering with Clearhead. 

Now all our Members who have one of our three Primary healthcare Plans and/or  a Hospital Select Plan can access for free everything that Clearhead offers through their digital platform.  This will enable you to take a proactive approach to supporting your mental health through evidence-based self help digital tools, resources and timely access to therapists ensuring they can easily access the help you need - when you need it.

So what can Clearhead offer?

Clearhead allows our Members to understand why they may be feeling anxious, stressed, tired, or down.  And it supports them to be proactive and resilient with their mental health.

Ready to strengthen your mental fitness?

If you are a HealthCarePlus Member and UniMed policyholder, you can register your interest by clicking on the link below.

*This is one  of the benefits of our Primary Care Extra plan.

**Premium for a single insured adult aged up to 45 years in Primary Care Extra. Premiums vary by age and are effective as of 1 April 2023.