On behalf of our Members we have recently negotiated with UniMed (our health insurance partner) a new enhanced benefit for our Hospital Cover and it's exclusive to our Hospital Select Plan. We now have you covered for defined pre-existing conditions after a 'stand down' period of 3 years!!
So what's the big deal about that?
This is important because your medical history, or any pre existing medical conditions you have may affect what you can get health insurance cover for the future. If you have had health issues in the past and would like to have them covered, most Insurers will permanently exclude the condition from your cover or charge an additional premium to cover the condition.
Some may offer a similar stand down period to the new HealthCarePlus benefit but they will not define them upfront at the commencement of your policy so you will only know if your covered at claim time. This is called Underwriting at Claim and we think that is wrong and not in the best interests of our members.
This new benefit is unique to HealthCarePlus and is another example of us bringing real value to our Members.
Why get a Hospital Cover
Most New Zealanders don’t realise how much surgical, hospital, or ongoing medical care can truly cost them until it’s too late. And when they do get treatment, they can be forced to wait much longer… which can make the medical (and financial) impact of their condition significantly more severe.
A properly designed hospital cover plan can protect you against the high costs of surgery and help you deal with unexpected medical issues faster - meaning earlier intervention, less time off work, less waiting time for surgery, and in most cases, a better outcome or recovery.
That's why we have our Hospital Select Plan - it provides comprehensive hospital cover for major unexpected illnesses and injuries that require surgery or hospitalisation, therefore protecting you and your family from the high costs of surgery. It offers:
- Full hospital cover - that offers up to $300,000 of surgical cover (per person, per admission) across surgery and related consultations.
- Cover for many defined pre-existing conditions after you have been insured for three years.
- Cover for Specialist consultations, test/investigations associated with surgery or hospital admission and cancer treatment including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
- Plus as an existing Primary Care Plan Member, you can link your Hospital Select Plan to your Membership - and potentially reduce excess by up to the value of $500 in the event of a claim.
It is ideal if you are looking for a plan that provides comprehensive cover for major unexpected illnesses requiring surgery, hospitalisation, cancer treatment, and a wide range of specialist consultations, scans and tests. And it is designed to keep premiums affordable, and sustainable over time.
Please remember T&C's apply: Note that standard exclusions listed in the Conditions of Membership and limitations listed in the Benefit Schedule may over-ride the Special Joining Concessions. That's why it's always best to talk to a certified Financial Adviser and you can do that by clicking on the "Book a Chat" button below.
Quick Jargon Buster
Just to help you understand this article we have included some descriptions of some of the terms we used in the article: helpful glossary terms
What is a pre-existing Condition?
A pre-existing condition is a health or medical condition that was in existence on or before the person’s policy started. At that time the person may have known about the condition; or may not have known about the condition, but did know of a health history or symptoms which could have indicated the possible existence of the condition to a medical practitioner.However, If any of these conditions are developed after joining the HealthCarePlus Hospital plan they would be fully covered subject to the normal terms and conditions of the plan.
That said, there are some pre-existing conditions that are permanently excluded for the lifetime of your plan; (Cardiovascular/vascular related conditions, Conditions that may result in the requirement for joint replacement surgery, musculoskeletal conditions including injuries, Cancer, Gynaecological disorders). A full explanation of the benefits and exclusions are always contained in the policy documents.
What is a stand down Period?
This is the minimum period that all Members on a policy must have been continuously insured (with premiums fully paid) before they are eligible to claim. It is sometimes referred to as a "waiting period' too
