The Finance Algorithm

Basic Starter

A Basic hospital and extras policy from HIF.

Premiums for every state, cover type and excess this policy is sold with, and what it covers, from the statement HIF files with the government. Monthly, before the rebate and any Lifetime Health Cover loading.

From

$81.65a month

Single, NT, $750 excess, before the rebate.

Medicare levy surcharge
Exempts you
Excess options
$750
Ambulance
Emergency and non-emergency, no limit
Who can join
Anyone

The Private Health Information Statement for this price, on PrivateHealth.gov.au.

Against every other Basic hospital and extras policy in NSW & ACT

Single cover, each policy at its cheapest excess, counting policies anyone can buy.

  1. Basic95 policies$142.104th cheapest of 95
    $127.40$304.30
This policyEvery other Basic policy

Monthly premium by state and cover type

NSW prices also apply in the ACT. Each price in the tables opens its official Private Health Information Statement on PrivateHealth.gov.au, with a PDF to download.

Single premium in each state

NT$82
QLD$134
WA$110
SA$131
NSW$142
ACT$142
VIC$137
TAS$133
CheaperDearer

To the nearest dollar, a month before the rebate. The tables below have every price to the cent.

0 of 38 clinical categories covered in full, 3 restricted

Restricted means the policy pays only the minimum, about what a public hospital charges, so a private hospital stay can leave a large bill. Not covered means the policy pays nothing for that treatment in hospital.

  • Restricted3
  • Not covered35

Restricted 3

  • Hospital psychiatric services
  • Palliative care
  • Rehabilitation

Not covered 35

  • Assisted reproductive services
  • Back, neck and spine
  • Blood
  • Bone, joint and muscle
  • Brain and nervous system
  • Breast surgery (medically necessary)
  • Cataracts
  • Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy for cancer
  • Dental surgery
  • Diabetes management (excluding insulin pumps)
  • Dialysis for chronic kidney failure
  • Digestive system
  • Ear, nose and throat
  • Eye (not cataracts)
  • Gastrointestinal endoscopy
  • Gynaecology
  • Heart and vascular system
  • Hernia and appendix
  • Implantation of hearing devices
  • Insulin pumps
  • Joint reconstructions
  • Joint replacements
  • Kidney and bladder
  • Lung and chest
  • Male reproductive system
  • Miscarriage and termination of pregnancy
  • Pain management
  • Pain management with device
  • Plastic and reconstructive surgery (medically necessary)
  • Podiatric surgery (provided by a registered podiatric surgeon)
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • Skin
  • Sleep studies
  • Tonsils, adenoids and grommets
  • Weight loss surgery

Waiting periods

Pre-existing conditions
12 months
Psychiatric, rehabilitation and palliative care
2 months
All other hospital treatment
2 months

Excess and other costs

Excess options: $750, paid when you are admitted.

From the insurer: Your choice of treating doctor or specialist. Access Gap Cover for eligible services (visit hif.com.au/accessgap to learn more and find your nearest low or no gap specialist). For family policies, no excess applies to dependent children under the age of 18.

Pays towards 5 of 27 standard services

Yearly limits, per person, against the typical policy

  1. General dental
    $400typical policy $800
  2. Optical
    $150typical policy $220
  3. Physiotherapyshared with chiropractic, osteopathy
    $300typical policy $450
  4. Chiropracticshared with physiotherapy, osteopathy
    $300typical policy $400
This policyTypical policy

What it pays on common claims, against the typical policy

  1. Periodic oral exam (item 012)
    50% of the feetypical policy $35.20
  2. Scale and clean (item 114)
    50% of the feetypical policy $66.85
  3. Single vision lenses and frames
    100% of the feetypical policy $220.00
  4. Physiotherapy, first visit
    50% of the feetypical policy $42.00
This policyTypical policy
ServiceWaiting periodYearly limit, per personPer policyExample benefits (all states)
General dental2 months$400$800Periodic oral exam (item 012): 50%Scale and clean (item 114): 50%Fluoride treatment (item 121): 50%Simple extraction (item 322): 50%
Opticalconditions apply2 months$150$300Multifocal lenses and frames: 100%Single vision lenses and frames: 100%
Physiotherapy2 months$300shared with chiropractic, osteopathy$600Physiotherapy, first visit: 50%Physiotherapy, later visit: 50%
Chiropractic2 months$300shared with physiotherapy, osteopathy$600Chiropractic, first visit: 50%Chiropractic, later visit: 50%
Osteopathy2 months$300shared with physiotherapy, chiropractic$600Osteopathy, first visit: 50%Osteopathy, later visit: 50%

Not covered: major dental, endodontic (root canals), orthodontics, non-pbs medicines, podiatry, psychology, acupuncture, remedial massage, hearing aids, blood glucose monitors, audiology, antenatal and postnatal, chinese herbal medicine, dietetics, exercise physiology, orthoptics, health management programs, home nursing, occupational therapy, orthotics, speech therapy, vaccinations.

Other services: The limits detailed above are subject to a combined overall person limit of $300 ($600 per couple or family membership) for physio, chiro and osteo.

From the insurer: Extras cover, providing 50% back or more on commonly used services such as General Dental, Optical, Physio, Chiro and Osteo.

Optical benefit paid on frames and prescription optical items.

Example benefits are what the policy pays for that item at a provider without a special arrangement with the insurer; a percentage is of the fee charged. The typical policy is the middle one of the 708 extras policies on the market that aren't sold only through employers.

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Source: PrivateHealth.gov.au data (Private Health Insurance Ombudsman) via data.gov.au, licensed CC BY 3.0 AU. Normalised by The Finance Algorithm from the extract dated 1 Oct 2026, read on 23 Oct 2026.

Premiums are monthly and shown before the Australian Government rebate and any Lifetime Health Cover loading or age-based discount. Confirm the price and the cover with the insurer before you buy; the official statement for every policy is on PrivateHealth.gov.au. This is general information, not advice, and no insurer pays to be listed or ranked here.