Find your tier
Tiers are defined by the 38 clinical categories they must cover. Rather than asking you to read all 38, tell us the handful that would actually change your mind — we'll work out the cheapest tier that includes them, from the real policy list below.
Who is the cover for?
What would you want covered?
Pick anything that matters. Leave them all off and we'll assume accidents and emergencies only. The number beside each is how many policies for your household cover it.
How much excess would you pay?
The excess is what you pay towards a hospital stay before the fund pays. A higher excess buys a lower premium — this page's own advice, made adjustable.
Policies that match
Every open hospital policy in our data set for your household, priced weekly at the excess you chose. Sort it, filter it, tick up to three and compare them line by line.
| Select to compare | What this one adds |
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What's covered
Hospital cover is not one product — what you get depends on the tier. Each inclusion below carries the lowest tier that actually has to include it, so the list can't quietly imply that everything comes with everything.
Hospital inclusions
Tier marks are the lowest tier the clinical category is covered on, from the same data as the table above.
Not covered by any hospital policy
These are out of scope for every tier — no policy on this page includes them. Most need Extras cover instead.
The seven tiers
The government defines four hospital tiers. Insurers also sell "Plus" versions of Basic, Bronze and Silver, which add categories on top of the tier minimum — and that is where most of the real decisions sit. Prices are live from the policies in your household, at the excess you chose.
The 38 clinical categories, by tier
Covered
Restricted
Optional (insurer's choice)
This grid is the government minimum for the four base tiers. Plus policies sit above their base tier — see the note above the grid, and trust the policy table for what an individual product actually covers.
Is it worth it for you?
Both sides of this get the same amount of space on purpose. Hospital cover is not mandatory, and for some people it is the wrong purchase.
Worth it if you…
- Earn above the MLS thresholdAbove $97,000 (singles) or $194,000 (families) you pay an extra 1–1.5% of taxable income unless you hold hospital cover.
- Are planning surgery or a procedureHip and knee replacements, cataracts and similar have long public waits; cover shortens them and caps the out-of-pocket.
- Want to choose your doctorIn a public hospital you're assigned one. With cover you pick your surgeon and your admission date.
- Are approaching 31After 1 July following your 31st birthday you pay 2% Lifetime Health Cover loading for every year you delay, up to 70%.
- Are pregnant or planning a familyPregnancy and birth is a Gold-only category with a 12-month wait, so it has to be bought well ahead.
Probably not yet if you…
- Earn below the thresholdUnder $97,000 (singles) there is no MLS to avoid, so cover has to earn its place on the treatment alone.
- Are comfortable with public treatmentEmergency and urgent care in a public hospital is free and clinically excellent; the wait applies to elective work.
- Are under 31 with no health concernsYou can join later; the LHC clock only starts after the 1 July following your 31st birthday.
- Could self-insureIf you can absorb an unexpected private bill, the premium may cost more than the risk over a decade.
- Only want dental, optical or physioNone of that is hospital cover — it's Extras, and it's bought separately.
What the tax side is actually worth to you
The two levers this page mentions five times, as one number instead.
$110,000
34
Medicare Levy Surcharge
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Lifetime Health Cover loading
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Cheapest policy that avoids MLS
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Surcharge rate stated as the 1–1.5% range this page publishes; your exact rate depends on your income tier — confirm the current bands on ato.gov.au. LHC loading is 2% per year over 30, capped at 70%. Premiums are the live policy data below.
Frequently asked questions
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Related guides
Learn more about hospital cover.
Choosing the Right Cover
Choosing the right health insurance comes down to matching your cover to your life stage, health needs, and budget. There's no single "best" policy — a 25-year-old single and a family of four need different things.
Read more
Waiting Periods
Waiting periods are mandatory time periods after joining health insurance before you can claim certain benefits. Most services require a 2-month wait, while major procedures and pre-existing conditions require 12 months.
Read more
What Does Hospital Cover?
Hospital cover in Australia is divided into four government-defined tiers: Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Basic. Each tier must include specific clinical categories, with insurers free to add more on top.
Read more
Medicare Levy Surcharge
The Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) is an additional tax imposed on high-income earners who don't have private hospital cover. It's designed to encourage people who can afford it to take out cover.
Read more
— policies.
47 funds.
Free.
Always.