We received this question from a supporter:
I am in need of podiatry with a bunion operation on both feet required, possible psychiatry rehab in a private hospital, and ophthalmology cover with a possible operation. Is extras cover available for my issues?
Answer: Health insurance expert Uta Mihm
Unfortunately, surgery isn’t covered by extras insurance. You’ll need private hospital health insurance to avoid public hospital waiting lists. Health insurance is divided into Basic, Bronze, Silver and Gold-level policies, with Gold the most expensive. You need to take the category of cover that covers all the conditions you require treatment for. Although your eye surgery may be covered with a Bronze policy and your podiatry surgery may be covered with a Silver policy, you’ll need a Gold policy if you want cover for psychiatric care in a private facility. And considering that you have a number of hospital stays planned, you’d want a policy with a low or no excess, or at least an excess that’s not charged for day procedures (that is assuming that the podiatry and the eye surgery are day surgeries).
If you have podiatry surgery done by a registered podiatrist you’ll only be covered for the accommodation in hospital, not for the surgery itself, so you’d have large out-of-pocket costs. If you have it done by a general surgeon in hospital instead, your surgery will be covered and your costs are likely to be much smaller. So make sure you get information about the full costs beforehand.
If you currently don’t have cover for any of the conditions you need treatment for, there’ll be a 12 months waiting period until you’ll be covered. If you already have cover for one or more of the conditions and you’ve had it for 12 months or more, you’ll be covered if you switch to another policy with the same cover.
There’s no waiting time for psychiatric care as long as you’ve held hospital insurance for two months prior to your treatment (even if your current policy does not cover psychiatric care) as the 12-month waiting time gets waived once in your lifetime. However, before getting admitted to hospital, always call your health insurer first to make sure you are covered.
