Private health insurance in South Australia

When comparing private hospital cover, remember that all policies fall into specific tiers. These are Basic, Bronze, Silver and Gold, with Basic offering the lowest level of cover and Gold the highest.

The table below outlines the average SA monthly premiums against the Australian average. Keep in mind many factors affect your final health insurance costs, so the price you’re quoted may differ from the numbers provided.

The above numbers are based on monthly premiums for single-only policies that exempt you from the Medicare Levy Surcharge with $750 excess. No rebates, discounts or loadings are included in these prices. For convenience, we’ve included Plus policies as part of the base categories (e.g. Silver Plus prices are included in the Silver category).

Extras cover provides cover for out of hospital services including physiotherapy, dental, chiropractors and more. Unlike hospital cover, extras cover isn’t regulated into tiers. The cost of extras cover will be influenced by many factors including, how much cover you have, your annual limits and the health insurance provider you choose.

As of August 2024, the average premium for extras cover in SA is $86, compared to the national average of $84.73.¹

Unfortunately, no. In SA, ambulance services are neither free nor covered by Medicare.⁴

SA Ambulance Services charges fees based on the type of service the patient receives. Below are the prices you can expect to pay according to the SA Ambulance Service website.⁴

Ambulance cover can take care of these costs, though you should check with your health fund to see which services you’re covered for (for example, some policies only cover emergency transport). You can obtain ambulance cover through the SA Ambulance Service or through ambulance cover with your health insurance.

There are types of cover you can purchase with membership through the SA Ambulance Service. Ambulance Cover only provides for emergency and non-emergency services in SA. Ambulance Cover Plus extends this coverage Australia-wide.⁴ Ambulance cover bought through private health insurance is usually valid interstate.

You may be eligible for discounted membership with SA Ambulance Service if you’re a South Australian pensioner. ⁴ Otherwise, you can purchase ambulance cover as part of your private health insurance.

Private hospital insurance allows you to be treated in a private or public hospital as a private patient, which has noticeable benefits over the public hospital system. You can negate the public health waiting times by being treated in a private hospital and have more say about where and when your procedure is performed. Depending on availability, you’ll also receive a private room.

Extras cover helps pay for out-of-hospital treatments and procedures that are not part of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). This can include dental check-ups and treatment, prescription glasses, physio sessions, and more. Remember, extras cover does come with waiting periods, which typically range between 2-12 months, however, can be multiple years depending on the service.