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If you’re confused about which natural therapies are covered by health insurance and which aren’t, you’re not alone. The government has changed the rules about health insurance cover for natural therapies twice in the past decade, which means there’s a lot of confusion around what can be claimed on Extras Cover. That can make it difficult to find the best private health insurance for natural therapies that you use – but healthslips.com.au is here to help. Let’s break it down.
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Why have the health insurance rules about natural therapies changed?
The Australian government makes the rules about what therapies can and can’t be covered by health insurance. In 2019, a review by the Department of Health and the National Health and Medical Research Council found there wasn’t enough evidence for 16 natural therapies (including reflexology, kinesiology and homeopathy) to continue being covered by Extras Cover. As a result, the government changed the rules so insurers could no longer provide cover for these treatments. But in a plot twist, another review in 2024 found there was enough evidence for 7 of those therapies to be reinstated on Extras Cover. Those are:
Alexander technique
Naturopathy
Pilates
Shiatsu
Tai chi
Western herbal medicine
Yoga
What natural therapies are covered by health insurance in Australia?
As of July 2025, the complete list of natural therapies covered by health insurance is:
But while insurers are allowed to cover these therapies, they might decide not to. As of July 2026, only a small number of insurers had created processes to allow members to claim for some of the newly approved therapies:
ahm
Bupa
CBHS Health
Peoplecare
Westfund.
The takeaway: whether or not a therapy is covered will depend on your insurer, therapist and the therapy. If a natural therapy isn’t listed on your policy, it’s probably not covered. However it’s worth contacting your insurer and asking if the natural therapy you want to claim is included on your Extras Cover policy.
Essential to know
Remember, you’ll only be covered for natural therapies if they’re done as treatments for a health condition. For example, yoga for recreation or general fitness won’t be covered, but yoga to treat a condition, such as a lower back injury, may qualify for cover.
What’s the best private health insurance for natural therapies?
The best private health insurance for natural therapies is the one that covers the therapies you’re most likely to use, at a price that works for your budget. Use the healthslips.com.au calculator to search every Extras Cover policy in Australia and choose the treatments you want from the dropdown menu. If you don’t see the treatments you want, they’re not being offered by health insurers yet. Once you’ve selected your chosen treatments, click through and see every policy that meets your criteria, compare the ones that suit you best then check the policy details to make sure you’re getting your needs covered.
healthslips.com.au does not provide general or personalised advice. Your particular circumstances are likely to impact the accuracy, completeness and relevance of the information or results. Take this into account before making a decision and talk to an expert for financial advice.
Trudie McConnochie
Writer and Researcher
Knowledge is power – that’s the guiding principle behind everything Trudie writes, and it’s a philosophy she brings to her work at healthslips.com.au. By breaking down complex information into easy-to-understand blogs and stories, she aims to empower Australians to make the best choices and an informed decision around private health insurance.
Trudie understands firsthand some of the complexity of private health insurance having moved to Australia from New Zealand and having to navigate a vastly different public healthcare system and health insurance structure.
Trudie holds a Bachelor of Communication Studies (journalism major) from the Auckland University of Technology.
