Author: Trudie McConnochie

Losing your job is an incredibly difficult experience that can leave you reeling emotionally – especially if it was unexpected. On a practical level, it also means a lot of decisions and adjustments to make, particularly around your finances. You may need to reassess your expenses until you land a new job. When it comes...

Back pain can be debilitating, and it’s an issue experienced by around 4 million Australians, according to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Sometimes back pain is treated with surgery, such as spinal fusion or spinal disc replacement, but in many other cases a combination of less intensive treatments are recommended. Here’s...

Of the 47 insurers selling health insurance in Australia right now, 22 of them are not-for-profit, which means they aren’t focused on making and returning a profit to shareholders. So, does that mean policies from these insurers are cheaper? Here, we explore whether you’ll save money on health insurance by buying a policy from a...

Just a few decades ago cosmetic surgery was relatively uncommon, but it has had a big increase in Australia in the past 10 years. In fact, according to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, more cosmetic procedures are done per capita in Australia than in the USA. And 2023 research from...

Unlike Hospital Cover, Extras Cover is the form of health insurance that won’t help you avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge, so it might not be a big priority for some people. But if you want to save money on health maintenance costs, such as dental treatments and physiotherapy, Extras Cover can be a good investment....

According to recent data from the ATO, record numbers of Australians are now paying the Medicare Levy Surcharge at tax time. If that’s you – or you think you might be at risk of being charged it next year – here’s what you need to know. Do I have to pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge? First things...

It’s one of the most common mistakes we hear about at healthslips.com.au – people taking out the cheapest health insurance to avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS), but not checking what the policy includes. As a result, they end up with a ‘junk policy’ – one that provides so little cover it’s ineffective. The good...

Almost half of Australian adults experience sleep problems regularly, and if you or a family member is one of them, there are treatments available. The good news is that some treatments for sleep apnoea and other sleep issues are covered by health insurance.   Does health insurance cover sleep studies? A sleep study is where you’re observed as...