Author: Trudie McConnochie

According to data from the ATO released in June 2026, 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...

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...

Lifetime Health Cover Loading (LHCL) is one of the most misunderstood areas of health insurance. It’s a penalty the government created to encourage Aussies to take out Hospital Cover before the age of 31. After that age, if you’re starting Hospital Cover you’ll pay an extra 2% on Hospital Cover for every year over 30...

At the time of writing, there are 47 health insurers in Australia, each of them offering a vast array of policies at different levels of cover and varying prices. So, how do you choose? How can you decide what’s the best private health insurer in Australia? Here, we break it down. What’s the best private health...

When you take out a health insurance policy in Australia, there’s a waiting period before you can claim. On Hospital Cover, the waiting period length is set by the Australian government, but on Extras Cover, insurers can choose their own waiting periods. So, does health insurance with no waiting period exist, and how can you...

Physiotherapy is one of the most common treatments Australians claim on private health insurance. In fact, during the April to June 2025 quarter, Aussie insurers paid $131.64 million in physiotherapy benefits. But there are lots of misconceptions about how much you can claim for physio, when your limits reset and how to find the best...

Has your doctor recommended sinus surgery, or another nasal procedure such as septoplasty or turbinate reduction? All of these ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeries are subject to long waiting times in the public hospital system in Australia. If breathing problems, recurring sinus issues and sleeping problems are having a serious impact on your life,...