Bupa Health Insurance

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About Bupa Health Insurance

What is Bupa Health Insurance? 

Bupa Health Insurance is a private health insurer that operates as an open health fund. 

It is part of the UK-based Bupa Group, an international healthcare company that operates in 3 markets:

1. Health insurance
2. Healthcare services
3. Aged care.

The Bupa Group claims it serves 43 million customers and has 82,000 employees around the world.

Background 

The Bupa Group first entered the Australian market in 2002 when it purchased HBA and Mutual Community for $600 million. 

In 2008, it purchased MBF. 

In 2011, it integrated the 3 Australian health funds into the Bupa Health Insurance brand.

The wider Bupa organisation in Australia also provides healthcare services, including:

• dental
• optical
• hearing.

As at March 2024, Bupa operated 58 Residential Aged Care facilities in Australia.

Who can join Bupa Health Insurance? 

Anyone can join Bupa Health Insurance because it is an open health fund.

What products does Bupa Health Insurance offer? 

In Australia, Bupa Health Insurance offers:

• Hospital Cover
• Extras Cover
• Combined Hospital and Extras Cover
• Ambulance Only Cover
• Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC)
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).

Do Bupa Health Insurance policies include Ambulance Cover?

Bupa Health Insurance includes Ambulance Cover with:

• Hospital Cover
• Extras Cover
• Combined Hospital and Extras Cover.

Check your policy to see whether Ambulance Cover is capped.

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Is Bupa Health Insurance a not-for-profit health insurer?

No. Bupa Health Insurance operates on a for-profit basis. 

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Does Bupa Health Insurance operate in all Australian states and territories?

Yes. Bupa Health Insurance operates in all Australian states and territories.

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How does Bupa Health Insurance Hospital Cover compare with other insurers?

Benchmarks	Bupa	Industry average
Member retention for Hospital Cover	87.7%	88.6%
% hospital-related charges covered	90.9%	90.6%

Source: Private Health Insurance Ombudsman: State of the Health Funds Report: 2022

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Does Bupa Health Insurance have agreements with some private hospitals or day hospitals to provide services at low cost or with no out-of-pocket costs?

Yes. Bupa Health Insurance has agreements with a number of private hospitals that allow it to provide services to its members at low cost or with no out-of-pocket costs:

Location	Number of private Agreement Hospitals	Industry maximum
ACT	4	6
NSW	87	98
NT	1	2
QLD	49	60
SA	20	23
TAS	8	9
VIC	64	76
WA	22	24

Bupa Health Insurance also has agreements with a number of day hospitals that allow it to provide services at low cost or with no out-of-pocket costs:

Location	Number of day Agreement Hospitals	Industry maximum
ACT	6	9
NSW	70	103
NT	1	2
QLD	45	57
SA	25	30
TAS	6	8
VIC	61	79
WA	20	24

Source: BUPA Health Insurance: performance

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How does Bupa Health Insurance Extras Cover compare with other insurers? 

Benchmark	Bupa	Industry average
% Extras Cover charges covered	50.7%	52.0%

Source: Private Health Insurance Ombudsman: State of the Health Funds Report: 2022

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How does Bupa Health Insurance compare with other private health insurers? 

Benchmarks	Bupa	Industry average
Market share	24.7%	–
% medical services with no gap	91.6%	88.8%
% services with no gap or where known gap payment made	98.3%	97.4%
Market share of complaints to the PHIO	23.6%	–
% complaints investigated by the PHIO	13.9%	–
Benefits as a % of contributions	81.6%	83.1%
Management expenses as a % of contribution income	9.8%	9.9%
Management expenses per average policy	$371	$375

Source: Private Health Insurance Ombudsman: State of the Health Funds Report: 2022

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Is Bupa Health Insurance a member of any industry organisations?

Yes. Bupa Health Insurance is a member of Private Healthcare Australia (PHA), a body that represents 21 registered health insurers and 98% of people covered by private health insurance.

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Does Bupa Health Insurance let me claim online or via an app?

Yes. Bupa allows you to make a claim online or via an app.

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How to contact Bupa

Phone:

134 135 (sales and customer service)
+61 3 9487 6400 (from outside Australia)

Website:

https://www.bupa.com.au/health-insurance

Email:

No general email. Log on to Bupa to scan the WhatsApp QR code

Address:

Level 16
33 Exhibition Street
MELBOURNE VIC 3000

Postal address:

As above

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