Edition 62
March 2009
Message from the Manager
Contribution Rates: from 1st April 2009
The Fund will be increasing the Contribution Rates for the Hospital Tables as detailed in the personal letter accompanying this edition of Healthlinks.
The Fund continues to work with our industry partners to contain the increases in our costs, with the increase slightly higher than last year.
The increase has been determined with the best advice available, and approved by the federal Minister for Health as being the minimum required to ensure continued ability to pay benefits as needed, and to ensure the ongoing viability of the Fund.
Benefits paid from the Hospital Table in 2008 totalled over $13,461,000, with over $4,953,000 paid from the Ancillary Table.
YoungSavers — we have been able to hold the contribution rate for YoungSavers at $60 per month, and have increased the General Dental limit from $600 to $800 per year, and altered the Optometrical Benefit to $200 per year instead of each two years.
Updated Item Benefits: From 1st April 2009
In an attempt to restrain an increase in costs for members, we have not altered the contribution rates or benefits of our Ancillary cover this year. An in-depth comparison of benefits available from Phoenix against our main competitors showed that our benefits remain good value. These will be reassessed at the end of the year.
We have included in this mail-out a revised insert showing our new contribution rates, with rates after applying the Federal Government Rebates on private health insurance highlighted. The 30% Rebate applies to most members, with the 35% and 40% Rebates applying when an individual on a membership reaches their 65th or 70th birthday.
The contribution rates leaflet does not include any Lifetime Health Cover loadings. These are available on request to our office on Freecall 1800 02 8817. The accompanying letter takes the Rebates and Lifetime Health Cover loadings into account (if applicable).
If you have arranged regular BPay or Credit Card payments of your Contributions, please advise your financial institution of the new rates.
William Beaton
Chief Executive Officer
The Back Page
Phoenix Health Fund Website
- Online Private Hospital Search. Also the latest listing of contracted Private Hospitals
- Travel Insurance Online with payment by Credit Card (some restrictions)
- Access Gap Cover Doctors who wish to be listed via interactive lookup
- Quarterly Payment Options including BPay and Credit Card
- Alternative Therapy - latest listing of Alternative Therapy Provider Associations
- Copies of Fund Forms including Claim Forms, Membership Application Forms, Rebate Application Forms, Direct Debit Forms.
- Privacy statements, contribution rates, general information
- Recent Healthlinks Newsletters
- View most information from the Fund Brochure
- On-Line Member Services - register for Member Services online.
Member & Site Surveys
The Fund has recently undertaken surveys of a group of members, selected at random, to assist us in meeting your needs. We will be evaluating the responses in the near future, and implementing improved procedures and processes as highlighted in the survey. We have also undertaken a survey of key personnel at worksites, and have taken, or are about to undertake action in response. Many thanks to those who have responded, the exercises have been worthwhile.
Ambulance Quick links
Coverage for Ambulance Services varies from state to state within Australia. If you live in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia or Northern Territory, you need to join an Ambulance Subscription Scheme, and Phoenix Health Fund will pay Ancillary Benefits towards these contributions.
In Queensland, Ancillary Benefits are paid towards your Compulsory Ambulance Levy. For New South Wales and ACT, the Fund pays a levy on your behalf as part of the Hospital Tables.
In the event that Emergency Ambulance transport is required while you are travelling outside your home state, the Fund will cover these costs, so long as you have Ambulance Cover in your home state.
Communications by eMail
Members who send emails to us should expect a response within one business day.
We have had reports of emails not being received by us. Our Spam filters work overtime, rejecting hundreds of spurious messages daily, and inadvertently rejecting some genuine ones. This seems to happen particularly with Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo! addresses.
If you have not received a response in a timely manner, please contact our Freecall number 1800 028 817, or use the messages link on the Fund website.
Benefits while Overseas and Travel Insurance
As mentioned in prior editions of HealthLinks, the Fund does not now pay benefits for services provided while you are overseas. Also, benefits are not payable for items bought from overseas.
Phoenix Health Fund is an agent for QBE Travel Insurance. This type of insurance is strongly recommended if you are travelling, or have booked to travel, at a very reasonable price. Note also that policies are available for travel within Australia. Travel Insurance can be arranged and paid for easily, with a link from the front page of our website.
