• 84% of young Australians will require Extras cover in the next 12 months
• Top 3 Extras for Australians aged 18-39 are dental and teeth whitening, optical and mental health services
• Cost/value for money, flexibility and ease of use ranked as top 3 priorities for choosing Extras cover

MONDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER, 2023: Addressing the rising costs of living and evolving health needs of young Australians, HCF, Australia’s largest not-for-profit health fund has launched 'Flex My Extras'.

Targeting singles and couples aged 18-39, 'Flex My Extras' offers an affordable, easy-to-use extras experience, putting financial control, choice, and unbeatable value into the hands of its members.

Offering 100% back on a dental check-up, a flexible single limit of $650 for other services, plus $175 optical limit per calendar year, 'Flex My Extras' gives younger members the freedom to spend their limits on the extras they genuinely want, including online mental health support, teeth whitening, acupuncture and vaccinations.

According to HCF’s latest research^[1]:

• 84 per cent of Australians aged 18 to 39 will require Extras health cover in the next 12 months.
• Of those, over 78 per cent prioritise dental and teeth whitening, with optical (41 per cent) and mental health services (40 per cent) making up the top three most important services desired in their private health insurance cover. 
• Further data analysis reveals Millennials prioritise dental/teeth whitening and optical over Generation Z, whereas coverage for mental health services is considered more important by Gen Z.

In response to the escalating expenses of daily life, 8 in 10 young Australians (83 per cent) are prioritising value for money/cost as the most important factor when choosing to take out extras health cover, followed by the need for flexibility of choice (51 per cent) and ease of use of the product (51 per cent).

HCF CEO, Sheena Jack said: “At a time when budgeting and cost cutting are paramount, affordable, flexible health cover has never been more relevant. ‘Flex My Extras’ empowers our younger members to create tailored cover that delivers the value they genuinely want.

“By simplifying the healthcare experience, we’re letting members choose the extras cover that resonates with them most, which for this younger cohort, includes dental, mental health, physio, optical and acupuncture. It puts the choice back in their hands.

“Reshaping how Australians see and use their extras cover, ‘Flex My Extras’ also provides an opportunity for younger members to better grasp how extras cover complements Medicare, to support their overall health and wellbeing.”

HCF Chief Officer, Product & Diversified Business, Lorraine Thomas added: “'Flex My Extras' is a testament to how we’re putting our money where our members are and our commitment to delivering affordable, accessible healthcare solutions for all Australians.

“We also want younger members to see the value in choosing and sticking with us which is why we’ve introduced our unique Gap Bonus feature which helps members eliminate or reduce out-of-pocket costs on any of the services they’re covered for and increases up to the third year they’re with us.”

“HCF ‘Flex My Extras’ is uncomplicated healthcare, offering a flexible limit and affordable cover for the services younger members value most”, Ms Thomas said.

HCF has been awarded Outstanding Value Health Insurance by Canstar 7 years in a row.

For more detailed information about the ‘Flex My Extras’ inclusions, features and benefits designed to meet the needs and desires of younger Australians, visit HCF Flex My Extras.

ENDS

For more information on any of the projects or for any further media enquiries please contact:

Media contact: Lindsay Carter 0457101176 lcarter@hcf.com.au

ABOUT HCF
HCF, Australia’s largest not-for-profit health fund protecting Australians since 1932, covers more than 1.9 million members with health and life insurance, and travel and pet insurance. HCF has been awarded Outstanding Value Health Insurance by Canstar seven years in a row from 2016-2022. On average over the last ten years, HCF has paid out more cents in every dollar in premiums to members as benefits than the industry average. To learn more about HCF go to hcf.com.au/about-us

^[1]YouGov Omnibus Survey commissioned by HCF in August 2023, surveying over 1,000 Australians aged 18-39, representative of a cohort of 7.6 million Australians.