How HCF health cover has helped Jenny for 60 years

Published September 2024 | 5 min read
Words by Carrie Hutchinson

During six decades of family health crises and her own medical problems, including knee replacement surgery, Jenny has relied on HCF and its health cover for support. 

Even before she arrived in Australia in 1963, Jenny was a world traveller. Born in New Zealand, she’d headed to London at 20 where she met the love of her life, Austrian pastry chef Hermann. After living in Austria for a time, together they decided to travel to Australia to set up a new life, as part of our migrant boom mid-last century.

“We were living at Villawood Migrant Hostel in Sydney and, by that time, had a little baby boy,” says Jenny, now 83 years old. “People used to come round the hostel helping you and the person who came round to sign us up for a health fund must have been nice as we signed up straight away to HCF!”

Jenny and her family have been with HCF ever since, her adult sons becoming members when they moved out of home. Not surprisingly, there have been many times throughout the past six decades when the family’s membership has provided them with reliable support and uncommon care.

One of the most difficult was when one of her sons had an operation at the age of 20 and lost his small intestine due to complications.

“He had to live on intravenous feeding for eight or nine years, then I took him to Canada for a transplant,” says Jenny.

The treatments worked for 18 precious months, but then Jenny says the experience was “all too much” for him, and her son sadly passed away shortly afterwards.

Cancer treatment, heart health and other healthcare options

Over the years, Jenny says her husband Hermann and their other two sons have also taken advantage of a wide range of HCF benefits, from annual eye exams and new lenses for their glasses to dental care. Jenny herself has also had an eye operation, dental implants, tubal ligation, a varicose vein operation and treatment for a melanoma on her lung.

“I had that operated on at a private hospital in Sydney, and that was pretty well covered,” she says.

Hermann benefited from their HCF membership later in life.

“He was pretty healthy, but then in his 70s, his heart started to give trouble, and he had what they call arrhythmia,” explains Jenny. “He was in hospital having shock treatment and eventually they had to give him a pacemaker.”

That gave the couple extra time to be together, but eventually his heart gave out despite the pacemaker’s help.

Tackling life with a knee replacement

Despite setbacks and losses, Jenny continues to keep active and stay positive. She’s vice-president of Sydney’s Austrian Club, and, as a huge fan of the arts, she attends the ballet, symphony and opera at the Sydney Opera House as often as possible. For six years, she ran The Compassionate Friends, an organisation that supports bereaved parents.

“I learned about how to counsel people,” she says of her time there. “Although we weren’t allowed to call ourselves counsellors, it felt good helping people. Of course, I went through my own trauma, too, with depression – but you get over it. Or no, you don’t – you learn to live with it.”

These days, she travels as much as possible: flying over Lake Eyre, sailing to Antarctica, taking an expedition cruise around Melanesia. She’s also booked a trip to New Zealand to see white herons hatching, an Amazon cruise and a trip to Tanzania to fly over the Serengeti National Park in a small plane. Recent knee surgery means she’ll be able to enjoy this travel and many other adventures.

“I had a knee replacement earlier this year and because of my level of HCF cover, my out-of-pocket expenses were significantly reduced,” she says, “and they even covered most of my visits to the rehab hospital for physio after I left there.”

The benefits of health cover

Since her operation, Jenny has continued with the physiotherapy to help build muscle strength for her next procedure: a hip replacement.

“I’m actually enjoying that process, and I don’t know why, because I’m not an exercise person. But I am getting stronger; I’ve just stopped using the walking stick,” she says.

Jenny is aware of HCF’s No-Gap Joints program, which gives eligible members^* access to hip and knee replacements with no out-of-pocket expenses, but she chose a hospital closer to home. Being able to choose the location of her procedure (and not wait too long) has been one of the benefits she’s enjoyed as an HCF member.

“A friend of mine who isn’t insured had to line up a good six months ahead to get her knee done,” she says. “I just told my surgeon when I wanted it done and where, and it happened!”

As well as GP’s recommendations, HCF members can also use the Find a Provider^{^} tool to access the details of hundreds of medical specialists and extras providers right around the country.

Insurance for life with HCF

During her 60 years with HCF, Jenny has built up many good relationships with doctors, nurses and technicians, especially at places she attends regularly, like the eyecare hospital. She also reaches out to the health cover experts at HCF for advice whenever she needs it.

“HCF has always been very helpful,” she says. “When I ring up with a problem, they’ll outline what the cost of anything is going to be.”

HCF specialists also helped Jenny through the claim process, which she now knows is “three steps and I’m done”.

“There must have been a hundred things over the years that have happened, and it’s just normal to contact HCF to find out what I have to do,” she says. “HCF has always been really helpful. I’ve had a busy life, but I think that’s why I'm still here.”

It pays to be a member

For members like Jenny, our exclusive range of loyalty offers and rewards⁺ is our way of saying ‘thank you’. The longer you stay with us, the more ways you benefit. We want to help you save money, whether it’s on essentials like e-Gift cards for groceries or well-deserved treats and experiences.