Care has never counted more than now. That’s why we give eligible members access to a wider range of treatment options, at no extra cost, in the comfort and security of your own home*. Vital health services like:

• IV chemotherapy
• Intravenous (IV) therapy antibiotics
• Complex wound care with negative pressure wound therapy
• Rehabilitation after a hip or knee replacement.
  

So you can get the quality care you need without having to visit a hospital.

As Australia’s largest not-for-profit health fund, we’ve put the care of our members first for nearly 90 years. And care has never counted more than now.

It's why we’ve chosen to pay for treatments for eligible members that you can have in the comfort of your own home*. These services are called hospital-substitute treatment (HST) because the treatment at home takes the place of going to or staying longer in hospital.

Giving you access to a wider range of treatment options in the comfort of your own home.  That’s care when it counts. Uncommon Care.

HCF’s treatment at home program was a godsend for Matthew Grootenboer, a married fireman with four children, after he discovered in June 2019 that he had testicular cancer.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THESE SERVICES?
Each type of treatment has slightly different criteria but generally, to be eligible, you’ll need to:

• Be a current HCF member
• Have served waiting periods for pre-existing conditions
• Be covered for the treatment you’re having if you were admitted to hospital
• Need treatment that you would have had to stay in hospital for
• Live in an area served by an HCF-contracted HST provider (currently, we've partnered with at-home providers in every state except Tasmania)
• Have a suitable home environment to be treated in.
  

HOW DOES TREATMENT AT HOME GET ORGANISED FOR MEMBERS?
Eligible members should talk to their treatment team about at-home treatment options while they’re in hospital. We’ve sent hospitals a list of providers that HCF has contracts with to give treatment at home to members, so they’re familiar with the types of treatment at home we’ll cover eligible members for and can refer you straight to a provider.

HOW MUCH EXTRA DOES IT COST?
There are no out-of-pocket costs for treatment at home through HCF-contracted HST providers. We've sent hospitals a list of contracted HST providers or you can also call us on 13 13 34 to find out about our contracted HST providers – where they operate and what treatment they can give to eligible members.

HOW LONG WILL I GET TREATMENT FOR?
We consider your treatment at home complete when the care you need can be given in the community, rather than what you’d have to stay in hospital for. When you finish your treatment, the HST provider will refer you to community services if you need them. As an example Hospital Substitute Treatment for complex wound care means we’ll pay for the treatment for the time you would’ve stayed in hospital. Our contracted HST providers will talk to you about when the transition to options in the community will happen (like visiting a GP clinic or getting a referral to community nursing to have dressing changes that would've happened after you left hospital).

WHAT ISN’T COVERED?
While we’re expanding services for treatment at home, we only cover specific treatments that we have contracts with providers to deliver. If the reason you’re in hospital or need treatment at home is in any way related to an incident, accident or surgery you can claim compensation for from another party (like a workers compensation insurer, motor accident authority or a public liability insurer) then you won’t be covered by your private health insurance.

Important Information

^*Available with HCF-contracted providers, subject to your location and your hospital cover. Waiting periods apply.