HCi Factsheet - health cover dependants
Making health insurance easy!
Common membership management questions
current July 2024
Here are answers to some of the most common “how do I… ” questions we receive. Of course, if you still have questions, please contact us via HCi Chat, phone or email!
Updating membership contact details
If you moved house, updated your phone or got a new email address, it’s important to let us know so we can stay in touch with you.
We’ve made updating your contact details easy! Just
- log into OMS and update it yourself
- call us during business hours
- fill in our policy change form and email or mail it to us
You can also update contact details for any adult dependants on your policy – or let them do it themselves!
HCi offers OMS for members
As an HCi member you can access OMS – HCi’s Secure Online Member Services –
to manage your membership at your convenience.
OMS gives you the ability to:
- submit claims in a secure environment
- look at your membership details
- review your claims and limit usage
- update your contact details
- make credit card payments
- order a new membership card
To register for OMS, click here and follow the link. All information passed through the secure
site along with access to your membership details is protected through a password you choose.
Updating your health cover
You can vary your level of cover to meet your changing needs at any time.
If you change your cover by adding a new option, increasing your cover level, or moving to a lower excess, waiting periods will apply to the higher benefits of your new cover. You will, however, have continued access the existing level of cover.
To change the level or type of cover you have, please use our policy updates form or log into OMS.
You can also add or remove dependants from your cover. However, this may involve a change of policy type (eg you may need family cover instead of single when you have a baby, or to move from family cover to couple cover when your children leave home). Call us for assistance, log into OMS or use our dependant declaration.
Suspension of cover
Members may apply for suspension of their membership, if when applying, they have held cover for at least 12 months and all premiums are current.
Suspension (or postponement) of membership can only be made in one of the following circumstances:
- the member’s absence from Australia for travel reasons for 28 days to 2 years; or
- the member’s financial hardship for up to 6 months.
Hospital cover suspensions do not count towards the 1,094 days cumulative absence allowed by Lifetime Health Cover Legislation (ie suspensions may effect your LHC loading).
Please note that high income earners will be subject to the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS). during a period of suspended hospital cover.
If membership is reinstated within 30 days of the suspension ending and premiums are paid from the end of the suspension period, no new waiting periods apply. For details of what you need to provide in your application for membership suspension, please call us on 1800 804 950 or catch us on HCi Chat.
Ending cover and membership
If you choose to cease your hospital cover, your future hospital health cover premiums will be subject to the Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) provisions dealing with periods of absence.
If you’re considering cancelling or suspending your health insurance cover, please call us on 1800 804 950 or use HCi Chat.
Finding your Private Health Tax Statement
Want to see your statement or get a copy for your tax records? It’s easy!
Log into your ATO MyTax portal
Ask your tax agent, if you have one
HCi used its best endeavours to ensure this information was accurate at the time of publication. From time to time, circumstances relating to the subject matter may change which may impact the accuracy of the information. This information is also general in nature and does not take into account any specific health or financial situation. Before making any decisions in relation to this information, you should consider your own financial and health situation and seek professional advice. Health Care Insurance Ltd ABN 43 009 579 088. A Registered Private Health Insurer.