Using your Everyday Extras

OK, so what are Extras?

Extras are things you can use regularly like dental, physio, and glasses (which are not provided in hospital). Medicare doesn't usually cover these, so you'll have to pay for them.

And Extras Cover...?

Extras cover helps cover the cost of Extras (simple, really). We pay part of the cost of these services by paying benefits.

What are Benefits?

Benefits are the dollar amount we pay when you make a claim for Extras services. How much you get depends on the type of cover you've got and your choice of provider.

What's a provider?

A professional or organisation that provides a health service, like dentists, optometrists, acupuncturists, physiotherapists and others.

Check that your provider is an nib recognised provider

nib will only pay benefits for services from recognised providers.

Providers must meet certain criteria to be recognised by nib:

• They must be in private practice
• They must have professional qualifications that are recognised by nib

Sometimes, providers are only for specific Extras. For example, nib might recognise a provider for Acupuncture, but not for Remedial Massage. This means you couldn't claim Remedial Massage, but could claim Acupuncture.

You should contact us before undergoing treatment to ensure the provider is recognised by nib or, visit our Recognised Providers Section in our FAQs.

Check if waiting periods apply

Before you can claim any benefits for your Extras, you must be in your chosen cover for a set period of time (known as a waiting period). Waiting periods are necessary to keep health cover fair. They protect existing members who contribute to a fund over time for when they might need health cover. If we didn't have waiting periods, people might join a fund to claim for a planned item and then leave.

If you've only recently joined a health fund, taken out Extras cover for the first time or chosen a higher level of Extras cover, waiting periods will apply to some Extras services on your cover.

Your cover won't pay any benefits until a waiting period's over, or for any services performed during this period.

Waiting periods for extras services are:

Note: your cover may not include some of these extras services.