There are so many reasons to get health insurance while you’re still young. When you first take out private hospital cover with a fund that includes an age-based discount you’ll receive a 2% discount for each year you’re under 30, up to a maximum of 10%. This means if you’re between 18 and 25, you’ll receive the full 10% discount. After turning 41, your discount will gradually reduce each year. Plus, if you earn over $105,000 as a single or $210,000 as a couple, you can be exempt from the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) if you have and maintain suitable private hospital cover.± Whether you’re getting cover for peace of mind, tax reasons or just to get money back on extras, Bupa has cover to suit your needs and lifestyle.
Why choose Bupa?
Cover for young adults  
Popular options for different lifestyles

*Minimum direct debit frequency is fortnightly. Price is for a single in NSW under the age of 65. No Lifetime Health Cover loading or age-based discount applied. Includes base tier Australian Government Rebate. Hospital cover price is based on an excess of $750.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. As a couple, you have the option of getting couples health insurance (so you’re both covered on the same policy) or a singles health insurance policy each. It’s entirely up to you and what best suits your needs as individuals and as a couple. 

With Bupa, a couples health cover policy generally costs double the price of a singles health cover policy (before applying the Australian government rebate or Lifetime Health Cover loading). The benefit of couples insurance is it’s easier to manage one insurance premium and one account for you and your partner and you’ll get information for both members at tax time.

Once you turn 32, you can no longer stay on your parents’ family policy.

If you’re on your parents’ health cover, we can cover you on their policy until you turn 32, provided you are: 

  • not married or in a de-facto relationship,  
  • studying fulltime, and  
  • not receiving any income paid by the education provider. 

Your parents must apply each year to have student dependants registered on their family membership.

If you’re under 32 but not studying full time, you can stay on their policy so long as:

  • you’re not married or living in a de-facto relationship, 
  • your parents are on a Bupa Family Plus policy, and 
  • you’re not receiving any income paid by an education provider.

Read more about Bupa Family Plus

You won’t be locked into a contract. You can also change your cover anytime you like. When you change your cover, you may have to serve waiting periods. 

You can do this online through the website chat, over the phone by calling 134 135 or in person at a Bupa shopfront.

You can start claiming as soon as you've served your waiting periods.

Different treatments and services have different waiting periods.

We apply the following waiting periods to domestic hospital cover:

  • No waiting period for medical treatment needed due to an accident sustained after joining.
  • 12 months for pre-existing conditions, ailments, or illnesses.
  • 12 months for pregnancy and birth.
  • 2 months for travel and accommodation.
  • 2 months for hospital psychiatric services, palliative care and rehabilitation.
  • 2 months for all other treatment included under the hospital product held.

We apply the following waiting periods for extras cover:

  • 6 months for health management.
  • 6 months for hire and repair of health aids and appliances.
  • 12 months for health aids and appliances.
  • 12 months for major dental and orthodontics.
  • 12 months for foot orthotics.
  • 2 months for all other services included under the extras product held

You can check your hospital out-of-pocket cost with our Out of pocket tool.

You can also use Find a provider to check if your chosen extras provider is a Members First or Members First Platinum member with us. If not, call us to check if they’re a recognised provider with us.

It depends on the hospital or extras service provider you visit. The easiest way to claim is either through a HICAPS machine at a provider or by submitting the claim online via myBupa or through the myBupa app.

There are 3 ways that claims can work:

  1. If you visit a hospital that’s one of our Network hospitals, the hospital will bill directly to Bupa for eligible treatment.

  2. If you receive a bill for a hospital treatment covered by your health insurance on the day or in the mail, you can submit a claim online via myBupa or through the myBupa app.

  3. For extras services, you can claim through a HICAPS machine or online. The easiest way to claim with the HICAPS machine is by having a digital card on your phone through the myBupa app, but you can do this with your physical card too. You can also make a claim in the myBupa app or online in myBupa if the service provider gives you a bill that you’ve already paid in full.

±Applicable rebate percentage and income thresholds are reviewed annually by the Australian Government. Single parents and couples (including de facto couples) are subject to family tiers. For families with children, income thresholds are increased by $1,500 for each Medicare Levy Surcharge dependant child after the first child. For more information, visit the ATO website.

₵ Choose either four or six extras services. The 50% or 60% claim back is available at any Bupa recognised provider and is subject to yearly limits.

^ Select direct restoration and general fillings only. Benefit claiming restrictions, waiting periods, yearly limits, fund and policy rules apply. Available on all Extras products with general dental at Members First Ultimate providers. Not available in all areas.

¤ Depending on your level of cover, for most services at our Members First extras providers covering dental, physiotherapy, chiropractic and podiatry consultations. Bupa has Members First providers for these services. Not available in all areas. Yearly limits, benefit claiming restrictions, waiting periods, fund and policy rules apply.

¥ Subject to availability and eligibility. Private room must be booked and requested at least 24 hours before admission. For every night a private room is unavailable, you’ll receive $50 back per night from the hospital. Applies to overnight admissions only. Excludes nursing home type patients, emergency care, same-day stays or where a private room is not medically appropriate. Not available in the NT. Any co-payment excess as part of your cover will still apply.

† If claimable from another source, a benefit won’t be paid by Bupa. Benefits for ambulance transportation is only payable where the provider describes the transportation as an ‘Emergency’. For more, see the Important Information Guide. There is a 1 day waiting period for emergency ambulance and on-the-spot treatment.