How to get a private room

When you’re not feeling well, a bit of privacy and personal space can make all the difference to your recovery. So, it stands to reason getting a private room at hospital might be on your mind.

Here’s how to request a private room, and what to expect if one isn’t available.

Going to hospital

Private room – a Members First perk

If you pre-book at a Members First hospital for an overnight stay, you’ll receive a private room or you’ll get $50 back per night¹.

Simply contact your hospital to request a private room at least 24 hours prior to your hospital admission.

If upon admission you learn you’re unable to be accommodated in a private room, and you booked and asked for one at least 24 hours beforehand, you may be eligible to receive $50 per day back per night from the hospital¹.

There are instances and scenarios where it’s less likely a private room will be available for you upon a hospital admission:

You’re being admitted to a hospital that doesn’t have a Members First agreement with Bupa
You don’t request a private room at the time of booking
You request a private room less than 24 hours prior to admission
You’re admitted via an accident or emergency department
You’re a day patient (in a day hospital or clinic) and don’t need to stay in hospital overnight
You’re initially admitted as a day patient and your treatment leads to an unplanned overnight stay
You’re a private patient in a public hospital
Your medical team have deemed it clinically inappropriate
You become a ‘nursing home-type patient’ (that is, you no longer require acute care and have been in hospital more than 35 days).
Your treatment is restricted or excluded from your cover
You’re admitted for a pre-existing condition during waiting periods

If one or more of the above scenarios applies to you:

You can still request a private room (it doesn’t hurt to ask), however Bupa can’t guarantee you’ll get a private room, and you won't be eligible for any money back from the hospital if one isn't available – $50 back per night only applies to Members First hospitals.
The hospital will explain the reasons for admitting you to ward-type accommodation and it’ll be documented in your medical record.

Check or change your Bupa cover

If you’re a current Bupa member and want to check what you’re covered for, you can sign in to myBupa or contact us.

Want to review or change your cover? We can help with that too (waiting periods may apply).

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¹ 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, occasions where a private room is medically inappropriate, treatment which is excluded or restricted, and treatment for a pre-existing condition during waiting periods.