Best Health Insurance for Women ☑️ (2025)

Best Health Insurance for Women in Australia

Health insurance doesn’t always account for the realities women face, like pregnancy, menopause, or managing long-term conditions. If you want coverage that supports your realistic needs, not just the standard list, our guide breaks down which funds go beyond the basics and which ones still have a lot to answer for. Here’s what we’ll discuss:

Why Do Women Still Get the Short End of the Policy Stick?
Comparing Maternity and Reproductive Health Cover Across the Top Five Funds
Chronic Illness and Cancer Support That Women Rely On Long-Term
Which Funds Provide the Most Practical Mental Health Support?
Extras That Match the Way Women Use Healthcare
Claiming, Apps, and Admin – Which Fund Won’t Waste Your Time?
Gap Cover and Out-of-Pocket Costs
Family-Friendly Benefits

and much, MUCH more!

Why Do Women Still Get the Short End of the Policy Stick in Australian Health Insurance?

If you’ve ever felt like the system wasn’t created with your health in mind, you’re not imagining it. Even with Medicare and private cover, women in Australia still face gaps that don’t make sense.

Start with costs. Even when you take pregnancy out of the equation, women tend to pay more out of pocket than men. At the same time, the gender pay gap is alive and well, averaging nearly $28,500 a year. That means women are spending more on healthcare with less income to do it.

Then there’s the way Medicare sets its rebates. A pelvic ultrasound (pretty standard for a woman’s health check) is subsidised less than a scrotal ultrasound. There are explanations, but it’s an outdated policy that hasn’t kept up with reality.

When private maternity units close down, you’re the one driving 150 km to give birth, even if you paid for top-tier private cover.

While the paperwork may claim “equal access,” the lived experience tells a different story. These aren’t isolated issues; they’re part of a pattern. If your health insurance doesn’t reflect your needs, then no, it’s not doing the job.

Comparing Maternity and Reproductive Health Cover Across the Top Five Funds

If you’re planning to grow your family (or you at least want the option on the table), your health fund has to do more than pay lip service to “women’s health.”

Maternity cover in Australia isn’t automatically included in all private hospital plans, and not every fund provides meaningful support for fertility, birth, or postnatal care. This section breaks down what each of the five funds offers in terms of reproductive care.

Health Partners

Maternity is only included on the Gold Hospital Advantage plan.
Assisted reproductive services like IVF are not covered, not even on Gold.
The waiting period for pregnancy coverage is 12 months.
Post-birth perks: hospital-in-home, health coaching, and compression garments for recovery.
No international maternity benefits included.

Best for: Those who want solid pregnancy cover, but not if you need IVF support.

Onemedifund

Pregnancy and childbirth are fully covered under the Gold Hospital $250 Excess & Comprehensive Extras plan.
Midwifery services are included.
A 12-month waiting period applies for maternity and pre-existing conditions.
Assisted reproductive services aren’t explicitly listed.
The extras plan includes postnatal physiotherapy, optical services, and therapies such as chiropractic care and massage.

Best for: Women who want hospital-to-home support and full maternity cover in a single plan.

Phoenix Health Fund

Maternity and assisted reproductive services are only available on the Silver Plus Family Hospital plan.
The Bumps & Bubs program provides access to maternal health nurses, educational resources, and pregnancy support.
Waiting period: 2 to 12 months, depending on the service.
No IVF or ART coverage, even on the top tier.
Dependants under 25 have no excess for hospital stays.

Best for: Women who want pregnancy care with structured, guided support—especially helpful for first-time parents.

Queensland Country Health Fund

Maternity and birth-related treatments are only included in the Better Hospital (Silver+) plan.
Assisted reproductive services are excluded, even at the top tier.
A 12-month waiting period for pregnancy services.
Offers a $50 per night travel benefit if you need to travel 300 km or more for a birth.
No maternity cover under their Vital Hospital (Bronze+) plan.

Best for: Regional members preparing for childbirth in a private facility, where travel expenses can accumulate rapidly.

St. Lukes Health

Pregnancy and birth are covered on Silver Plus Hospital 250, Protector Silver Plus, and Gold Hospital 300.
Assisted reproduction is only included on Gold and Protector Silver Plus.
Postnatal care is available in certain regions.
No excess for child dependents.
Hospital-in-home services and chronic condition management are available post-birth.

Best for: Women seeking access to both birth and assisted reproductive treatments, with choices available across various tiers.

Chronic Illness and Cancer Support That Women Rely On Long-Term

If you already manage a chronic condition, you know how invisible that load can feel. Women are more likely to live with autoimmune conditions, long-term pain, and cancer survivorship, yet many health funds still treat chronic illness like a policy footnote.

What you need is coverage that supports continuity of care, not just crisis response. Below is a breakdown of what each fund offers.

Chronic Illness and Cancer Support Comparison

Health Fund	Chronic Illness Support	Cancer Care	Notable Extras
Health Partners	In-home rehab, health coaching, hospital-in-home	Inpatient cancer care included from Bronze up	Loyalty extras for insulin pumps, hearing devices
Onemedifund	Covers physiotherapy, psychology, and health management programs	Full coverage for chemotherapy, rehabilitation, and oncology surgery	100% ambulance cover; hearing aids up to $1,500
Phoenix Health	Diabetes, osteoarthritis, and cancer support via condition-specific programs	Strong cancer therapy support from Bronze Plus upwards	Chronic condition management is included in Silver Plus plans
Queensland Country	Covers chronic disease hospital care on Silver+	Cancer treatment is included in Better Hospital (Silver+)	$50 travel/accommodation benefit for rural patients
St. Lukes Health	Full chronic condition care on Silver+ and Gold	Cancer surgery, chemo, radio/immunotherapy on most plans	Postnatal, joint, diabetes, and cardiac rehab are covered

What That Means for You

If you need support beyond a one-time hospital stay, most lower-tier plans won’t be enough. Onemedifund and St. Luke’s are the strongest options because both provide adequate space for rehabilitation, psychology, and long-term therapies.

Health Partners offers good chronic illness options via its hospital-in-home model, while Phoenix includes some of the best condition-specific programs across its mid-tier plans.

Queensland Country is perfect if you live regionally and need cancer care plus travel help, but chronic illness coverage is more limited to hospital settings.

Which Funds Provide the Most Practical Mental Health Support?

Mental health cover shouldn’t feel like a loophole you have to squeeze through. Whether it’s anxiety, postnatal depression, grief, or burnout, you need access to services that don’t stop at a crisis line or a two-night psych stay.

Some health funds take this seriously, while others treat it like an afterthought. Here’s how health insurers compare:

Mental Health Support Across the Funds

Health Partners

Hospital psychiatric care is available on Silver and up.
Psych support extras limited—no specific mention of psychology rebates.
Offers in-home recovery programs for broader health support.
No standout mental health initiatives beyond inpatient services.

Onemedifund

Extras include up to $500 per year for psychology.
$120 per session rebate for initial consults.
Covers both mental illness, hospital care, and ongoing therapies.
One of the few funds offering complementary mental health services, such as speech therapy and occupational therapy, when relevant.

Phoenix Health

Hospital plans cover mental health and rehab from Bronze Plus upwards.
Members specifically praise mental health coaching and support.
Offers dedicated mental health programs, not just box-ticking benefits.

Queensland Country

Mental health hospital services are included in Better Hospital (Silver+).
No clear extra benefits listed for psychology or counselling.
Strength lies more in hospital admissions than in day-to-day support.

St. Lukes Health

Hospital cover includes inpatient psych care across several plans.
No-gap preventative extras may apply to mental health services, depending on the provider.
Wellness hubs offer community access to education and support services.

Bottom Line

If you want proper psychological cover, Onemedifund is your best bet, closely followed by Phoenix. Both offer tangible financial support for therapy and acknowledge the long-term nature of mental health care.

St. Luke’s has a community-focused angle, but support varies by location. Health Partners and Queensland Country cover psych, but don’t extend much beyond hospital-based support.

Extras That Match the Way Women Use Healthcare

Extras cover can be where a health fund either gets it right or completely misses how women use the system. If you juggle dental, optical, physio, and therapy appointments, you want value that reflects how often and how consistently those services are used. Not every fund delivers on that.

Here’s how the five top insurers compare:

Health Partners

Health Partners offers extras with a focus on dental and optical services, particularly through their own clinics. Members receive full coverage for annual dental check-ups and prescription glasses, subject to plan limits.

While it offers in-home care benefits and support for chronic conditions, coverage for services such as chiropractic or psychological therapy is less clearly defined.

Strengths:

Comprehensive dental and optical.
Loyalty benefits on hearing devices.
Access to own clinic network.

Onemedifund

Extras are included in the single combined plan. This fund gives generous limits on:

Dental: Unlimited general, $1,000 for crowns.
Optical: $275 per year, plus laser eye surgery every two years.
Physio and therapies: $550 for physio, $435 for chiro, massage, and acupuncture.
Psychology: Up to $500 per year.

The extras categories are clear, with high claim limits and loyalty rewards after five years.

Phoenix Health

Phoenix lets members choose their providers across all extras without network restrictions. Every extra tier includes:

Full cover for two dental check-ups per year.
Cover for physio, osteopathy, chiropractic, and optical.
Access to lifestyle product discounts.

Extras are flexible, and benefit tracking is easy through the app. You can see what’s available and what you’ve already used in real-time.

Queensland Country

There are four extra plans with rising limits. The Ultra Extras option includes:

$1,400 for dental and major dental.
$300 for optical.
$1,400 for physiotherapy, chiro, etc.
$2,000 for hearing aids or health appliances.

Extra plans can be packaged or taken standalone. Loyalty bonuses increase claim limits over time.

St. Lukes Health

Extras include gap-free preventive dental care, depending on your provider. Plans also cover:

Physio and natural therapies.
No excess for child dependents on hospital stays.
Chronic condition rehab and postnatal care are available on some tiers.

Extras are most effective when you pair it with hospital coverage on mid-to-high-tier plans.

Quick Take

Onemedifund and Queensland Country lead on value and transparency. Phoenix offers the most flexibility, while Health Partners is strong in optical and dental services but lacks strength in therapies.

St. Lukes offers a wellness-driven approach, but availability may vary depending on location and provider agreements.

Claiming, Apps, and Admin – Which Fund Won’t Waste Your Time?

If you have ever had to chase down a missing claim or sit through a 40-minute hold only to ask about a receipt, you already know: admin matters.

A good health fund offers comprehensive coverage and makes it easy to use. That includes transparent claiming processes, helpful digital tools, and customer service that won’t drain your will to live.

Below is a comparison of what each fund offers in terms of claiming, apps, and day-to-day management.

Claims and App Functionality

Health Fund	Claiming Options	Mobile App	Extras in the App Experience	Admin Strengths
Health Partners	App online portal in-person mail	Yes	Claim via photo, track claims, book dental/optical, view limits	1–5 day processing, secure login, strong in-house network tools
Onemedifund	App email fax post	Yes	Upload receipts, view claim history, and request a new card	2-day processing, direct contact with real people, no phone menus
Phoenix Health	App online email	Yes	Face ID login, fast claims, digital card, instant benefit tracking	Real-time benefits view, benefit estimator in-app
Queensland Country	HICAPS/HealthPoint (real-time) app portal	Yes	Claim on the go, check cover limits	Integration with regional service centres, responsive staff
St. Lukes Health	App HICAPS online	Yes	View cover, submit claims, manage payments, digital ID card	Wellness hub integration, app needs smoother user flow (per reviews)

What You Can Expect Day to Day

Phoenix Health has the most user-friendly app, featuring real-time tracking, Face ID login, and digital cards that seamlessly integrate into your phone’s wallet. Onemedifund doesn’t have an iOS app but is still ahead with fast claims and honest customer service (no bots, no holding).

Health Partners is reliable and integrates well with its in-house dental and optical network. Queensland Country supports real-time claiming at providers and offers solid app features, especially for regional users.

St. Lukes Health is decent, but a few recent reviews flagged login issues and a clunky verification process. It’s still good, but not the smoothest experience.

Gap Cover and Out-of-Pocket Costs

It’s one thing to be covered, but it’s another to face a $3,000 “gap” after a hospital stay. Knowing what your health fund does (and doesn’t) pay for in terms of specialist fees is one of the most critical parts of choosing a policy.

This section looks at which funds help close that gap, and which ones leave you to cover the shortfall.

Health Partners

Uses the Access Gap Scheme.
Doctors must agree to participate in either partial or complete coverage.
Bills are sent directly to Health Partners, reducing administrative stress.
Hospital in the Home is included in multiple plans.

Best for: Members who want predictable billing and don’t want to chase specialists for quotes.

Onemedifund

Also uses the Access Gap Scheme.
The known-gap option ensures you’re informed upfront if there will be costs.
The pregnancy-related treatment gap is capped at $800.
The general medical gap is capped at $500 per episode.
Doctors can’t charge sneaky admin or booking fees.

Best for: Members who want financial transparency and hard caps on charges.

Phoenix Health

The Access Gap is used when the doctor participates.
Members can use the provider search tool to find participating specialists.
Offers guidance on getting informed financial consent before treatment.

Best for: People who want to avoid surprise bills and prefer to plan with participating providers.

Queensland Country Health Fund

Feature	Details
Scheme Used	Access Gap
Obstetrics Gap Cap	$800 maximum per episode
General Medical Gap Cap	$500 maximum
Requirements	The doctor must be in the Access Gap network

Best for: Families or pregnant members who need to keep specialist costs under control.

St. Lukes Health

Offers two types of providers: No Gap and Known Gap.
No Gap = you pay nothing extra.
Known Gap: You know the exact fee beforehand.
If your doctor doesn’t participate, you pay the difference above the MBS.

Best for: Members who want clarity and choice and are comfortable asking doctors if they’re onboard.

Family-Friendly Benefits

When you need to cover more than just yourself, family-friendly features become essential. Waived excesses for kids, cover that extends to young adults, and meaningful support during pregnancy or illness all matter when you’re responsible for someone else’s healthcare as well.

Here’s what each fund offers for families:

Health Partners

No excess for dependents on Silver Plus Advantage and Gold Hospital Advantage.
Covers in-home care like rehab and health coaching for family members.
Access to Health Partners’ own dental and optical clinics.
Hospital support services are included in several plans.

Onemedifund

Combined hospital and extras cover includes maternity, paediatrics, and family therapies.
Speech therapy, physiotherapy, chiropractic care, and other family-focused extras are included.
Loyalty extras limits increase after 5 years with the fund.

Phoenix Health

Dependants covered until age 25, no excess.
Silver Plus Family Hospital includes pregnancy, assisted reproduction, and miscarriage care.
Unlimited ambulance cover across all family members.
The Bumps & Bubs program includes access to maternal health nurses and educational support.

Queensland Country Health Fund

Dependants stay covered to 25.
Accommodation benefit ($50/night) when travelling 300+ km for hospital care.
Ultra Extras includes up to $2,000 per year for hearing aids and health appliances.
Offers age-based discounts for members aged 18 to 29.
Loyalty increases with extra benefits over time.

St. Lukes Health

No excess for child dependents on multiple plans.
Covers pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal care.
Gap-free preventative dental under eligible extras.
Wellness hubs in Hobart and Launceston offer family-friendly programs.
Chronic condition rehabilitation is included in mid-to-top-tier plans.

In Conclusion

Some health funds claim to support women, while others realistically do, and the differences aren’t in the fine print; they show up in real care. Onemedifund and St. Lukes offer strong support across hospital, mental health, and extras.

Phoenix is a wise choice for younger families and maternity care. Health Partners is ideal if you use their in-house services, particularly in South Australia. Queensland Country suits women in regional areas who need practical benefits.

Overall, you should choose the fund that matches how you use healthcare, not how they say you should.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What’s usually included in women’s health insurance?

It depends on the plan. Look for cover that includes pregnancy, gynaecology, assisted reproductive treatment, mental health, chronic illness care, and standard extras like dental, optical, and physio.

Do I need extra coverage for women’s health needs?

If you regularly use services such as physiotherapy, psychology, dental, optical, or natural therapies, extra cover can help reduce ongoing costs. It’s not essential, but it often pays for itself.

Is mental health cover included in standard health insurance?

Only partly. Hospital cover may include psychiatric services, but for regular therapy or psychology sessions, you’ll usually need extras cover or pay out of pocket.

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