Who is covered?
There are six categories of membership that provide cover for individuals and different family groupings:
| Number of people covered | Usually listed as |
|---|---|
| 1 adult | Single |
| 2 adults | Couple |
| 2 adults and dependant(s) | Family |
| 1 adult and dependant(s) | Single parent family |
| Dependants only (no adults) | Children only |
| At least 3 adults and any dependants | Extended family |
Some funds may require adults to be related by birth or in a relationship to be covered under the same policy.
A dependant is an unmarried person under the age of 18 years. A health fund may choose to consider a person between the ages of 18 and 25 years as a dependant, but will usually require certain conditions to be met, for example, the person may have to be a full-time student.
These conditions vary between health funds, so check with your fund to see which rules apply to you. See the List of Funds for a list of all the registered health funds in Australia and their contact details.
Health funds may offer cover for some or all categories of membership in one or more states - they do not have to offer cover for all categories. See How health funds work for further information.