Get your kids ready for big year ahead with this simple health checklist

The back-to-school rush may be all but over, but we’re giving parents some homework to do.

Your assignment: How do you give your children the health care benefits they need to thrive in 2019?

Your children have individual requirements. Adjusting your health cover extras to suit what your family needs, when they need it, will help protect your children.

Here’s How You Do It

Step 1: Go to HealthInsuranceComparison.com.au

Step 2: After answering a few questions, you will have the opportunity to compare cover, and could be eligible for significant savings.

There are two types of family health cover: Hospital and extras. Combined policies provide hospital and general treatment cover for your children. The higher the cover, the less restrictions there are.

If you currently depend on Medicare to protect your family, supplementing that cover with private health care offers additional protection, and better peace of mind. If you already have private health insurance, then you’re well on the way to getting top marks.

Some health funds offer no-gap dental services and may even waive hospital excess for children. Unfortunately, ancillary services such as dental, optical, podiatry, physiotherapy, chiropractic and ambulance fees lie outside Medicare’s basic cover.

So what kinds of services are important to have for your little one over the next year? To help you out, we’ve compiled a helpful checklist, so you can ensure your child’s healthcare is in order before school begins.

Back-to-school health checklist:

Ensure your vaccination education is up to date

Vaccinations are incredibly important these days. With an increase in superbugs, having your child’s vaccines up to date will help protect them from a range of potentially harmful illness. All states across Australia cover these as an essential health benefit.

Adolescent vaccines are funded under Australia’s National Immunisation Program (NIP). These programs operate at a state and territory level and offer NIP vaccines to adolescents in specific school grades using local teams of trained vaccine providers. Many vaccinations are also necessary for some children to be enrolled in certain schools. It’s a great idea to make sure your child has also had their latest flu shot, which can be administered by your GP.

Note: If you are unsure about your child’s vaccination history, then you should check their Immunisation History Statement, which lists all vaccinations recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). You can check this via the Medicare or MyGov websites.

Make sure your child has had their latest flu shot.

Let’s get physical with an annual check-up

Asking your regular GP to complete an annual physical for your children is an important way to ensure that your child is healthy, and to discover anything unexpected in regards to their physical health. A clean bill of health can help you and your child feel confident in their ability to participate in extracurricular physical activities.

Don’t let teeth be a sensitive subject

We all know how much kids love trips to the dentist … (we’re kidding), but regular dental trips can be important to ensure total mouth health. Pain from wobbly teeth or cavities could distract your child from learning, inhibit them from eating, or even keep them home from school. As your child ages, they made need ongoing treatments, such as braces, which is where extras cover can come in handy. If eligible, Medicare’s Child Dental Benefits Schedule also offers $1000 in dental benefits every two years. This may be a factor when deciding on your extras cover.

Have the foresight to check their eyesight

If you have eyesight issues, it’s likely your child has either already developed, or may possibly develop, eyesight issues later in life. With the abundance of computer and phone screens, children’s eyes are becoming more regularly affected. A simple vision exam at the optometrists can pick up whether your child may need glasses. It’s best to correct these problems early on, so your child can focus better (literally) on their school work.

Healthy feet is no small feat

Podiatry is a regularly underlooked health extra. Feet are integral to our daily lives, and ensuring your child’s feet and nails are healthy can be important in terms of their everyday comfort. If selected, your extras can help cover the cost of a podiatry appointment. Don’t let your child’s toes keep you on your toes. For more information, or to find a podiatrist near you, visit the Australian Podiatry Association.

Getting down to the body of the issue

Chiropractic and physiotherapy appointments for children focus on manipulation and massage to treat and prevent sporting injuries, headaches and back pain, injuries from accidents, rehabilitation, chronic injuries, juvenile diabetes and early onset arthritis. These practitioners can also help diagnose and treat problems with muscle tone, co-ordination and motor skill issues in relation to developmental and neurological delays. This can be an incredibly important addition to add to your extras cover, especially if your child is enthusiastic about sport, or participates in physical activities.

Keep their mind in mind

If your child needs treatment from a psychologist or psychiatrist, they can get a direct referral from a paediatrician or GP, which will enable them to go on an assessment and management plan, also known as a Mental Health Care Plan (under which you are eligible to receive 10 free or subsidised sessions). Medicare rebates may also be available to you when your child receives psychological services, however it is important to consider how adding psychology to your extras may help to cover the ongoing cost of treatment for your child.

Mental health is incredibly important for all young people.

It’s a talking matter

Speech Pathology Services are covered under certain private health funds. The rebate provided is dependent on your level of cover. If your child is eligible, Medicare’s Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDM) will also provide you with rebates of $52.95 for up to five sessions per calendar year. To find out more information, visit the Department of Health website.

A taste of one’s own medicine

Most medication is listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), a government program that subsidises medicines to make them more affordable. However, not every medication is covered by the PBS. If your child is prescribed medication that lies outside this list, your extras could cover part of this cost.

That’s it! We hope this list has helped you out.

A final note: When adjusting your health care extras, a good policy will be child-friendly, so it’s important to keep an eye out for benefits such as:

• Adult dependant cover without paying additional fees
• No payable excess when a child is admitted to hospital
• No-gap extra benefits for children
• Extras cover for your child’s benefits, instead of overall capped or combined limits (which can easily be exceeded)
• Full ambulance cover for children, for emergency and non-life threatening transport, which ensures access to Australia-wide services

These benefits do depend on your individual circumstances and the overall health of your family, which is why it’s always important to compare what’s on offer so you’re always making an informed decision.

We know how important your children are, which is why we’re here to help you make the right decision.

And if it’s prompted any questions for you, we’d love for you to talk to us about your child’s health insurance and see what you could save.