Prefer to recover at home? You can get out of hospital sooner and be covered for treatment

No matter how caring the hospital staff are, anyone who has spent any length of time in a hospital bed knows that when you’re ready, going home can’t come soon enough.

But sometimes, there are barriers to recovering at home – like the continued need for specialised treatment, difficulty accessing community supports at short notice, or finding care for kids while you get better.

These barriers can delay your discharge from hospital.

But did you know that some private health insurers will cover services provided in the home to ease the transition from hospital after receiving acute medical care?

Latrobe Health Services is one example. It offers a range of hospital covers that support an at-home recovery process when you would otherwise have to stay in hospital.

Wound care, palliative care and rehab are among the at-home services covered by Latrobe Health hospital insurance. Photo: Andrea Piacquadio

Latrobe CEO Ian Whitehead says the goal is to get you home sooner – and avoid a return to hospital – by addressing urgent short-term needs for up to six weeks following your discharge.

“It’s about being flexible and tailoring supports to suit the individual’s needs,” Mr Whitehead said.

“There’s no cookie-cutter solution here.

“How it works is that the discharge team at the hospital plans for and co-ordinates your discharge home. They’ll work with you to build a support package to meet your needs.

“And we as your health insurer provide funding for the Discharge Support Package, often with same-day approval.”

Packages can also be accessed to avoid an admission to hospital completely.

Examples of services covered include:

• Complex wound care
• Intravenous antibiotics
• Rehabilitation
• Palliative care
• General home-based nursing care
• Personal care
• Household management
• Child care
• Home-based allied health services
• Residential convalescent care in a registered supported residential service
• Service co-ordination and support
• Provision of specialised equipment
• Home-based respite care.

If you’re able to receive treatment at home instead of being in hospital, and your hospital policy provides cover for that treatment, then you’re covered for at-home services under Latrobe Health’s Gold, Silver Plus, Silver and Bronze hospital covers.

Compare Latrobe Health’s hospital covers or call one of our friendly Member Experience Consultants on 1300 362 144 for more information about other benefits of Latrobe Health hospital covers.