nib offers members COVID-19 support package

We’ve extended our COVID-19 community support package. Read more.

nib today announced a member and community support package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

nib Managing Director, Mark Fitzgibbon, said the health insurer and the entire private health insurance industry had an important and critical role to play in helping Australians through this challenging period.

“Many of our members confront profound uncertainty and the threat or reality of unemployment. We are doing as much as we can to help them maintain their cover and more broadly, stay safe and healthy,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

Mr Fitzgibbon said nib is also looking to support not only members but the community at large.

“Beyond supporting our members we’re totally committed to having a role in ameliorating COVID-19 and are open minded to new initiatives and investments that could assist in containment and public health. The crisis has actually presented health insurers and the total private health system with a unique challenge to demonstrate how we can play an enhanced role in our total healthcare system,” he added.

nib’s support package includes:

1. Expanded coverage* for chest, lung, kidney and bladder or other treatment related to COVID-19 across all levels of hospital cover (including Basic and Bronze where currently excluded) at no additional cost until the crisis passes. This means more than 300,000 policies or over 560,000 of our members will now be have access to COVID-19 treatment who would otherwise not be covered.

2. Ability for existing members who are experiencing financial hardship to access special premium relief*.

3. Ability for existing members who are experiencing financial hardship to suspend* their health insurance policy and premium payment for up to six months while remaining covered for COVID-19 related treatment.

4. Our specialist health management and emergency assistance team, nibAssist, will be available 24/7 for members who require COVID-19 medical and non-medical health support.

5. Help for members navigating COVID-19 by publishing across our various channels information on their cover, how to minimise infection risk and related matters.

6. A $1 million donation from nib foundation and nib to support charitable initiatives assisting the community during the pandemic.

7. Exploring a range of clinical and community health initiatives to assist in the identification and treatment of those vulnerable or at risk to COVID-19.

8. Offering up to two weeks paid special discretionary leave for all nib Group employees (permanent, fixed-term or casual) who are impacted by COVID-19.

Mr Fitzgibbon added anticipated savings from the deferral of elective surgery were most logically and appropriately considered when they actually materialise and later this year as part of the next round of premium pricing approval.
Members are encouraged to contact us to discuss available assistance.

*nib support package will be available for existing nib members (as at 26 March 2020) to access for initially a 3 month period, with this to be reviewed prior to 30 June 2020.