Important changes to private hospital benefits at Sydney Adventist Hospital and the SAN Day Surgery Hospital

Supporting the wellbeing of our members, customers, and community is something we’ve been doing for over 180 years. We recently informed our health insurance members of an important update regarding Hospital cover at Adventist HealthCare. 

Australian Unity has agreements with over 500 private hospitals across Australia. These agreements are negotiated by Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) with hospitals on behalf of 25 health insurance funds, including Australian Unity. Regrettably, Adventist HealthCare have advised they wish to terminate the agreement.

As a result, the agreement between Adventist HealthCare and Australian Unity will terminate on 7^th February 2022. This means Sydney Adventist Hospital and the SAN Day Surgery Hospital will not be Australian Unity Agreement Hospitals from that date.

We remain hopeful that Adventist HealthCare will reconsider their position, in which case we will advise you accordingly. We apologise for any inconvenience this outcome may cause you.

What does this mean for you?

This change will not affect medical benefits that are paid towards your treating doctors’ fees or benefits towards prostheses that appear on the government-approved prostheses list, while you are an inpatient at Sydney Adventist Hospital or the SAN Day Surgery Hospital.

However, it will affect the hospital benefits that would have been payable by Australian Unity for an admission at these facilities, such as in-hospital accommodation and theatre costs, pharmaceuticals under the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme, and in-hospital allied health services.

Ultimately, this means that if you elect to have treatment as an inpatient at Sydney Adventist Hospital or the SAN Day Surgery Hospital, you may incur large out-of-pocket costs.

What happens next?

We are putting in place transitional arrangements for all our members for 60 days from the date of your letter, which means that nothing changes until 22^nd March 2022. Any admissions to Sydney Adventist Hospital or the SAN Day Surgery Hospital before 22^nd March 2022 will continue to be covered, subject to your level of cover and any conditions on your cover.

We also know some of our members may need to attend Sydney Adventist Hospital or the SAN Day Surgery Hospital on or after 22^nd March 2022. To support our members, we are putting further transitional measures in place to provide coverage (subject to your level of cover and any conditions on your cover) in the following circumstances:        

• if you are admitted before 22^nd March 2022 but you are discharged on or after 22^nd March 2022
• if you have booked an admission in advance, where the booking is made before 22^nd March 2022 and the admission will occur before 22^nd September 2022
• if you have booked a maternity admission, where the booking is made before 22^nd March 2022 and the admission will occur before 22^nd December 2022
• if you are undertaking a course of treatment which commences before 22^nd March 2022 (e.g. renal dialysis, chemotherapy, psychiatric and rehabilitation), you will continue to be covered until completion of the course of treatment or until (but not including) 22^nd September 2022 (whichever occurs first)
• if you require an emergency admission before 22^nd June 2022

We’re here to help

If you require treatment at Sydney Adventist Hospital or the SAN Day Surgery Hospital on or after 7^th February 2022, or have any questions about this change, please contact us as soon as possible on 13 29 39 (8.30am – 8.00pm AEST Mon – Fri) to discuss how the transitional arrangements will impact you.

You can also talk to your treating doctor for advice on alternative hospital arrangements or visit www.australianunity.com.au/agreementhospital to view our other Agreement Private Hospitals.