We have recently undertaken a targeted review of our policies, processes and procedures to ensure that we continue to better understand the impact that any product changes we have made in the past may have had on our members.

On 21 April 2016, we made changes to some of the benefits available on our Platinum 80% Extras cover:

• We changed benefits for general dental from unlimited cover to $1000 per person, per year
• We changed the combined benefits for chiropractic & osteopathy from $600 per person, per year to $500 per person, per year
• We introduced a sub-limit for remedial massage from $400 per person, per year to $200 per person, per year

We're sorry about the impact these changes may have had on some of our members.

Why we made these changes

• We regularly review the price and performance of all of our products. In 2015 we found that the Platinum 80% Extras product was no longer sustainable to provide to members in the long term.
• Platinum 80% is a popular product, and we wanted to continue to be able to offer this to our members, so we had the option of either increasing the price or reducing the benefits in order to make it viable.
• We decided to do a bit of both, and in April 2016, we were able to limit the price increase for Platinum 80% by also adjusting the level of benefits available for some services.

What we didn't understand at the time

We didn't fully appreciate the impact that making these changes part-way through the calendar year would have on some of our members.

With this change, amounts claimed prior to 21 April 2016 counted towards members' general dental, chiropractic & osteopathy, and remedial massage limits for the remainder of the 2016 calendar year. This meant that some members may have been close to, or may have even have reached, their new limits before the change came into effect, which in turn, may have affected their ability or willingness to claim for the remainder of 2016. It may also have affected members who had a course of treatment planned that they had to delay as a result of the change.

What we are doing about it

• Changing our processes: We do our best to minimise changes to policies. In the future, where we make changes to benefits that are calculated on an annual or calendar year basis, these changes will only take effect from 1 January.
• Compensating affected members: In addition to saying sorry, we are in the process of identifying and compensating those members who were affected by these changes.

How we are compensating members

If we identify you as someone who may have been impacted by these changes, you'll receive a letter from us outlining the financial compensation that may be available to you.

If you believe you were impacted and you haven't received a letter by 15 February 2018, please contact us on 1300 734 506.

As part of the initiative, we're inviting affected members to submit claims up to the policy limits that applied prior to the changes for general dental, chiropractic & osteopathy, and remedial massage services received between 21 April and 31 December 2016 that were not submitted at the time due to the limit change.

• To submit a claim: Complete and sign this claim form, and then send the form together with all relevant receipts to Australian Unity. (You can find all of our contact details on the claim form.)

Again, we're sorry about the impact that these changes may have had on some of our members.

Want to find out more about the changes we can make to your policy and the rules that we're bound by? We've created an overview page for you here.