Does medibank cover laser eye surgery?
If you’re with Medibank and thinking about laser eye surgery, you may be wondering: Do they cover it? Most private health policies don’t fully cover this procedure but Medibank does offer some coverage under specific conditions.
What does Medibank cover?
Medibank may cover some costs of laser eye surgery—but only if you have Gold Ultra Health Cover. Under this policy, Medibank offers a rebate of up to $3,500 per lifetime, with a three-year waiting period, and only if no Medicare rebate applies.
Who else offers rebates?
Other insurers also offer partial cover for laser surgery. For example:
- PeopleCare rebates up to 80% per eye (limits and waiting periods apply)
- AHM offers around $600 to $900 per eye depending on your plan
- Defence Health offers about $1,500 per claim with a two-year limit.
But only Medibank’s Gold Ultra Cover offers that higher $3,500 lifetime limit.
Why does coverage vary so much?
Laser eye surgery is generally considered elective, not medically necessary. That’s why it’s not fully covered under basic hospital policies. Still, some insurers choose to offer support in their higher-tier extras plans.
How to check your Medibank policy
To find out if you have Gold Ultra Health Cover:
- Log into your Medibank account and review your extras cover.
- Call Medibank and ask:
- Do I have Gold Ultra Health Cover?
- Does it include laser eye surgery?
- When does my waiting period end?
- Have I reached the lifetime limit yet?
What if I don’t have that cover?
If your current policy doesn’t cover laser eye surgery, you still have options:
- Ask Medibank about upgrading to Gold Ultra to become eligible in the future.
- In some cases, you may apply for early access to your superannuation to help fund the procedure.
Is it worth checking with Medibank?
Yes even a partial rebate can help lower the overall cost. Plus, knowing your cover options helps you plan better.
What should you do next?
The best first step is to see if you’re a good candidate for surgery. That only depends on your eyes, not your policy.
You can take our free suitability self-test now. It’s quick and helps guide your next steps.
Find out if you are suitable for vision correction
Not everyone is eligible for vision correction surgery.
Find out if you could benefit from this life changing surgery by taking the quick self-suitability quiz below:
