HESTA health insurance

Health and community services super fund, HESTA, is now offering its members access to competitive private health insurance. Underwritten by national health fund GMHBA, the Super Members Health Plan (SMHP) has premiums around 7% lower than those charged by major health funds.

Benefits offered by SMHP include hospital cover that provides full cover shared and private room accommodation; a choice of ancillary covers to suit a range of lifestyles; and easy payment options including direct debit and cheque each month, quarter, half year or year.

"During recent independent research, members indicated a strong desire to access private health insurance through HESTA," said HESTA CEO, Anne-Marie Corboy.

"We responded to this by finding a great deal to offer our members with a health fund that, like HESTA, is available nationally. GMHBA, as a not-for-profit, member-based organisation with low premium costs, met the criteria we were looking for."

The health insurance package is in addition to HESTA's death and disability insurance options, which offer up to twice the cover that many other companies provide for the same price, according to Rainmaker Information.