Southern Cross has published details of their 2018 benefit review. A series of changes are planned for implementation on 10 December, to apply to Wellbeing One, Wellbeing Two, and Ultracare. These include:
- Frequency limits for specialist consultations. Which excludes oncology, excludes skin-related specialist consultations, but these are subject to the skin lesion services benefit. It also excludes psychiatric consultations (which remain in their own existing benefit).
- There are a series of measures included in the skin lesion services definition with a reduced benefit limit, and skin surgery eligibility criteria.
- Limits on tooth extraction and obstetrics will apply to most plans.
- Some benefits are also being removed from some plans entirely, including: obstetrics benefits from First Cover plans, and the sterilisation allowance from most plans except Ultracare. The public hospital cash allowance, funeral allowance, and waiver of premium are being removed from all plans.
Extensive documentation of the changes, and plan types affected, can be found by for advisers in the Adviser Gateway section of the Southern Cross Medical Society.
Post by Russell Hutchinson at www.chatswood.co.nz