Heart disease: how health cover can help

Managing heart and blood vessel conditions and diseases, broadly known as cardiovascular disease, can be challenging. But small changes to your lifestyle can make a big difference to your health and help lower your risk.

And if you have private health insurance, there are many ways you might be able to use your health cover to help.

Here are some tips on managing your condition-- and how Medibank might be able to help.

Visit your GP

Your first stop for advice and support on managing your condition should always be your GP as they can assess your symptoms, treat with medication and can provide you with a referral if necessary. Once this is ticked off, you can start making small changes to get healthier.

Get moving

Regular exercise is great for your heart—and your health in general. If you are looking for fun social events to get your body moving, check out Medibank’s Free + Active And Medibank members can visit our Member Offers for great deals such as discounted gym entry and discounts on fitness and sports products.

You could also visit a physio that offers Clinical Pilates – a type of exercise that focuses on posture, core stability, balance, control, strength, flexibility, and breathing. These sessions are led by fully qualified physiotherapists who often provide individual treatment programs. If you have extras cover, your private health insurance might help cover the cost of these classes. And by choosing a Members’ Choice provider you can also be assured of getting a fixed percentage back on the total bill for included services, up to your annual limit and subject to any waiting periods – this could be 55%, 60%, 70%, 85% or even 100% depending on your cover.

Eat well

What you eat and drink has a big impact on your heart health. If you would like to improve your diet, you might choose to see a dietitian, as they can prescribe you with tailored nutrition advice. And if you have extras cover with Medibank, you may be able to claim benefits towards consultations with a dietitian, up to your annual limit and subject to any waiting periods.

You can also visit Medibank’s Live Better for lots of expert healthy eating advice and delicious healthy recipe ideas.

Expert health advice

If you have any questions about your health or need further advice on managing your blood pressure, Medibank members with hospital cover can call the 24/7 Health Advice Line on 1800 644 325 to speak to one of our experienced and passionate nurses.

If you need to go to hospital

If you end up going to hospital, make sure you’re fully informed before you go. Before you commit to a specialist or procedure, ask your doctor any questions you might have. And if you’re a Medibank member, it’s always a good idea to call us on 132 331. We can help you understand what out-of-pocket costs you are likely to encounter, and what you can expect from your hospital stay.

Medibank’s LiveBetter is also a valuable resource to prepare you for your hospital admission. You can look up what you might pay out-of-pocket and how health insurance could help manage the costs using our interactive tool. And you can get lots of practical information and advice from our going to hospital guide.

For more information, or to check that you have the best cover for your condition, talk to our team on 134 190 or chat to our friendly staff online 24/7 for advice and help with your health cover.