Medibank and ahm customers to benefit from telehealth extension

Medibank has announced it is extending the ability for customers to claim for virtual consultations for psychology, physiotherapy, dietetics, occupational therapy, podiatry, exercise physiology and speech therapy, until further notice. Access to these telehealth services was due to end on 30 September 2020.

Medibank’s Chief Customer Officer David Koczkar said more people in Australia have been utilising telehealth in 2020, most for the first time.

“The feedback from our customers on the delivery of health services via telephone and video conferencing has been promising,” said Mr Koczkar.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Medibank has processed more than 12,500 claims for its customers, since telehealth services were added to extras cover at the end of March.

Customers in Victoria have the highest usage for telehealth nationally at 38% of services. Since the end of March, allied health professionals from the Melbourne CBD and the inner-city suburb of Prahran, have been the busiest providers of telehealth services for customers in Victoria.

For customers nationally, psychology is the most common telehealth claim across all age groups at 34%, except for those under 10, with speech therapy representing 70% of claims.

We want our customers to get value from their extras cover and that means being able to access treatment in a way that suits them. Whether it’s being supported with an injury rehabilitation program by your physiotherapist or a child continuing their speech therapy treatment, it’s important customers can continue with their healthcare

Customers aged 30 to 39 have been the fastest adopters of telehealth, accounting for a quarter of all claims. Psychology and physiotherapy were the most popular services used over telehealth in this age group.