About IsItWorthIt
What This Tool Does
IsItWorthIt helps you compare Australian private health insurance Extras policies only. Enter the services you plan to use, and we'll calculate which policies offer the best value for your specific situation.
The calculator considers premiums, benefit limits, waiting periods, and per-visit caps to give you a realistic estimate of your out-of-pocket costs across different policies.
It does not evaluate hospital cover or combined hospital + extras packages.
Hospital Cover vs Extras Cover
| Cover Type | What It Covers | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital | Treatment as a private patient in hospital | Surgery, overnight stays, childbirth |
| Extras | Out-of-hospital services | Dental, optical, physio, psychology |
| Combined | Both bundled together | All of the above |
You can purchase hospital and extras cover separately—sometimes from different insurers. There's often no cost advantage in bundling, and splitting can give you better-tailored coverage for your needs.
Why You Might Already Have Hospital Cover
Many Australians hold hospital cover primarily to avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS)—an additional tax of 1–1.5% on income if you earn above certain thresholds and don't have hospital cover.
2025–26 MLS thresholds:
- • Singles: $101,000+
- • Families: $202,000+
At higher incomes, the surcharge can cost more than a basic hospital policy. So even if you never plan to use private hospital services, holding a cheap hospital policy may save you money at tax time.
The Strategy This Calculator Supports
If you already have hospital cover (or plan to keep it for MLS reasons), your next question is:
“Should I add extras cover—and if so, which policy gives me the best value for what I actually use?”
That's exactly what this calculator answers.
What This Calculator Is Not
- ✕Not financial advice. It's a calculator. You make the decisions.
- ✕Not a hospital cover comparison tool. If you're evaluating whether to hold hospital cover at all, that's a separate question involving MLS, your income, your health needs, and your risk tolerance.
- ✕Not comprehensive. It uses official government data, but always verify with your insurer before purchasing.
Data Source
Data sourced from Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO), published by the Australian Government Department of Health, available at data.gov.au. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International.
How to Use
- Select your state and cover type (single, couple, family)
- Add the healthcare services you expect to use
- Enter the number of visits and estimated cost per visit
- Set your time horizon (how long you plan to hold the policy)
- Click "Compare Policies" to see the results
Feedback
Have suggestions, found a bug, or want to share your experience? We'd love to hear from you.