Joining QCHF

We hope you won't, but if you change your mind about taking out cover with Queensland Country Health Fund and haven’t made any claims, we’ll allow you to cancel your policy and receive a full refund of any premiums paid within 30 days of the start date of your policy.

We have a number of flexible payment options, so you can choose the option that best suits you. You can choose to pay weekly, fortnightly, monthly, six monthly or yearly, whichever suits you. There’s no hidden fees for paying more or less frequently – the overall premium price will be exactly the same, regardless of weekly or yearly payments. If you prefer to pay quarterly, six monthly or yearly, we’ll even send you a reminder notice as a courtesy.

You can choose to pay by credit card, direct debit or BPAY.

Credit card

You can make an immediate payment by credit card through our Mobile App or Online Member Service Portal.  Alternative you can call 1800 813 415 and speak to one of our friendly staff to arrange payment over the phone. 

We also have EFTPOS machines for immediate payment located at Aitkenvale in Townsville, Mount Isa, Ayr, Earlville in Cairns and Caneland Central Mackay.

Direct debit

Direct debit facilities are available if you'd prefer to have your payment amount automatically deducted from an account or credit card. If you’d like to set up a direct debit, you can do via our Mobile App or Online Member Services or you can contact our friendly team who can update your membership. 

BPAY

The BPAY biller code and your reference number appears on all statements. If you don’t receive regular statements (for example, if you pay weekly, fortnightly or monthly), just give us a call or email and we’ll be happy to supply you with our biller code and your reference number. You can also set up recurring BPAY payments so you never have to worry about missing a payment – just ask your financial institution.

All contributions are payable in advance. If you don't pay your contributions within two months (63 days) of the contribution due date, this may result in cancellation of both your membership and your entitlement to benefits.

Your adult children can be covered on your family policy up to and including 31 years of age if they are:

• studying full-time at a school, college or university; or

• working as an apprentice; and 

• do not have a partner (i.e. spouse or other person living with him/her in a genuine domestic relationship)

If your adult children don’t meet the above criteria, that’s ok – we still offer a cover option called Extended Family/Extended Single Parent cover.

Extended Family cover keeps your adult children on the same policy (as long as they’re not married or in a de facto relationship) from the age of 21 up to and including 31 years of age. The premium for an Extended Family/Extended Single Parent cover is higher than our standard family or single parent family policy, however it is a more economic option for your adult children compared to them taking out their own cover at the same level.

Our Extended Family/Extended Single Parent cover is available across all of our hospital products with the exception of our Public Hospital (closed) cover or extras only cover.

We can appreciate that private health insurance is an added cost, but it's worth it for the cover you and your family will receive. Here are some of the things you should know about why private health insurance is for you.

• You can choose your own doctor
• You can choose your own hospital
• You get to have more choice over when you're treated
• You may pay less tax if you're a higher income earner
• You can lock in your Lifetime Health Cover age, if you're over 31 and haven't had private health insurance before
• You don't have the long waiting periods you get in the public hospital system
• Peace of mind for you and your family.

Your health insurance is "portable" by law - this means if you switch from another Australian registered health fund to Queensland Country, you won't have to re-serve the waiting periods you've already served at your current fund. 

You just have to make sure you join us within 63 days of leaving your old fund and we'll recognise your waiting periods, or partial waiting periods.

The only time this doesn't apply, and you may have to serve waiting periods, is if you've chosen to take out a level of higher cover than your previous policy. This includes changing to a lower excess or changing to a higher hospital or extras cover.

When you upgrade, you'll still be entitled to the same level of benefits of your previous cover, until your waiting periods are up.

If you're transferring from another health fund, we'll need a transfer certificate to complete the switch. 

A transfer certificate confirms your health insurance history and your Lifetime Health Cover status. We need this to make sure you get continuity of cover and apply the appropriate waiting periods, and we need it before we can pay any benefits.

We usually request the transfer certificate on your behalf (with your permission, of course) but if your fund sends it to you instead of us, you'll need to forward it us.

We hope you won't, but if you change your mind about taking out cover with Queensland Country Health Fund and haven’t made any claims, we’ll allow you to cancel your policy and receive a full refund of any premiums paid within 30 days of the commencement of the policy.