Southern Cross Health Insurance (SCHI) has announced a series of policy updates set to be implemented from Oct. 22.
These changes are aimed at addressing the evolving needs of SCHI’s more than 955,000 members, improving accessibility, and managing rising healthcare costs.
In an effort to enhance clarity, SCHI has also simplified some of its policy documents by adopting plain language.
Regan Savage (pictured), chief sales and marketing officer at SCHI, emphasised the importance of delivering benefits that align with members’ priorities.
“Our members’ health and wellbeing is at the heart of every decision we make,” he said. “We’re focused on delivering the Southern Cross vision, which is to empower our members to live well for longer. We believe the changes we’re introducing will contribute to this.”
Key updates include enhanced coverage for specific medical procedures. For example, SCHI members on selected plans will benefit from increased lifetime limits, including up to $15,000 for breast reduction surgery and up to $10,000 for breast symmetry surgery.
Additionally, SCHI will remove restrictions that previously limited these procedures to one per lifetime and will eliminate the requirement that breast symmetry surgery occur within two years of a mastectomy.
“Breast surgery can be an emotional and life-impacting procedure and is often needed as part of cancer treatment,” Savage said.
Other revisions involve expanded coverage for treatments such as:
SCHI will also lift the excess requirement on certain benefits under plans with an excess, such as surgical allowances and obstetrics.
Moving forward, the excess will apply solely to claims for surgical procedures, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.
In mental health care, SCHI is broadening member access.
The requirement for psychiatrist consultations to be conducted through Affiliated Providers will be removed, and UltraCare members will see an increase in the annual limit for mental health consultations.
SCHI will merge the separate benefits for psychiatrist and clinical psychologist consultations into a single mental health consultations benefit, with no stipulation that psychologists must be clinical psychologists.
SCHI is also increasing the number of healthcare services that must be accessed through Affiliated Providers, aiming to control costs and maintain affordable premiums.
The updated list of Affiliated Provider-only services will be available online starting Oct. 22, enabling SCHI to introduce new services more efficiently.
In addition to these changes, SCHI has revised its policy exclusions, provided more examples for better understanding, and updated the language used in policy documents.
The simplified documents have received WriteMark Plus accreditation, which indicates they meet high standards of clarity and usability.
Savage emphasised that these updates are part of SCHI’s ongoing commitment to adapt to the dynamic healthcare landscape and ensure long-term sustainability and affordability.
“We’re driven to support our members’ healthcare journey, enabling them to live well for longer. That’s one thing that will never change,” he said.
In other news, SCHI has been recognised in the 2024 Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand awards.
Now in its 25th year, the Trusted Brand awards acknowledge brands that have gained consumer confidence through consistency, reliability, and value for money.
Nick Astwick, CEO of Southern Cross Health Society, credited the recognition to the dedication of the organisation’s employees. He highlighted that the awards reflect Southern Cross's strong market presence.
“In the last financial year, we paid 72% of all health insurance claims in Aotearoa,” he said. “We support wellbeing in more than 3,600 New Zealand workplaces through group insurance schemes.”
