ahm Health Insurance

ahm Health Insurance Review

Our verdict: ahm health insurance is good if you want affordable cover for the basics and no waiting periods with lifestyle extras.

4.0 ★★★★★ (1 review) Write a review

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Pros

  • ahm is great at covering low-cost, good value extras. "black 50 saver" is the cheapest extras policy available on Finder covering more than ambulance only.
  • ahm's lifestyle extras has no waiting periods for treatments including general dental, optical and physiotherapy.
  • Its Silver Plus policy is competitively priced and covers 32 treatments – 6 more than the minimum requirement.

Cons

  • At around $194 a month, "top hospital gold" isn't the cheapest gold tier policy. HBF, Medibank and HCF are all cheaper.
  • Because it's owned by Medibank, the Ombudsman groups them together, so it has a higher ratio of complaints to overall market share than other big funds like Bupa and HBF.

Good value ahm health insurance policies

These are a few great value hospital and extras policies from ahm, based on the Bronze, Silver and Gold tier rating..


*Quotes are based on a single individual with less than $90,000 income, $500 excess and living in Sydney.

ahm health insurance: Our verdict

ahm is owned by Medibank, Australia's biggest health insurer. It's an uncomplicated, digital-first service that consistently offers some of the cheapest health insurance policies in Australia.

ahm is good if:

  • You want to skip waiting periods on extras treatments like dental, optical and physiotherapy – the "lifestyle extras" policy lets you do this.
  • You want cheap basic and mid-level policies.

ahm is not great if:

  • You want a top tier policy at an affordable price.
  • You're overwhelmed by lots of choice. ahm has lots of options to choose from.

Review by our insurance writer Gary Hunter

Compare all policies from ahm

Sign-up deals with ahm health insurance for 2021

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Get 6 weeks free. PLUS any 2 & 6 month waits on extras waived

Expires 30 Sep 2021
Offer applies for new joins on hospital and extras after the first 60 days by September 30. T&Cs apply.

What types of health insurance does ahm offer?

Hospital icon

Hospital coverage

  • Starter Basic. This product includes the minimum standard clinical categories required for a "basic" rating. It covers you for accidents, including accident override and limited medically necessary ambulance.
  • Essentials Basic Plus. This gives you limited medically necessary ambulance and accident override as well as things like dental surgery and joint reconstructions.
  • Starter Bronze. Bronze cover includes the 18 clinical categories required for a Bronze rating including important services such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy for cancer.
  • Lite Bronze Plus. As well as everything included in the Starter Bronze package, services also include hospital services for back, neck and spine, dental surgery and lung and chest.
  • Core Bronze Plus. This product includes the minimum standard clinical categories required for a Bronze rating as well as Lite Bronze. It also includes medically necessary plastic and reconstructive surgery and more.
  • Starter Silver. This product covers the 26 clinical categories required for a Silver rating including heart and vascular system.
  • Classic Silver Plus. As well as the minimum standard clinical categories required for a Silver rating, Classic Silver also includes palliative care and rehabilitation.
  • Deluxe Silver Plus. Deluxe Silver includes all the perks of Classic and more. It doesn't include pregnancy so is ideal for completed families and those not planning on having children.
  • Top Hospital Gold. The top level of hospital insurance, this policy includes all 38 clinical categories required for a Gold rating including pregnancy and birth services.

Extras icon

Extras coverage

  • Choosable Extras. This new ahm product comes with a base bundle of teeth and emergency ambulance, then lets you choose from optional extras bundles so you only pay for the cover you actually need.
  • Black 50 Saver. An inexpensive entry-level policy that covers 50% of the costs relating to routine dental, physiotherapy, chiropractic and osteopathic care. Emergency ambulance transport is also included and fully covered.
  • Black 60. Covering you for a range of essential extras services without breaking the bank, this policy pays up to 60% towards the cost of treatments including major dental, physiotherapy and remedial massage.
  • Black 70. A generous policy that includes up to 70% back on your included extras, such as dental, remedial massage and physio therapies. What's more, it provides 100% back on optical frames, prescription and contact lenses, as well as no gap dental check-ups.
  • Lifestyle. This extras policy covers up to 17 alternative and complementary therapies including acupuncture, naturopathy and herbalism as well as major dental, optical, laser eye surgery and more.
  • Family. This policy covers a range of out-of-hospital treatments including pre and postnatal services and birthing courses and has no family limits.
  • Black 70 Boost. This policy will get you back up to 70% on everything you'll need for your head to your toes, from dental to podiatry treatments.
  • Super. A premium extras policy that covers you for 28 services including major dental, orthodontics, optical and pharmacy prescriptions.

Clipboard icon

Combined coverage

  • Starter Flexi Basic. Suitable for those who only require the bare essentials, this policy covers you for vital hospital services and general treatments that are not eligible for a Medicare benefit (such as dental) and it allows the policyholder to avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge and the Lifetime Health Cover loading.
  • Essentials Flexi Basic Plus. Affordable without compromising on protection, this policy includes treatment for accidents with some rehab as well as dental surgery and more.
  • Lite Flexi Bronze Plus. This policy provides the minimum standard clinical categories required for a Bronze rating as well as back, neck and spine, dental surgery and more.
  • Classic Flexi Silver Plus. Included are all Silver services and a flexible extras limit. A good option if you are looking for a comprehensive combined policy without the additional cost of insuring for specialised services.
  • Deluxe Flexi Silver Plus. Combining all the services included in Silver plus a generous amount of extras, this policy ensures that you are fully covered both inside and outside of hospital. It also comes with an extras limit that goes up every year for 5 years and a bonus $300 optical limit.

Ambulance icon

Ambulance coverage

ahm medically necessary ambulance cover is included on all ahm hospital and package products after a 1-day waiting period. You can get ahm unlimited emergency ambulance cover with all ahm extras products.

ahm health insurance complaints

We looked at the 2020 Ombudsman health insurance complaints. Because ahm is owned by Medibank, they're grouped together. Here's how it stacked up:

  • It provides a generally reliable service – it had fewer complaints than its market share.
  • It had slightly more complaints than other large health funds Bupa and HBF.

This chart shows the weighted volume of complaints received by each health fund, according to the Commonwealth Ombudsman. The lower the number, the better. Medibank is fifth overall in this ranking. The weighting ensures that funds are compared fairly; larger funds serve more customers so can potentially get more complaints.

ahm health insurance frequently asked questions

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13 Responses

    Default Gravatar
    LeahJanuary 8, 2017

    I was an ahm butbm it lapsed but want to renew it for me and my 3 teen aged kids.

      Avatarfinder Customer Care
      RichardJanuary 9, 2017Staff

      Hi Leah,

      Thanks for getting in touch.

      Please note that we are Finder and not ahm. To speak with one of our advisers about getting cover from ahm or to compare your cover options from other funds in our panel, please complete the quote form on this page.

      All the best,
      Richard

    Default Gravatar
    LynNovember 1, 2016

    Looking to get cover for a new insulin pump…need quote for best cover, waiting periods,any other relevant information. ..

      Avatarfinder Customer Care
      RichardNovember 4, 2016Staff

      Hi Lyn,

      Just letting you know that the diabetes and health insurance article has been updated with waiting periods and other helpful information.

      All the best,
      Richard

      Avatarfinder Customer Care
      RichardNovember 2, 2016Staff

      Hi Lyn,

      Thanks for getting in touch. You may find our diabetes and health insurance article helpful. Unfortunately, the tables don’t contain information about waiting periods at the moment.

      All the best,
      Richard

    Default Gravatar
    ananthaJune 1, 2016

    I recently joined AHM.If I want to change to top cover
    what should I do?Thanks.

      Avatarfinder Customer Care
      RichardJune 1, 2016Staff

      Hi Anantha,

      Thanks for your question.

      If you enter your details in the Search Policies form above, you should get a quick quote. If in case you want to change the top cover with AHM, please get in touch with them for more details. Select the “Go to site” button of AHM above to be redirected to their website.

      I hope this was helpful,
      Richard

    Default Gravatar
    JasonMarch 28, 2016

    Wow we are being hit with a 19% premium increase from $906.65 to $1077.9 per quarter by AHM! And from the 31st of May our current Mid-Life cover policy is being closed by AHM and we are being moved to a new black+white policy for the same premium of $1077.9 premium but the new policy covers less items as the old one!

      Avatarfinder Customer Care
      RichardMarch 29, 2016Staff

      Hi Jason,

      Thanks for getting in touch.

      If you would like to compare your options with the help of an advisor, you can contact them directly to discuss options.

      I hope this was helpful,
      Richard

      Default Gravatar
      JasonMarch 29, 2016

      Richard I am aware of the premium increase page with nowhere does it mention a 19% premium increase;

      I asked a question. Why did our premium increase from $906.65 to $1077.9 per quarter, or 19% by AHM! Also why from the 31st of May will our current Mid-Life cover policy be closed by AHM and we are being moved to a new black+white policy for the same premium of $1077.9 premium but this new policy covers less items as the old one! Why have we been told if we won’t the same policy items as our current Mid-Life policy have we been told we will have to pay even more than the new premium of $1077.99?

      Avatarfinder Customer Care
      RichardMarch 29, 2016Staff

      Hi Jason,

      Most health insurance policies in Australia have stepped premiums, meaning how much you pay increases each year by a certain percentage. You will need to contact ahm directly to verify why your premiums are rising and why your cover is changing. If you would like to speak with an advisor to compare your options outside of ahm, you can do so by completing the contact form at the top of the page.

      Cheers,
      Richard

    Default Gravatar
    IVORMarch 4, 2016

    What will be your increase in april this year

      Avatarfinder Customer Care
      RichardMarch 4, 2016Staff

      Hi Ivor,

      Thanks for your question. finder.com.au is a comparison service and not an insurer. As ahm are a part of the medibank group, their average premium increase is 5.64% for 2016.

      I hope this was helpful,
      Richard

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