living healthy magazine february 2012

Queensland Country Health Fund Member Newslettered.7

livinghealthyFEBRUARY 2012

beter heal cover shouldn’t hurt

BETTER VALUE

DentalandOpticalServices

THE HEALTH FUND IS EXPANDING

NorthandSouth!

STRIVE FOR HEALTH

HomeSupportServices

NEW HEAD

Offi ce

2 Queensland Country Health Fund | February 2012

General Manager FROM THE

HEALTH FUND

HICAPS COMPETITION

During the month of October 2011, we ran a competition in conjunction

with HICAPS, for a $500 gift card. Open to all our Members with

Extras cover, you automatically went into the draw if you used your

Membership card in October. The lucky winners of our competition

were Paul from Annandale, Deanne from Budgee, and Greg in Dolphin

Heads. Congratulations to our winners, and make sure you look

out for our next competition!

WIN

NERS

Economic reports being published at the moment in the media are

consistent in their prediction of worsening economic conditions

in Australia in 2012, albeit with some possible relief coming from

decreasing interest rates at least for mortgage holders. This is often

a time when people will review their expenses to look for savings

which includes health insurance, and we have certainly been having

lots of conversations with members of other health funds as they

consider transferring to Queensland Country to save some money.

Our membership growth as a percentage, over the past 6 months

has been more than twice the growth achieved in the health

insurance industry, as more people become aware of the great value

offered by Queensland Country. It’s also a time when peace of mind

is more important than ever as the Government looks for ways to

reduce expenditure. Unfortunately, that sometimes comes at the

expense of the public hospital system, resulting in further delays for

elective treatments.

As well as maintaining our focus

on providing great value health

insurance, we have been looking

at other ways of delivering improve

health outcomes.

A new initiative that we have introduced in partnership with Home

Support Services is a telephonic chronic disease management

program. This program is designed to help support those Members

with chronic disease, which includes heart disease, diabetes and

mental illness to help manage their illness and improve their quality

of life. Health professionals make regular calls to Members in the

program to provide skills, education and techniques to help manage

the illness. Further information is included in the magazine and there

is no additional cost to Members. If you believe you could benefi t

from the program I would encourage you to contact us to discuss it.

The Federal Government continues to discuss the means testing

of the 30% rebate for health insurance and seek support for the

proposed legislation with independent Ministers. It is expected that

the Private Health Insurance bill will be entered into parliament for

debate this year. The progress of this legislation is being watched

I’m sure by many Australians as, if successful will result in reduced

rebates for higher income earners. It is also likely to result in some

people dropping out of health insurance which will increase pressure

on the public hospital system.

An area of health insurance that we have been working on over

the last six months is developing arrangements with dentists and

optometrists to provide lower cost services to our Members to

reduce out of pocket expenses. We already have agreements in

place with a number of optical providers (details can be found on

our website) and have recently progressed with an agreement with

Teachers Union Health in Brisbane to provide dental and optical

services to our Members. We will continue to look for opportunities to

reduce dental and other ancillary services costs in our other locations

and provide Members with these details as they become available.

Thanks for your ongoing support of the Fund and I hope everyone

has a prosperous 2012.

Aaron Newman

General Manager

Queensland Country Health Fund

Ph. 4750 3300

Em. [email protected]

PHARMACY CLAIMS

Each year the Government sets the Pharmaceutical Benefi ts Scheme for pharmacy items. This year the amount

is $35.40. This means that if you have Extras cover with us and you’re purchasing scripted pharmaceuticals* that

exceed this amount, we may be able to pay a benefi t towards it. Pharmacy items must be scripted, dispensed

from a pharmacy, or Doctors rooms, accompanied by an offi cial pharmacy receipt and over the PBS amount. We

pay benefi ts from $35.40. This means you will always pay the fi rst $35.40. For example, if you have a script for

Aqueous Nasal Spray priced at $44.50, we will pay $8.80. If you have Premium Extras you can claim up to $50

above the $35.40, and on Essential Extras you can claim up to $30 above the $35.40. Sub-limits do apply.

For further information, please contact us at [email protected] or 1800 813 415.

*Contraceptives are not claimable unless they meet specifi c requirements, please contact us for further details.

MEMBER BENEFIT STATEMENTS

We have received a number of calls from our Members wanting a copy of their claims from the last fi nancial year.

Please be advised that we can supply these statements but they will only show the claims PAID in the last fi nancial

year, not all claims submitted. Hence, if you have waited to submit claims until this fi nancial year, they will not show

as the claims paid in the last fi nancial year.

Queensland Country Health Fund will also send any Members who have had medical and hospital treatment in the

last month a statement of claims paid on your behalf. These are not a bill, but merely a record of benefi ts paid for

your recent hospital stay, and/or medical procedure.

Also due to privacy laws, we cannot release statements for Members who are over 16 years of age, even your

dependent children, unless they request the information themselves.

CONTRIBUTION (PREMIUM) NOTICES

If you have an email address recorded with us and have chosen to receive an invoice for your premium, it may

have been emailed to you. In an attempt to streamline our billing process, and leave less of a carbon footprint, we

have been emailing these notices over the last few months. You may have received an email from us with your

billing notice! If you have an email address on fi le that may not be correct, or you would like to continue

receiving a paper notice, then please let us know on 1800 813 415 or via email [email protected].

You can also update your details online via our web services.

February 2012 | Queensland Country Health Fund 3

Did You Know?4

D

P

Queensland Country has recently established an agreement with

Teachers Union Health (TUH) in Brisbane to enable our Members to

access their health care centre. The health care centre offers a long

established and professional dental practice and optical centre, along

with physiotherapy, remedial massage, acupuncture and podiatry, and

these services will now be available to our Members from the 1st

March this year. The services are very well priced and are likely to

provide reduced out of pocket expenses for Members.

The health care centre is situated at 438 St Paul’s Terrace Fortitude

Valley, Brisbane. These services are available to all Members.

Queensland Country is committed to looking for ways to provide

more cost effective dental, optical and other ancillary services

and we will provide updates as these types of arrangements

are established.

BETTER VALUE

Dental and Optical Services


Meet Lauren

Queensland Country Health Fund would like to introduce you to

Lauren Hull, our new Business Development Manager based in

Cairns. Lauren will be developing our corporate health strategy,

working with employers in Cairns and other regional centres across

the state to offer corporate packages for their staff. If you are

interested in learning more about our Corporate Packages, please

contact Lauren on 0417 622 856 or via email on [email protected]

THE HEALTH FUND IS EXPANDING

North and South!

Meet Fiona

As part of our ongoing commitment to bring

our services to regional areas, we have recently

established a service centre in Gladstone.

Fiona is our Health Fund representative, and is

ready to assist you with any of your health fund

questions or queries. The branch is located in the

Gladstone Shopping Centre, 44-55 Dawson Road.

Pop in and say hi to Fiona and the rest of the

Queensland Country Team!

TENS MACHINE VS CIRCULATION BOOSTER

If you have Private Hospital cover with us we pay benefi ts towards a

range of mechanical aids and appliances to assist with recovery and

to help maintain your health. We provide an excellent benefi t of up

to 85% of the cost of the approved mechanical appliance or artifi cial

aid with a membership year limit of $2000 per person covered. This

is paid on items that are medically necessary.

TENS machines are payable under this benefi t, however, we do not

provide benefi ts towards a circulation booster.

TENS Machines are for the relief and treatment of acute or chronic

pain, and have been endorsed by Medical professionals across a

wide range of fi elds. Unfortunately, there is insuffi cient evidence to

prove that a circulation booster provides the same level of therapy

or pain relief as a TENS machine, hence why we will only provide

benefi ts towards the TENS machine.

There is an extensive list of aids and appliances that we do cover,

therefore it is always best to contact us if you have something

specifi c in mind.

As there are conditions involved in paying on these type of benefi ts,

we recommend you contact us on 1800 813 415 if you’re unsure of

what you’re entitled to, or if you can claim on a particular item.


The month or more of Christmas over-indulgence has now passed

and many people are looking to a detox program to spike their

energy levels, clear their digestive system, detox their liver, lose a few

kilos and espouse their guilt! The downside (and there is always a

downside!) of every detox program is the restrictive diet or numerous

pills or shakes to be taken, headaches, the need for a close lavatory

and generally feeling like you’ve been hit by a bus for the fi rst few

days. So what if there was a way to by-pass the fi rst few

days of feeling rubbish and skip to the light, bright, energetic,

slimmer, glowing you?

Detox diets are only successful for the time that you follow

them which often means a lot of pain for only a short-term gain!

Increasing the anti-oxidants in your diet can be an easy and

sustainable solution to feeling great, most of the time!

So what are these antioxidants I hear you say? The effects

of modern day life such as stress, poor sleep, pollution, drinking

too much alcohol, staying in the sun too long, smoking or even

healthy behaviours such as exercise can cause oxidative or free

radical damage. Antioxidants stabilize these free radicals to

prevent disease, damage or ill-health occurring within the body

from the oxidative free radicals. Oxidative damage has been linked

to diseases such as arthritis, aging, degeneration of the eye lens,

damage to the nerve cells in the brain, some cancers, heart disease

and liver disease.

Antioxidants are found in nutrition

powerhouse foods, some of which

may surprise you!

What about antioxidant supplements, they should be good

then shouldn’t they? The research on increasing your antioxidant

intake with a high potent supplement is concerning at best. Some

studies showed an increase in cancer rates and some even showed

an increase in death rates! There are however studies showing

decreases in ageing factors, some cancers and levels of oxidative

damage within the body. All the research on consuming more

antioxidants through food however, is very consistent – no increased

harm but many, many benefi ts! If you consider the high antioxidant

foods listed above these are generally very healthy foods, which

should be eaten daily, except chocolate and wine!

So should I start that detox or eat more antioxidants?

Defi nitely eat more antioxidants! Not only is it tastier and includes

many everyday foods negating the need for a special diet but it’s

more sustainable for better long term health. By including more

antioxidant rich foods you can expect to feel more vibrant, energetic,

lose weight if this is required and feel good knowing you are

combating those free radicals of daily life!

Here’s an example antioxidant rich meal plan to

get you started:

BF Untoasted muesli with fresh or dried fruit &

a few nuts with low fat milk

MT Low fat yoghurt with berries and a sprinkle of seeds

L Wholegrain sandwich with tuna or salmon and salad

AT Veggie sticks & a few wholegrain crackers with hommous

D Lean beef stir-fry with plenty of onion, garlic, broccoli, red

capsicum, Chinese cabbage or greens etc

S A few squares of dark chocolate or a small glass of wine!

Many antioxidant rich foods are also rich in other nutrients to

promote good health. Most of the foods listed are low in GI to give

you long-lasting energy and fullness, are high in fi bre for good bowel

health, many are low in calories that can assist with weight loss and

some include good fats such as omega 3 fatty acids. So harness

your antioxidant power today!

WHY DETOX WHEN

you can Antiox? Lauren Nugent

Eat Smart

Nutrition Consultant


We want to make our fund as accessible as possible, and what better way

than online! If you’re on Facebook, you can now fi nd us and “like” us. Find our

page by searching Queensland Country Health Fund. We’ll be posting all sorts

of things relating to health, health insurance news, recipes. Let us know by

posting on our page what you would like to see!

We’re also in the process of upgrading our website, which will go live over the

coming months. This will incorporate a more user friendly online service for all

of our Members. The website is a great place to look if you need forms, would

like to check on affi liated hospitals, book our units in Brisbane or Townsville,

and just review your cover. If you’re already registered for web services, there

is no need to re-register.

We look forward to interacting with all our Members online! www.facebook.com/qldcountryhealth

Health

beter heal cover shouldn’t hurt

STRIVE FOR HEALTH

Home Support Services At Queensland Country Health Fund, we care about more than just

health insurance. We care about you, your health and your family’s

health. That’s why we have implemented a program that will offer

you a range of services that will assist you to manage your health.

Offered to all Member’s with hospital cover at no extra cost, Strive for

Health is a range of health support services that can help improve

your lifestyle to avoid chronic disease and provide support and

assistance to help manage and overcome chronic disease. Through

the unique web portal, and the team of allied health professionals,

registered nurses, domestics and personal carers at Home Support

Services, we can help your transition from hospital to home, manage

your chronic disease more successfully, and provide support when

you need it.

With “Strive for Health” and Home Support Services you will be able

to access expert advice, care, support and information. There is also

a 24 hour contact number available for emergency questions.

These services include:

A Wellness and Prevention Web Portal

Telephonic Disease Management with a range of

health professionals

Home Based Care, Telephonic and Home Monitoring

for Chronic Disease

Acute Home Care Program – following a hospital stay

Queensland Country Health Fund has worked together with Home

Support Services to develop a range of services to help Members

recover from a hospital stay, manage their chronic disease, and

provide support to get their health and wellbeing back on track.

If you think you may benefi t from a program that can provide support

and assistance to better live with and manage chronic disease which

includes heart disease, diabetes and mental illness please contact us

on [email protected] or call 1800 813 415 and we can discuss

your suitability for the program.


MCILLWRAITH UNITS

Brisbane As a result of devastating fl oods in much of Southern Queensland

in early 2011, our Member accommodation at McIllwraith on the

Park, suffered extensive damage. All 3 ground fl oor units were

signifi cantly damaged, with water levels coming within 30cm of

the ceiling.

After a lengthy ‘dry out’ period, work commenced to get the Units

habitable for our Member’s again. Many trades people were

overwhelmed as South East Queensland suffered over $35 billion in

damage as a result of the fl oods. Progress was slow going.

Fortunately our upper fl oor units were unaffected and we were able

to supply some relief to Member’s travelling to Brisbane for medical

treatment. We would like to thank all our Members for their patience,

all 6 units are now operational at McIllwraith on the Park. If you

would like to book the units, please drop us a line on

[email protected] or call 1800 813 415.


As Australia’s number one activewear label for women, here at Lorna Jane we believe

we have a responsibility to help empower all women and assist them in achieving the life

they deserve. We do this by encouraging all women to live a healthy and active lifestyle.

Our clothes are a tool that we use to motivate and inspire women to be the best version

of themselves through living actively. Our Founder and Creative Director, Lorna Jane

Clarkson, lives her life by a three pillar philosophy of Move, Nourish, and Believe – she

promises to move her body everyday, nourish from the inside out, and believe anything is

possible. This philosophy has been harnessed within the Lorna Jane business and it is these

three principles which we offer to all women to assist them in their lives. Our customers

understand that Lorna Jane is not simply an activewear clothing brand, it is a way of life.

Why not make 2012 all about you and kick of the new year with a plan to live an active

lifestyle. Living active is not determined by age, shape or fi tness level. It is simply about the

will to do everything possible to live your best, most beautiful life. When you move, you want

to feel it, when you nourish you want to enjoy it & when you believe you want to mean it.

Now is the time to choose to prioritise your health & fi tness. Take charge of your active life

and be inspired to live your best year yet.

NEW HEAD

Offi ce Queensland Country is moving… across the street! Our Townsville Head

Offi ce, Call Centre and Administration Centre are located on Ross River Road,

with the Credit Union’s Head Offi ce backing onto Patrick Street, and we’re

growing rapidly. To keep up with our expanding support staff, we are relocating

to a new prime position on the corner of Ross River Road and Nathan Street

in Aitkenvale Townsville. Below is the artist’s impression of what our new

headquarters will look like. We will keep you posted with our progress.

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Dependant children can remain covered under your family

membership up to the age of 21 years.

If however you have dependants who are:

aged between 21 and 25, and•

they are not living in a genuine domestic relationship, •

and are;

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

working or training as an apprentice and earn no more than •

$20,000 per annum,

They are referred to as Student/Apprentice Dependants.

These eligible persons can remain covered under your family policy

at no extra cost whilst the above criteria apply to them.

To initially notify us of eligibility for Student/Apprentice dependant

status, we would require the completion of a Registration of a

Student/Apprentice Dependant Child form.

A further registration will be required prior to commencement of

each academic /training year on March 1st ,should the dependant

still meet the criteria for student/apprentice status at that time.

A Student/Apprentice Dependant Child registration form for this

purpose is sent to all of the applicable Memberships in January of

each year.

It is the responsibility of the Member to complete the registration

form to re-register their dependant prior to March 1st each year

whilst the Student/Apprentice Dependant status applies.

If this documentation is not received by the Fund, dependants will

cease to be covered under your standard family cover, and would

be required to take out their own Queensland Country Health

Fund cover.

Alternatively, under our extended family cover- Family Plus*, any

dependant children aged between 21 and 25 years can remain on

your family policy (as long as they are not married or in a de facto

relationship) for a small additional premium cost.

* Family Plus cover option is only available on packaged Private

Hospital and Extras cover. It is not available to family Memberships

with any hospital only product, Smart Start or Public hospital cover.


PRIORITISE

YOUR

HEALTH

AND FITNESS

2012 is all about YOU

Choose private health insurance with Queensland Country

before 29 February 2012 to collect your

$150

LORNA JANE

GIFT CARD>> <<

Call 1800 813 415 or visit your local QueenslandCountry Credit Union Branch.Offer valid 1 February 2012 to 29 February 2012. Terms and conditions apply. Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd ABN 18 085 048 237

KIDS STUDYING, OR UNDERTAKING AN APPRENTICESHIP?

They can be covered too!



Dr Desmond Ong

Townsville Orthodontic

Specialists

A beautiful smile and healthy teeth can contribute greatly to your

happiness, self-confi dence and quality of life. Orthodontic treatment

creates beautiful smiles through bringing the teeth, lips and jaws into

proper alignment and harmony with each other. Correctly positioned

teeth are easier to clean, function more effi ciently and are more likely

to last you a lifetime.

Orthodontists are highly trained dental specialists whose expertise

is tooth alignment for children, teenagers and adults. An orthodontist

must complete a 3 year full-time specialist program beyond their

dental school training to become a registered specialist. Fundamental

components of this full-time specialist program include the design

and completion of a research project and rigorous theoretical and

clinical examinations. Research projects require careful collection,

investigation and interpretation of data and statistical results. This

specialist training allows orthodontists to clearly distinguish between

clinical effectiveness and marketing hype, which is extremely

important in this era of mass media and information overload.

The Australian Society of Orthodontists recommends an orthodontic

assessment for patients around the age of 8 years. Such an

assessment is a good opportunity to assess the development of

the dentition and to screen for orthodontic anomalies. Appropriate

and timely interception of various orthodontic anomalies can result

in favourable outcomes in carefully selected cases. However, it is

important for any treatment modality to be justifi ed from the cost-

benefi t perspective.

The majority of orthodontic patients are children and adolescents,

however, orthodontic treatment can be performed at any age if

the teeth and gums are healthy. Many adults are now undergoing

orthodontic treatment to improve their dental alignment

and appearance.

IMPORTANT POINTS TO CONSIDER

Is the practitioner providing your orthodontic treatment a general

dentist or a registered specialist orthodontist? The registration and

qualifi cations of your practitioner can be easily checked on the

Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) website

http://www.ahpra.gov.au/

Obtaining an all-inclusive fi nancial quote in writing and a

comprehensive diagnostic report is best to avoid confusion and

unexpected costs. Please ask whether the fee includes all of the

following: consultation, pre-treatment reviews and orthodontic

record-taking, orthodontic appliances and post-treatment reviews.

Beware of hidden or undisclosed fees. Patients should be made fully

aware of the cost of service from the outset.

Ask for all relevant item numbers for the proposed treatment.

This will allow you to check with your private health fund

regarding rebates.

As per the Dental Board of Australia guidelines, adequate informed

consent must be obtained prior to commencing any treatment.

Patients must be informed with respect to the following: the nature

and purpose of the proposed treatment, any expected benefi ts and

limitations, any relevant associated risks, the likely consequences of

not undertaking treatment and an outline of all reasonable treatment

options with their respective advantages and disadvantages.

BENEFITS IN FOCUS - ORTHODONTICS Orthodontics is the area of dentistry focusing on the treatment of

irregularities in the teeth (esp. of alignment and occlusion) and jaws,

including the use of braces. At Queensland Country Health Fund, we

provide a fantastic benefi t towards these services. Benefi ts are paid

out of your yearly dental limit.

ABOUT

Orthodontics

Orthodontics, Braces etc

12 months

$450 per membership

year (accumulating to

$900 per membership

year after 2 years of

membership.) Lifetime

limit of $1500 per person

applies. Benefi ts are paid

at 50% of cost of cost up

to available limit .

$700 per membership

year (accumulating to

$1400 per membership

year after 2 years of

membership.) Lifetime

limit of $3000 per person

applies. Benefi ts are paid

at 85% of cost up to

available limit.

$400 per membership

year. Lifetime limit

of $800 per person.

Benefi ts are paid at

70% of cost up to

available limit.

Waiting Period Essential Extras Premium Extras Smart Start


LET US HELP YOU

ON TIME EVERY TIME!

Queensland Country Credit Union Limited. ABN 77 087 651 027 AFSL 244533. * Set monthly deposits are required for bill paying accounts.

Visit your local Queensland Country Credit Union branch or qccu.com.au for more information

With a Queensland Country BillPaying Account: