The one detail students miss: “Going to hospital” is not the same as “being admitted”

OSHC benefits often change based on whether you are formally admitted as an inpatient.

• Admitted (inpatient): You’re officially admitted by the hospital. Hospital-related benefits apply (accommodation, theatre, in-hospital care).
• Not admitted: You might be treated in the Emergency Department and discharged, or treated as an outpatient. Different rules and billing apply.

This is why two students can go to the same hospital and have very different out-of-pocket costs.

When public hospitals are usually the better choice under OSHC

Emergencies: public hospitals are the default pathway

If it’s urgent, public hospitals are where triage and emergency systems are set up at scale. In many cases you won’t have time to “choose” anyway.

For OSHC members, public hospital emergency and outpatient billing tends to follow clear state/territory charging rules for people who aren’t on Medicare, and OSHC is designed to respond to that structure.

If you’re admitted as a public patient, the billing is often more predictable

For admitted treatment in a public hospital (typically shared ward accommodation), OSHC products are built around covering eligible public hospital charges at state/territory rates.

This often makes public hospitals the more predictable option when you don’t want surprises.

Public hospitals are strong for complex and urgent care

Even outside insurance, public hospitals are where many specialist teams and major emergency services operate. For urgent or complex conditions, “better” often means “the place set up for this.”

When private hospitals can be better under OSHC (and when they can cost more)

Private hospitals can be a great experience only when the setup is right.

Private is often “better” for planned (elective) treatment - if your insurer has an agreement with the hospital

Many OSHC funds have agreement/contracted private hospitals. When you use an agreement hospital, benefits are generally paid at the contracted rate, which can significantly reduce gaps.

That’s the key: private hospital + agreement = usually smoother claims.

Private can be worse if the hospital is not contracted

If you go to a private hospital that is not contracted with your insurer, the insurer may only pay a minimum/default benefit. The difference between the hospital’s charge and that benefit can become your out-of-pocket bill.

This is the most common reason students walk into a private hospital and later feel OSHC “didn’t work.”

Private doesn’t automatically mean “no waiting” and “no gap”

Even in private settings, gaps can happen because:

• doctors can charge above scheduled fees
• there may be separate bills (surgeon, anaesthetist, radiology, pathology)
• not every item is payable under your product’s rules

So private can be “better” for comfort and scheduling, but not always cheaper.

“Is private faster under OSHC?” Sometimes - but only for the right type of care

This is where students get misled by social media.

• Emergency care: You are treated based on urgency. Private isn’t automatically faster.
• Planned procedures: Private can be faster because scheduling is different, but you must check agreement hospital access and expected gaps.
• Specialist access: Private pathways can sometimes help, but they can also introduce extra fees.

If you’re choosing private purely for speed, make sure it’s speed for the type of care you actually need.

The practical OSHC rule students should remember: hospital bills and doctor bills are not the same

Even inside a hospital, you may receive separate bills:

• Hospital charges (bed, theatre, accommodation, etc.)
• Medical charges (doctor fees)

OSHC base settings typically treat these differently:

• in-hospital medical services may be payable at a higher rate than out-of-hospital medical services
• hospital accommodation rules depend heavily on whether it’s public or private and whether a private hospital is contracted

That’s why you should never assume “private hospital = OSHC pays everything.”

How to choose correctly (without overthinking it)

If it’s an emergency

Go to the nearest appropriate emergency department. Don’t delay care to “pick a better hospital.”

If it’s planned treatment or surgery

Before you book:

• ask your insurer whether the private hospital is an agreement/contracted hospital
• ask the provider for an estimate of any specialist gaps
• confirm you’re covered for the type of treatment under your OSHC product (waiting periods and exclusions still apply)

If it’s routine care (GP, scans, referrals)

Hospitals usually aren’t the main decision. The bigger factor is:

• which clinics/providers keep your gap low
• how billing is handled (and whether it aligns to your OSHC product)

OSHC options students commonly choose (available on getmypolicy.online)

Students often compare well-known OSHC options such as:

• Bupa OSHC
• nib OSHC (including tiers like Core / Premium / Top / Ultimate and Student-focused options)
• Other major OSHC providers available through getmypolicy.one (depending on your visa and preferred cover level)

Because agreement hospital networks and benefit structures differ between funds, comparing options before you buy can save a lot of pain later.