If you’re considering Chinese Herbal Medicine as part of your health journey, you might be wondering—will my private health insurance cover it? This is a common and important question for many Australians seeking natural and holistic options for their health. (This post is accurate at the time of writing, and may change.)
Is Chinese Herbal Medicine Covered by Private Health Insurance?
It depends.
In Australia, some private health funds may cover part of the cost of a consultation with a registered Chinese Medicine practitioner, but not the cost of the herbs themselves.
To access a rebate:
Choose a registered practitioner, listed with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) under the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia.
- The consultation must be for Chinese herbal medicine.
You need to hold extras cover that includes Acupuncture or Chinese Medicine consultations (this varies by policy).
What About My Specific Policy?
Rebate eligibility and amounts vary depending on your health fund and level of extras cover. Here’s how it generally works with some of the major funds:
HCF, Medibank, BUPA, NIB, Australian Unity, Teachers Health, and others may cover consultations with AHPRA-registered Chinese Herbalists.
Some funds may group acupuncture AND herbal medicine under a general “Chinese Medicine” or "Natural Therapies" category, so it’s worth checking the fine print.
I'm always recommending to new clients to be checking directly with their health fund.
Is Chinese Herbal Medicine Covered by Medicare?
Medicare is not covering Chinese Herbal Medicine. At this stage, Medicare does not offer rebates for services such as acupuncture or herbal consultations with a fully qualified TCM Practitioner.
People may choose to use private health cover or pay out of pocket because they feel it helps them with their symptom management.
Claiming a Rebate
For successful claiming through your health fund, your practitioner needs to be AHPRA-registered.
Your consultation receipt includes:
The practitioner’s provider number
Service description (e.g., Chinese Herbal Medicine consultation)
Your name and date of service
Total paid
Some clinics offer on-the-spot claiming through HICAPS, while others will provide a detailed receipt for manual claiming.
Many private health insurers do offer rebates for consultations—provided you see a properly qualified and registered practitioner.
Thinking about trying Chinese Herbs and want to find out about costs, or how it may support you?
Book an appointment or give us a call—we’d be happy to guide you through the process and help you.
We have clinics on Sydney's Northern Beaches in Warriewood and Brookvale.
