Gold Hospital cover vs Silver and Bronze: hospital cover explained

A surgeon operating

In short 

Hospital cover comes in four tiers: Basic, Bronze, Silver and Gold. Only Gold covers all 38 clinical categories, while lower tiers  leave out treatments you may one day need.

On this page 

How hospital cover tiers work 

To make hospital cover easier to compare, the Australian Government sorts every policy into one of four standard tiers: Basic, Bronze, Silver and Gold. 

Each tier includes a set minimum of clinical categories. A clinical category is simply a group of hospital treatments, like “heart and vascular system” or “bone, joint and muscle.  

If a policy includes more than the minimum clinical categories for a tier, but not quite enough to be classified as a higher tier, they will be labeled with a ‘plus’, for example ‘Silver Plus’ 

The lower the tier, the more categories are left out. Gold sits at the top and is the only tier that must cover them all.  

What lower tiers can leave out 

This is the part that catches people by surprise. Bronze and Silver policies can exclude common, expensive treatments, which means you wouldn't be covered if you needed them. 

Treatments often left out of lower tiers include: 

  • Heart procedures
  • Joint replacements, like hips and knees
  • Weight-loss surgery
  • Cataract surgery
  • Pregnancy and birth 

If a treatment isn't in your tier, you could face the full cost yourself, or a long wait in the public system, exactly when you can least afford the stress.  

What you get with Gold Hospital cover 

Police Health's Gold Hospital is top-level cover*, featuring; 

  • All 38 clinical categories - No exclusions
  • No excess
  • No co-payments
  • Ambulance cover Australia-wide
  • The freedom to choose your own doctor and hospital 

Why cover level matters

The appeal of a cheaper tier is the lower premium today. The risk is the cover you don't have when something goes wrong. 

Health needs change, often without warning. A lower tier is a bet that you won't need the categories it leaves out, and if that bet doesn't pay off, you could be left with the bill or a waiting period before a higher level of cover steps in.* 

Gold removes that gamble. Every category is covered from the start. 

Why Gold is the level worth choosing 

When it comes to your health, the cover you'll be glad you have is the cover that doesn't leave anything out. 

Police Heath's Gold Hospital cover gives you that certainty: all 38 clinical categories covered, no exclusions, no excess, and the freedom to choose your own doctor and hospital. 

Think about it like car insurance that only covers some part of your vehicles but not others. 

Lower-tier hospital policies may exclude certain body parts or treatments, leaving you with potential unexpected costs. 

If you also use everyday services like dental, optical and physio, Gold Combined pairs Gold Hospital with Rolling Extras at a reduced premium compared with taking each separately.* 

Because Police Health is built specifically for the policing community and their families, its cover is offered at the Gold level, so members are protected across every clinical category for life's unexpected moments. 

Not sure if you're eligible? Have a look at who can join. 

Frequently asked questions 

What does Gold hospital cover include that Silver and Bronze don't? 

Gold includes every clinical category, while Silver and Bronze can exclude common, higher-cost treatments like pregnancy, joint replacements, heart procedures and weight-loss surgery. With Gold, nothing is left out. 

Does Police Health offer Silver or Bronze cover? 

Police Health offers Gold Hospital cover, so members are covered across all 38 clinical categories, with no exclusions. 

Is it worth paying more for Gold? 

Lower tiers cost less, but they cover less. Police Health's Gold Hospital cover gives you certainty that any hospital treatment is covered, with no excess and no co-payments, which for most people is well worth it.* 

*All benefits may be subject to Waiting Periods, Limits and other conditions. Rollover applies once you've completed your first 12 months membership (2 years for Major Dental). Providers must be recognised by us. Review the cover tables on the Combined, Hospital and Extras pages, and your State Premium and Benefit Guide or contact us for more information.