1 in 2 Australians seeking mental health care has no private insurance

Younger Australians are most impacted, says Money.com.au.

Over 1 in 2 Australians who sought mental health care in the past 12 months did not have private health insurance, according to new research by Money.com.au

In a survey of 1,000 Australians, 45% of those who used mental health services had private health insurance.

“We’re seeing a rise in inquiries, particularly about which levels of extras cover offer benefits for mental health services like psychology, counselling and other therapies,” said Chris Whitelaw, general manager of health insurance, Money.com.au.

“It’s a sign that Australians increasingly see mental health as part of everyday wellbeing, not just something to address in a crisis,” he said.

Amongst those who did not seek care, 1 in 5 (20%) said that cost was the main barrier. Gen Z was most impacted, with 35% citing costs.

“Younger Australians are often on basic extras or hospital policies to keep premiums affordable, but these policies typically don’t include benefits for mental health services. Yet, they’re the group most likely to need flexible mental health support while juggling study, work and life changes,” Whitelaw said.

Gen X (51%) and Millennials (48%) were more likely to rely on insurance cover, compared to Baby Boomers (44%) and Gen Z (32%).