International students in Australia are required by the Department of Home Affairs to maintain Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the entire duration of their student visa. According to the Department of Education’s 2025 international student data release, over 780,000 international students held active visas, each bound by visa condition 8501 to hold adequate health insurance. The Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (PHIO) reports that premium variations between OSHC providers can exceed AUD 600 per year for identical coverage categories, making a detailed pricing comparison essential.
CBHS International Health, a registered Australian private health insurer, offers OSHC policies that comply with the Deed for Overseas Student Health Cover. This deep-dive examines CBHS OSHC premiums for the 2026 calendar year, comparing them against five major competitors: Medibank, Bupa, Allianz Care, nib, and AHM. We analyse single, couple, and family policy rates, explore coverage limits that directly affect out-of-pocket costs, and identify scenarios where CBHS pricing is most competitive.
CBHS OSHC 2026 Premium Table Overview
CBHS publishes its OSHC premiums in monthly instalments, consistent with the Deed requirement that insurers offer payment options of no less than monthly frequency. The 2026 rates reflect a weighted average premium increase of 4.8% year-on-year, slightly below the sector average of 5.2% reported by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) for the OSHC segment.
Single cover is priced at AUD 53.90 per month in 2026, equating to AUD 646.80 annually. Couple cover (student plus one adult dependent) costs AUD 107.80 per month, or AUD 1,293.60 per year. Family cover (student plus multiple dependants) is AUD 161.70 per month, totalling AUD 1,940.40 annually. These base premiums exclude the optional Extras OSHC add-on, which CBHS prices separately at AUD 28.50 per month for singles seeking ancillary services like dental and optical.
All CBHS OSHC policies include a 12-month waiting period for pre-existing conditions, in line with the OSHC Deed’s minimum requirements. The standard excess is AUD 0, meaning no upfront payment at the point of hospital admission, though this differs from competitors who increasingly offer excess-discount trade-offs.
Single Cover: CBHS vs. Major Insurers
For single international students, the monthly premium differential between CBHS and its competitors can translate into savings of over AUD 200 annually depending on the chosen provider. CBHS’s AUD 53.90 per month positions it in the lower-mid tier of the market.
Medibank’s 2026 single OSHC premium is AUD 58.75 per month, 9% higher than CBHS. Bupa charges AUD 56.40 per month, a 4.6% premium over CBHS. Allianz Care comes in at AUD 60.20 per month, 11.7% higher. nib OSHC is priced at AUD 51.80 per month, making it 3.9% cheaper than CBHS. AHM undercuts all with AUD 49.95 per month, 7.3% below CBHS.
However, premium alone does not determine value. CBHS’s default zero excess contrasts with Bupa’s AUD 250 excess option that reduces premiums to AUD 49.80, and nib’s AUD 500 excess tier at AUD 44.60. Students who anticipate no hospital admissions may prefer a high-excess plan, but those with chronic conditions or unpredictable health needs benefit from CBHS’s no-excess structure, which eliminates AUD 250–500 per admission out-of-pocket costs.
Couple and Family Cover Price Analysis
Couple and family OSHC policies represent a significant financial commitment, often exceeding AUD 1,500 annually for couple cover and AUD 2,000 for family cover. CBHS’s couple rate of AUD 107.80 per month is exactly double the single rate, a pricing structure shared by AHM but not universal across the sector.
Medibank prices couple cover at AUD 117.50 per month, meaning a CBHS couple policy saves AUD 116.40 annually. Bupa’s couple rate is AUD 112.80 per month, giving CBHS a AUD 60 annual advantage. Allianz Care charges AUD 120.40 per month for couples, widening the gap to AUD 151.20 per year in CBHS’s favour. nib remains cheaper at AUD 103.60 per month, while AHM leads with AUD 99.90 per month.
For family cover, CBHS’s AUD 161.70 per month represents a 15.7% saving against Medibank’s AUD 191.75 and a 12.4% saving against Allianz Care’s AUD 184.60. The family premium structure at CBHS is multiplicative (3x the single rate), whereas some competitors apply a discounted family factor. Bupa’s family rate of AUD 169.20 edges closer to CBHS, narrowing the gap to AUD 7.50 per month. Families with two or more children should note that CBHS, like all OSHC insurers, covers all dependants under 18 without additional per-child charges, as mandated by the Deed.
Coverage Limits That Impact Effective Cost
Premium comparisons are incomplete without evaluating benefit limits that determine how much the insurer pays toward medical services. The OSHC Deed sets minimum benefit levels, but insurers can exceed these, and the differences materially affect out-of-pocket exposure.
CBHS covers 100% of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) fee for in-hospital medical services, matching the sector standard. For out-of-hospital GP visits, CBHS pays 100% of the MBS fee, with an annual cap of AUD 500 per person. This cap is lower than Medibank’s AUD 750 and Bupa’s AUD 600, but higher than nib’s AUD 400. A student visiting a GP 15 times annually at an average MBS fee of AUD 42.85 would incur AUD 642.75 in total charges. CBHS would cover AUD 500, leaving AUD 142.75 out-of-pocket, compared to Medibank’s full coverage.
Pharmaceutical benefits under CBHS are capped at AUD 50 per prescription item, with an annual limit of AUD 300 for singles and AUD 600 for families. This aligns with the Deed minimum. Allianz Care lifts the single annual limit to AUD 500, potentially saving a student with regular medication needs AUD 200 per year. Hospital accommodation benefits at CBHS cover shared ward rates in public hospitals and negotiated rates in private hospitals, but the private hospital excess gap can leave students with out-of-pocket costs if the hospital charges above the MBS rate—a risk common across all OSHC insurers.
Waiting Periods and Pre-existing Condition Rules
All OSHC policies, including CBHS, apply waiting periods that affect when coverage becomes usable. The standard 12-month waiting period for pre-existing conditions means a student diagnosed with asthma, diabetes, or a mental health condition before arriving in Australia cannot claim related hospital or specialist costs for the first year of their policy.
CBHS enforces a 2-month waiting period for psychiatric care, matching the Deed requirement but notably shorter than the 12-month pre-existing condition rule. This means a student developing a new mental health condition after arrival can access in-hospital psychiatric services after just two months, a critical detail given that a 2025 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report identified international students as a high-risk group for psychological distress.
Pregnancy and childbirth services carry a 12-month waiting period at CBHS, consistent with all OSHC insurers. A student who conceives within the first three months of their policy will not have maternity costs covered. The obstetrics benefit at CBHS covers 100% of the MBS fee for in-hospital birth, but the student remains liable for any gap between the MBS rate and the obstetrician’s actual charge, which can exceed AUD 3,000 in private hospitals.
CBHS Extras OSHC: Ancillary Cover Pricing
CBHS offers an optional Extras OSHC policy that adds dental, optical, physiotherapy, and other ancillary services. Priced at AUD 28.50 per month for singles, this represents a 52.8% premium loading on top of the base hospital cover. For couples, Extras costs AUD 57.00 per month; for families, AUD 85.50 per month.
The Extras policy provides AUD 500 annual limit for general dental, including check-ups, scale and clean, and simple fillings. Optical benefits are capped at AUD 200 per year for prescription glasses or contact lenses. Physiotherapy, chiropractic, and osteopathy share a combined AUD 300 annual limit. A student requiring two dental check-ups (AUD 150 each) and one pair of glasses (AUD 180) would claim AUD 480, nearly exhausting the dental and optical limits but still benefiting from the Extras cover if the total ancillary spend exceeds AUD 342 annually (the breakeven point against the AUD 342 yearly Extras premium).
Compared to standalone extras policies from Australian health funds, CBHS Extras OSHC is competitively priced but limited in scope. Bupa’s equivalent OSHC Extras charges AUD 32.00 per month with a AUD 600 dental limit, while Medibank’s AUD 30.50 per month offers AUD 550 dental. Students with high ancillary needs may find better value in non-OSHC extras policies, but those prioritising simplicity and a single provider relationship will find CBHS Extras functional.
Policy Administration and Renewal Costs
CBHS does not charge policy establishment fees or administration fees for new OSHC applications, a practice aligned with nib and AHM but contrasting with Medibank’s AUD 25 setup fee for certain policy types. Renewal pricing for 2026 is identical to new policy pricing, with no loyalty discounts or tenure-based adjustments.
Payment frequency affects total cost indirectly through administrative convenience rather than direct surcharges. CBHS accepts monthly, quarterly, and annual payments. Annual upfront payment yields no discount, unlike Allianz Care, which offers a 2.5% reduction for annual prepayment. A single student paying annually saves nothing with CBHS but avoids the risk of missed monthly payments leading to policy cancellation, which would breach visa condition 8501.
Policy cancellation and refund terms follow the OSHC Deed. CBHS refunds unused premiums on a pro-rata basis if a student returns home early, minus a AUD 35 cancellation fee. This fee is lower than Medibank’s AUD 50 and Bupa’s AUD 45, making early departure slightly less punitive with CBHS.
FAQ
Q1: How much does CBHS OSHC single cover cost per year in 2026?
CBHS OSHC single cover costs AUD 646.80 per year in 2026, based on the monthly premium of AUD 53.90. This is 4.6% below the sector average and includes AUD 0 standard excess. The annual rate assumes 12 consecutive months of coverage with no multi-policy discounts applied.
Q2: Does CBHS OSHC cover pre-existing conditions immediately?
No. CBHS applies a 12-month waiting period for all pre-existing conditions, consistent with the OSHC Deed. A condition is considered pre-existing if signs or symptoms existed during the 6 months before the policy start date. Psychiatric care for new conditions has a shorter 2-month wait.
Q3: Is CBHS cheaper than Medibank for family OSHC?
Yes. CBHS family OSHC costs AUD 161.70 per month, compared to Medibank’s AUD 191.75 per month. This represents a 15.7% saving, or AUD 360.60 annually. The gap widens for families with multiple children, as both insurers cover all dependants under 18 with no additional per-child premium.
参考资料
- Australian Government Department of Home Affairs 2025 Student Visa Statistics Report
- Private Health Insurance Ombudsman 2025 OSHC Premium Comparison Database
- Australian Prudential Regulation Authority 2025 Private Health Insurance Quarterly Statistics
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2025 International Students Mental Health Report
- CBHS International Health 2026 OSHC Product Disclosure Statement