Southern Cross, the country's largest health insurer, is increasing the amount its members can claim back on prescriptions.
It said it had about 330,000 members on plans with prescription benefits and it was increasing the maximum claim by 50 to 100 per cent, depending on the plan, in anticipation of an increase in electronic claims.
"Due to the ease of using electronic claiming, we're anticipating more members will claim for low-cost services or items, such as prescriptions, that they may have forgotten about or not been bothered to claim for previously," Southern Cross Health Society chief executive Peter Tynan said.
"With electronic claiming, there are no claim forms to fill in and the member is not out-of-pocket while a claim is processed."
The electronic claiming service, available at around 250 pharmacies so far, enables eligible members to claim on the spot at the counter.
