Launching Jan '26: Giveback for Good Health is a major initiative designed to support our members with everyday health costs and improve access to care.   Learn more

7 Million Member Giveback: Regional Health Fund Tackles Rising Healthcare Costs

Lithgow, NSW, 26th November 2025: Westfund a not-for-profit health fund, born in regional NSW, has announced an approximately $7 million member giveback* in 2026 through its new “Giveback for Good Health” initiative, which is designed to ease healthcare costs and improve healthcare access for Australians living in regional and remote communities.

Launching on 1 January 2026 and running across the year, the program will offer Westfund members practical support including:

  • Up to four fully covered virtual GP consultations over six months via Doctors on Demand (valued up to $360)
  • Same-day hospital excess waivers for all procedures for members with hospital product cover (which could be as low as $250 in savings and up to $1500 for a couple/family policy if two people have surgery); and
  • Boosted extras benefits for dental, optical and allied health services.

A total value amount that members will be able to save is $1860 for a family, and $840 for a single person (excluding the benefit increases).

Healthcare affordability affects everyone across the country, but many Westfund members living in regional NSW and Queensland still face significant challenges when it comes to accessing healthcare.

Westfund CEO, Mark Genovese said that the program is a direct response to ongoing cost-of-living pressures and was made possible by strong financial results in FY25: “We know many Australians are feeling the pinch of rising living costs, and for those in regional areas, accessing care can be even harder,” said Westfund CEO Mark Genovese.

“This initiative is about removing financial barriers and making it easier for our members to prioritise their health. As a not-for-profit, we’re proud to reinvest in ways that deliver real value and support when it’s needed most.”

The initiative forms part of Westfund’s ongoing commitment to reinvest surplus funds to benefit members, not profit-driven shareholders, because as a member-owned fund, their focus is always on people and their healthcare.

Matthew Koce, CEO of Members Health Fund Alliance, said the giveback is “an excellent example of prioritising people, not profits. By understanding their community, Westfund are delivering true value to their members and helping to ensure health is the priority.”

“The Westfund giveback is yet another example of how not-for-profit mutuals are uniquely placed to serve their members with integrity and purpose. Whereas for-profits must prioritise the interests of shareholders and overseas investors, not-for-profits like Westfund are entirely focused on the people and communities they serve. That means better care and support for members and local communities than would otherwise be possible.”

The announcement comes amid growing national concern about the sustainability of healthcare access in regional Australia, where data show widening gaps in both workforce and funding.

Research indicates that small rural towns have three times fewer doctors per capita than metropolitan areas1, and Australians living outside major cities miss out on around $1,090 per person each year in healthcare spending compared with those in urban areas.2

“These disparities, combined with ongoing clinic closures, workforce shortages and rising out-of-pocket costs, are deepening health inequities and limiting timely access to care for regional communities,” commented Mr Genovese.

Westfund’s “Giveback for Good Health” initiative will begin rolling out from January 2026, with further details and eligibility information to be released later this year.

References:

  1. Patient Experiences, Australian Bureau of Statistics, November 2024. Available at: Patient Experiences, 2023-24 financial year | Australian Bureau of Statistics. Accessed in November 2025.
  2. “The Forgotten Health Spend: A Report on the Expenditure Deficit in Rural Australia” , National Rural Health Alliance (NRHA), August 2025. Available at: Rural Australians miss out on $8.35 billion in healthcare every year – and it’s getting worse – National Rural Health Alliance. Accessed in November 2025.

    *Total value of the member giveback as estimated by Westfund based on utilisation expectations and eligibility requirements.