Preparing for joint replacement surgery can be overwhelming, unexpected and expensive. HCF’s No-Gap Joints program for primary hip and knee replacements gives eligible members peace of mind with no out-of-pocket costs from hospital admission through to discharge and post-surgery rehab (other than any hospital excess).

This doctor-led and designed program offers an early-to-home discharge, where clinically appropriate, designed to provide HCF members with more choice and transparency with affordable care options when undergoing a joint replacement surgery on hips or knees.

Eligible members may also have access to additional support like  pre-admission joint school to help you to be fit and ready for surgery, and options for in-home nursing care or rehabilitation with physiotherapy and other allied health support if your treating doctors consider it to be clinically appropriate and is subject to the availability of at-home care providers. Your participating surgeon will work with you to determine if this care is right for you. Contact your surgeon to find out more.

Eligible members who have held HCF hospital cover that includes primary hip and knee replacements for at least 12 months are covered for the No-Gap Joints program, once they are accepted into the program in line with clinical criteria by a participating clinician*.

Your treating surgeon must be participating in the program and will work with you to decide if this program is right for you and your health needs.

If you’re an HCF member you can log into the My Membership app, online member services  and check to see if your policy includes joint replacements. If you’re not sure, get in touch with HCF on 13 13 14 or visit your local branch.

Patients will be given a choice to choose the surgeon that they wish to visit; information about who is participating is available by downloading our information brochure available here .

If you do not have a surgeon preference, please contact the team at East Sydney Private Hospital on 1800 167 846, and our team will advise of the surgeons that are closest to you for your consideration.

As part of the No-Gap Joints program, HCF members will be given the opportunity to attend a pre-admission joint school.

The pre-admission joint school is run by our clinical nurse specialists and dedicated physiotherapy team and includes:

• A hospital tour and the opportunity to meet the team of staff that will be looking after you during your hospital admission  
• Information on exercises to perform both before and after your surgery
• Education on mobility aids like crutches or anything else you may need when returning home

Eligible HCF members who use the program won’t incur out-of-pocket costs for the following services as part of the hospital admission at East Sydney Private Hospital:

• pre-admission joint school
• hospital accommodation and theatre costs
• surgeon surgical fee
• anaesthetist surgical fee
• surgical assistant surgical fee
• prothesis, or artificial joint
• inpatient diagnostic tests
• in-home, or in-clinic rehabilitation program delivered by a physiotherapist following your joint replacement surgery

Eligible members will need to have HCF hospital cover that includes primary hip and knee replacements for 12 months (excluding Overseas Health Cover)*. Members will be accepted into the program in line with clinical criteria by participating clinicians on a patient-by-patient basis. Excludes any policy excess payable.Your first appointment with your chosen surgeon may incur an out of pocket costs for the consultation; you can contact your surgeon's rooms to find out the cost of this.

*Eligible members will need to have HCF hospital cover that includes primary hip and knee replacements for 12 months (excluding Overseas Health Cover). Members will be accepted into the program in line with clinical criteria by participating clinicians on a patient-by-patient basis. Excludes any policy excess payable. 

In your first appointment with your orthopaedic surgeon, please bring along your referral letter from your General Practitioner and all tests that you have had related to your joint, such as X-Rays, CT scans or blood tests.

During this appointment, this is your opportunity to ask questions; it can be handy to write these down beforehand and tick these off as the doctor answers them.

It can be helpful to bring along someone who you trust and can support you during this appointment.

Patients participating in the short stay, No-Gap Joint replacement program will receive immediate physiotherapy support whilst admitted in hospital. Following discharge from hospital, patients will then have access to either in-home, or in-clinic rehabilitation for at least a 6 week period. Patients that participate in this program have been deemed clinical appropriate by their operating surgeon to undergo rehabilitation in the community. 

The team at East Sydney Private Hospital, are there to answer any questions you may have about the short stay, no gap joint replacement program they can be contacted on 1800 167 846, or via email to clinic@esphospital.com