Cancer Treatment at Home

Being diagnosed with cancer is a significant and often life-changing event.  Cancer treatment is often highly disruptive and can involve extended hospital stays over many months or years depending on the diagnosis and type of cancer.

For overseas students the situation is often compounded by being located in a foreign country away from the support of friends and family.

At Allianz Care Australia, we understand these challenges.  As part of our commitment to improving the lives of our members and offering increased choice and options for care, we have partnered with leading provider Nuevo Health to provide Allianz Care Australia - Overseas Student Health Care (OSHC) members access to their Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy in the Home program called Kinship.

Chemotherapy (often referred to as “chemo”) is the treatment of cancer by using drugs to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells. Treatment is mainly by intravenous drip (IV) or tablets/creams for some cancers and traditionally, treatment has been mostly through hospital. With advances in clinical treatment, it may be possible for members to be eligible for treatment at home.

Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment designed to help a person’s immune system fight cancer. Immunotherapy works by either:

• Stimulating or boosting the body’s natural defences in a person’s immune system so that it works in a more targeted way to find and attack cancer cells; or
• Making biological substances in a lab similar to immune system components and inserting them into a person’s body to assist in restoring or improving how a person’s immune system works to find and attack cancer cells.

Treatment for Immunotherapy is often administered by intravenous drip (IV) and vaccines. However, with advances in clinical treatment, members may be eligible to be treated at home.

•  The program is accessible to OSHC members across Australia
• Treatment and personalised care in the comfort and safety of your own home
• Reduced risk of catching common hospital infections
• Less disruption to work, study and everyday life by not needing to travel to or wait for treatment in hospital 
• Potential reduced incidental costs such as travel costs for treatment or child care 
• More convenient and helps to maintain independence

Cancer Treatment at Home (Kinship) Program offers eligible OSHC members infusion treatments, including Chemotherapy, at home. Under the Kinship Program, an experienced nurse will come to your home to administer treatment as prescribed by your treating Doctor (Oncologist or Specialist Treating Doctor). The Kinship program provides safe, high quality and patient-centred services accredited under the Australian Government’s National Safety and Quality Service standards.

• Chemotherapy, immunotherapy or non-cancer treatment infusion at Home
• Specialist outpatient fees subject to policy limits
• Pathology and radiology outpatient fees subject to policy limits
• Medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme subject to policy limits

• Out of pocket expenses for PBS listed medicines (i.e. the difference payable between the cost of medicines and the policy limit) NOTE: cancer medicines can cost up to $50,000 AUD per infusion or injection.
• Out of pocket expenses for specialists and other medical practitioners above policy limits
• Pathology or Radiology not covered under the MBS or above policy limits
• Missed appointment or last minute cancellation costs*

*Missed appointment or late cancellation costs are payable if an appointment is cancelled for a non-medical reasons and notification to Neuvo Health is not provided within 24hrs of a scheduled appointment.

The costs of chemotherapy and other specialised cancer drugs is often significant therefore only limited cost coverage is provided via an OSHC policy.

Members requiring cancer treatment are advised to speak with their Treating Oncologist or Medical Specialist to understand the cost of medications prescribed for treatment.

Members are also encouraged to contact the OSHC Eligibility Team on  OSHCEligibility@allianzcare.com.au or phone: 1800 884 526 (select option 1 - option 1 then option 1 again) during business hours to confirm coverage.