Blog
Can I get veneers through Medicare or private health insurance in Australia?
Medicare veneers are not available for cosmetic purposes in Australia. For most adults, veneers are a private expense. Here is what Medicare and private health extras cover and what they do not.
Medicare does not cover veneers for cosmetic purposes in Australia. The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) only fund dental work with a clinical necessity — smile design, shade improvement, and cosmetic makeovers are not included. For most Australian adults, veneers are a private expense. Australian private extras provide a partial rebate; the out-of-pocket cost remains significant compared to treatment in Vietnam.
What Medicare covers — and what it does not
| Medicare scheme | Who qualifies | Dental coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) | All Medicare card holders | Very limited — mainly hospital oral surgery |
| Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) | Children 2–17 with Medicare eligibility | Up to AUD 1,095/2 years for basic care; excludes veneers |
| DVA Dental | Eligible veterans and dependants | Some restorative work; not cosmetic veneers |
| State public dental schemes | Concession card holders (long waiting lists) | Emergency and basic care; not veneers |
The bottom line: if you want veneers for cosmetic reasons — shade improvement, shape correction, smile makeover — Medicare will not fund any part of it.
The only circumstance where Medicare-adjacent funding might contribute is if a veneer is replacing a damaged or structurally compromised front tooth and is deemed clinically necessary by a specialist — and even then, the funding pathway is narrow and complex.
Private health insurance — realistic rebate expectations
Most Australians with extras cover have some benefit for dental veneers under major dental. The item code for a porcelain veneer is typically 113 (indirect porcelain restoration). Example calculation:
| Item | Australian private clinic fee | Fund rebate (typical major dental) | Out-of-pocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emax veneer × 1 tooth (item 113) | AUD 2,000 | AUD 500–800 | AUD 1,200–1,500 |
| Emax veneer × 6 teeth | AUD 12,000 | AUD 1,500–2,000 (annual limit reached) | AUD 10,000–10,500 |
| Emax veneer × 10 teeth | AUD 20,000 | AUD 1,500–2,000 (annual limit reached) | AUD 18,000–18,500 |
The annual benefit limit — typically AUD 1,000–2,500 for major dental — is exhausted after 1–2 veneers at Australian private fees. The health fund does not cover the remaining 8–9 veneers in a full set.
Claiming Picasso veneers on your Australian health fund
Picasso provides invoices with Australian item codes. Procedure:
- Receive itemised invoice from Picasso (with item code 113 for each veneer, or 141/111 for composite)
- Submit to your health fund online with the invoice and your fund membership details
- Fund applies its scheduled benefit — the same rebate as if the treatment occurred in Australia
- Rebate paid to your nominated bank account
Not all funds accept overseas claims without pre-approval. Contact your fund before travelling to confirm the process. NIB, Medibank, Bupa, and HCF all have overseas claim processes — the form and documentation requirements vary.
Waiting periods: most major dental extras impose a 12-month waiting period before veneers are claimable. If you joined your fund recently, check whether the waiting period has been served.
The cost comparison including health fund rebate
| Scenario | Treatment cost | Fund rebate | Out-of-pocket | All-in (flights + accommodation) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Emax veneers — Australian private | AUD 12,000 | AUD 1,500 | AUD 10,500 | AUD 10,500 |
| 6 Emax veneers — Picasso Vietnam | AUD 3,060 | AUD 500–800 | AUD 2,260–2,560 | AUD 5,260–5,960 (with SYD trip costs) |
| 10 Emax veneers — Australian private | AUD 20,000 | AUD 1,500–2,000 | AUD 18,000–18,500 | AUD 18,000–18,500 |
| 10 Emax veneers — Picasso Vietnam | AUD 5,100 | AUD 500–800 | AUD 4,300–4,600 | AUD 7,300–8,100 (with SYD trip costs) |
Even after the health fund rebate, Australian private veneers are significantly more expensive than Picasso all-in.
Composite veneers — the Medicare-adjacent option
Composite veneers (direct bonded resin applied at the chair) are covered at a higher rate by most health funds than porcelain — because they are a simpler restorative procedure. Australian private composite veneers cost AUD 300–800 per tooth; fund rebates are typically AUD 100–300 per tooth.
At Picasso, composite veneers cost AUD 170 per tooth. The same fund rebate logic applies — if you can claim AUD 100 per composite veneer from your fund, the net cost for 6 composite veneers at Picasso is AUD 420 (6 × AUD 170 − 6 × AUD 100) before travel costs.
Composite veneers are appropriate for minor corrections and patients who want to test the look before committing to porcelain. They last 3–7 years and can be repaired or replaced in Australia at any dentist.
What to do next
- Check your fund’s major dental benefit for item code 113 (porcelain veneer) — how much per tooth, and what annual limit applies
- Call your fund and ask: “Do you accept overseas dental claims, and what documentation do I need?”
- Request a free AUD quote from Picasso — include your veneer count and preferred timing
- Compare total out-of-pocket including fund rebate, treatment, flights, and accommodation