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Many patients face barriers to expensive evidence-based interventions, but a new partnership between HIF (Health Insurance Fund of Australia) and Mindset Health is expanding access to clinically validated digital therapeutics.
Eligible HIF members can now access app-based hypnotherapy programs for IBS, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, menopause symptoms, and smoking cessation. This marks a major shift toward non-invasive, scalable interventions that complement traditional treatment pathways and empower patients with targeted neuromodulation strategies.
Bridging the gap with scalable on-demand solutions
With increasing recognition of the gut-brain axis, autonomic dysregulation, and central pain processing as key drivers of many chronic conditions, behavioral interventions like gut-directed hypnotherapy (GDH) for IBS are becoming an essential part of multidisciplinary care.
However, accessing specialists such as GI psychologists, pain experts, and behavioral health providers remains a challenge due to cost, availability, and system constraints. For many patients, standard treatments may offer only partial relief, highlighting the need for evidence-based, non-pharmacological interventions that target underlying mind-body mechanisms.
Now, through this partnership, HIF is expanding access to scalable digital therapeutics, allowing more members to engage in targeted strategies that support long-term symptom management.
HIF is simplifying access to high-impact care
HIF’s Chief Data and Proposition Officer, Nikesh Hirani, notes that more than one-fifth of HIF’s membership could benefit from digital therapeutics.
He said, “This partnership presents tangible value for our members via a digital-first, clinically validated, and patient-centric approach to modern healthcare.”
Eligible HIF members* can now access the following Mindset Health programs:
- Nerva – Gut-directed hypnotherapy for IBS
- Relio – Chronic low back pain management
- Claria – Anxiety and depression support
- Evia – Menopause symptom relief
- Finito – Smoking cessation support
Each program is designed to target neural pathways involved in symptom perception and autonomic regulation, providing an additional layer of support beyond pharmacological interventions.
These structured, clinically validated programs empower members to take an active role in their health while potentially reducing reliance on costly, often ineffective treatments.
A new era of insurance-supported digital healthcare
The integration of digital therapeutics into health insurance models marks an important milestone in scalable care. As healthcare shifts toward more accessible, multidisciplinary approaches, partnerships like this set the stage for broader adoption of digital health solutions.
Mindset Health’s co-founder and co-CEO, Alex Naoumidis, emphasizes the significance of this shift.
“Conditions like IBS and chronic pain are deeply connected to the relationship between our brain and body, yet access to psychological therapy that leverages this – like hypnotherapy – is out of reach for most. Partnering with HIF is a major step toward changing that.”
By expanding insurance coverage for digital therapeutics, this initiative lays the groundwork for further adoption in Australia and internationally, including the US. As more insurers recognize the value of research-backed mind-body interventions, digital therapeutics are becoming an increasingly viable solution for chronic condition management.
Alex adds, “By making Mindset Health's evidence-based digital health programs more accessible, we’re not only improving the lives of HIF members but also reducing the long-term burden on the healthcare system. This partnership signals a future where digital health programs are widely covered, ensuring more people get the care they need, when they need it.”
For more information, visit HIF.
*To be eligible, members must hold an active domestic Hospital or Extras cover excluding Basic Plus, be aged 18+, and have served their 2-month waiting period.
