What Aussie parents are spending on their kids’ health

When you picture the cost of raising kids, you probably think of school fees, sports gear, or saving for their first car. But what many families underestimate is the health expenses. From dental braces to unexpected trips to the emergency room, these costs aren’t just occasional — they’re regular, and they can add up fast.

We spoke to Austin Rulfs, Director of Zanda Wealth and licensed property and finance specialist, who has worked with countless families struggling to juggle these expenses. His advice?

“Dental, optometry, physio, mental health, and specialist appointments are usually in the ‘we will do it when it crops up’ category. The issue is that they constantly pop up, and most of the time, when it is least convenient.”

So, what are the biggest hidden costs Aussie parents face, and how can you prepare? Let’s break it down.

1. Dental care

Dental costs are one of the most consistent — and expensive — health outgoings for families. While Medicare’s Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) provides some support for kids up to the age 17 years old, it’s capped and doesn’t always cover the most common needs.

Here are some of the common healthcare costs parents often face:

• Routine check-ups and cleaning: Even with Medicare support, parents often face gap fees. Regular dental check-ups are recommended every six months, and those costs stack up over time.
• Fillings and extractions: Common in school-aged kids, especially if oral hygiene slips. These can cost hundreds per appointment.
• Braces and orthodontics: As one of the biggest expenses, orthodontic treatment can run anywhere from $6,000 to $10,000 or more, spread over several years.
• Dental emergencies: Sports injuries or accidents often mean costly emergency dental visits.

Austin sees this often with families he works with:

“This broken wrist and that dental work, and before you know it, you are looking at an unanticipated $2,000 bill. This financial burden can quickly mount up, especially when it forces parents to take out a credit card or sacrifice other activities.”

The takeaway? Treat dental as a regular budget line item, not just a ‘one-off’ when something goes wrong.

2. Optometry

Eye health tends to fly under the radar until your child suddenly struggles to see the whiteboard at school or needs stronger glasses. But once it crops up, it’s an ongoing expense.

Typical optometry costs for kids can include:

• Eye tests: Often free under Medicare, but some providers charge fees that aren’t always fully covered.
• Glasses: Prescription glasses can range from $100 to $500, depending on the brand and lens type. Children may need new glasses every year as their eyes develop.
• Special coatings: Add-ons like scratch resistance, UV filters, or blue-light lenses can increase the cost.
• Contacts: For older kids and teens, monthly contact lenses can cost several hundred dollars a year.
• Breakage and loss: Kids being kids, glasses are frequently lost, scratched, or broken — so having a second pair often becomes a must.

As Austin notes, many parents don’t think to budget for optometry until it’s staring them in the face (literally):

“Parents expect school fees and housing, but they’re not ready to budget the health costs that come in slowly and have a huge impact when unexpected.”

3. Allied health (speech therapy, physio, OT)

Allied health services are a quiet but major cost for many families. Unlike GP visits, these often require multiple ongoing sessions, and rebates rarely cover the full cost.

• Speech therapy: Often needed for children with speech delays, lisps, or developmental challenges. A single session can roughly cost $100 - $200, and many kids require weekly or fortnightly appointments for months or years.
• Physiotherapy: From sports injuries to post-fracture rehab, physio can be essential for recovery. A few sessions quickly add up, and serious injuries might need months of treatment.
• Occupational therapy (OT): Helps kids with motor skills, learning challenges, or behavioural regulation. Like speech therapy, it often requires regular, long-term appointments.

For many families, these costs can feel overwhelming, especially if more than one child needs support. Austin’s advice is to plan ahead:

“Find a way to save a kid’s health fund in your monthly budget. At just $80 a month, a child will total $960 a year, which will cushion the blow of an appointment or a new pair of glasses.”

This way, families have a buffer when allied health needs arise, rather than scrambling to cover the expense.

4. Sick days and time off work

One of the most overlooked costs of kids’ health is the time parents lose from work. Every parent knows the drill: the 7 a.m. fever, the school phone call, or the daycare bug that spreads like wildfire.

The costs aren’t just medical, they’re financial:

• Lost wages: For casual workers, every sick day is a day without pay.
• Unpaid leave: Even salaried parents can run out of personal leave and have to take unpaid days.
• Productivity dips: For the self-employed, a sick child can mean missed deadlines, lost clients, or stalled projects.

Austin highlights this hidden burden:

“Being sick usually translates to a loss of income, particularly when one is self-employed or a casual worker. Add one to two buffer days on your calendar each quarter with nothing on it. It provides you with flexibility when your child wakes up sick and also lowers stress levels.”

5. Emergency visits or ongoing conditions

Few things throw a family into financial stress faster than an emergency trip to the hospital. While Medicare covers a lot, there are often additional costs:

• Ambulance cover: In many states, ambulance services aren’t free unless you have insurance.
• Specialist consults: Kids with asthma, allergies, diabetes, or ADHD often need regular appointments with paediatric specialists, which can involve significant gap fees.
• Medications: Even with PBS subsidies, ongoing prescriptions add up over the years.
• Follow-up care: After an emergency, families often face weeks of follow-up GP or specialist appointments, plus time off school and work.

As Austin points out, these emergencies almost always happen at the worst possible time, both emotionally and financially. Without a buffer, families can be left relying on credit cards or sacrificing other priorities just to get through.

Tips to plan ahead and manage costs

The key takeaway is simple: expect these costs, don’t be blindsided by them. Austin recommends a few practical strategies every family can use.

Tip 1. Create a kids’ health fund

“To prevent stress, I always advise taking such costs as fixed, and not variable. Find a way to save a kids’ health fund in your monthly budget.”

Even saving a few dollars a month can build a yearly cushion for those dental visits, new glasses, or emergency appointments.

Tip 2. Get smart about private health insurance

“It’s not all extras — it’s knowing what is actually covered and how best to leverage your rebates.”

Check if your current policy covers the services your family actually uses (like orthodontics, speech therapy, or optometry). If not, it might be worth switching. Don’t pay for extras you’ll never claim.

Tip 3. Plan for sick days

Build in “buffer days” each quarter, especially if you’re casual, contract, or self-employed. Knowing you have time set aside can reduce stress when illness strikes.

Tip 4. Review and adjust regularly

Kids grow quickly, and their health needs change just as fast. Review your budget, savings, and insurance cover at least once a year to make sure you’re still on track.

Planning ahead for kids’ health costs with Choosi

Health costs are one of those things every Aussie parent knows are coming, but few plan for them properly. Whether it’s braces, broken glasses, or a last-minute physio appointment, the expenses rarely arrive at a “convenient” time.

The good news? With the right planning and the right insurance, you don’t have to let these surprise costs throw your family budget off course. By budgeting for regular health needs, building a small buffer, and making sure you’re covered for the extras your kids are most likely to need, you can take a lot of the stress out of managing the cost of your family’s health.

That’s where Choosi can help. We make it simple to compare health insurance policies side by side from our Approved Product List, so you can find cover that fits your family’s needs and budget. Because when you know your kids’ health is taken care of, you can focus on the fun parts of raising them — without the financial stress. Compare health insurance with Choosi today.