Tyro Health Explained
Tyro Health is a payment and claiming solution used by healthcare providers in Australia. It enables instant Private Health Insurance claiming alongside EFTPOS payment processing, all through a single integrated terminal.
This guide explains how Tyro Health works, how it compares to HICAPS, and what patients can expect when using it at a healthcare practice.
What is Tyro Health?
Tyro Health is a product from Tyro Payments, an Australian fintech company. It provides healthcare practices with a terminal that handles both EFTPOS payments and Private Health Insurance claims in a single device.
Tyro entered the healthcare claiming market as an alternative to traditional HICAPS terminals, offering a more modern approach with cloud connectivity, integrated reporting, and a unified payment experience.
How it works
The Tyro Health claiming process is similar to HICAPS:
- The provider enters service details into their practice management system
- The claim is sent to the Tyro terminal
- You present your health fund card (swipe, tap, or insert)
- Tyro sends the claim to your health fund
- The rebate is confirmed and displayed on the terminal
- You pay the gap amount using the same terminal
The key difference is that Tyro combines the claiming and payment steps on one device, reducing hardware clutter for providers.
Tyro vs HICAPS
Both Tyro Health and HICAPS enable instant health fund claiming. Here's how they compare:
| Feature | HICAPS | Tyro Health |
|---|---|---|
| Instant claiming | Yes | Yes |
| Health fund coverage | Most major funds | Most major funds |
| EFTPOS integration | Separate terminal | Same terminal |
| Cloud features | Limited | Yes |
| Market share | Larger | Growing |
For patients, the experience is largely the same. The choice between HICAPS and Tyro is typically made by the healthcare provider based on their business needs.
Benefits for providers
Healthcare providers choose Tyro Health for several reasons:
- Single device: One terminal for payments and claims
- Cloud reporting: Access transaction data online
- Modern hardware: Sleek terminals with touchscreens
- Bundled pricing: May offer competitive rates for combined services
- Integration: Works with major practice management systems
Patient experience
As a patient, using Tyro Health is straightforward:
- Present your health fund card when prompted
- Review the claim details and rebate amount on the screen
- Pay the remaining gap amount using card (tap, insert, or swipe)
- Collect your receipt showing the claim and payment
The process takes only seconds and eliminates the need to submit manual claims afterwards.
Patient checklist
Follow this checklist when using Tyro Health: