Teachers Health Group (THG) has appointed senior executive Simone Tregeagle (pictured left) as its next chief executive officer, effective July 1, following the planned retirement of long-serving CEO Brad Joyce (pictured right) after 20 years in the role.
Tregeagle, currently chief customer officer, will take over leadership of THG, which includes the Teachers Health, Nurses & Midwives Health, UniHealth, and Teachers Union Health (TUH) brands. She has close to three decades of experience in Australia’s private health insurance sector, including prior CEO roles at RT Health and Transport Health and senior positions across mutual and not-for-profit funds. THG board chair Maree O’Halloran said the board’s decision to promote from within was intended to ensure continuity through the transition. “Simone’s appointment reflects the board’s commitment to continuity, stability, and member-focused leadership,” O’Halloran said.
O’Halloran added: “To date, Simone has been instrumental in shaping our strategy, strengthening our operations, and ensuring we continue delivering value for our members. Her extensive knowledge of the organisation, strong commitment to our members, and proven leadership across key strategic initiatives make her the right person to guide us into our next chapter.” O’Halloran also noted Joyce’s contribution over two decades. She said the outgoing CEO had led the organisation “through a period of remarkable growth and operational transformation – positioning THG as a trusted and leading private health insurer,” and thanked him for “two decades of outstanding leadership.”
Joyce said the board’s decision places an executive with existing knowledge of the organisation and its membership base into the top role. “Throughout her time at Teachers Health Group, Simone has displayed her passion for innovation, whilst at the same time unwavering dedication and commitment to the stakeholder communities Teachers Health Group serves. Simone’s impact has seen the delivery of a high-quality experience for Teachers Health Group members across the customer journey, a significant uplift in customer satisfaction, operational, and financial performance and creation of strategic value for the organisation. I have every confidence Simone will continue to respect Teachers Health’s important foundations, enduring principles and legacy but at the same time propel the organisation forward into the future,” Joyce said.
Tregeagle linked her new role to THG’s mutual and not-for-profit structure and its long history of serving education and health professionals. “It is an honour to be appointed CEO of Teachers Health Group. For more than 70 years, this organisation has existed to serve its members, grounded in a strong mutual, union, and not-for-profit ethos and a commitment to fairness, integrity, and member value. That purpose has never felt more relevant. I have a deep affinity with the brand and its heritage and great respect for everything that has been achieved over decades. I would like to acknowledge and thank Brad Joyce for his leadership which has strengthened the organisation, built capability and trust, and positioned it well for the future,” Tregeagle said.
Commenting on the group’s plans, Tregeagle said: “Looking ahead, I am excited by the organisation's trajectory and the opportunities in front of us. My focus is on building thoughtfully on a strong foundation while ensuring the organisation remains resilient, relevant, and values led as it continues to delivery long-term value for the members and communities it serves.” THG’s membership is drawn from teachers, the broader education workforce, and the nursing and midwifery communities and their families, reflecting its origins in union-based health cover.
The CEO transition follows a period of structural change, including the merger of Teachers Health with Queensland-based TUH, effective July 1, 2025. The transaction brought the two union-aligned, not-for-profit funds together under the Teachers Health Group banner. Following the merger, THG now incorporates Teachers Health, Nurses & Midwives Health, UniHealth, TUH, and Union Health. The group positions itself as Australia’s largest industry health fund and the country’s sixth-largest private health insurer, with membership approaching 500,000 and more than 120 years of combined experience serving the education community and their dependants.
At the time the merger took effect, Joyce said the integration had been structured with member impacts in mind. “Importantly, there will be no detrimental changes to products or pricing as a result of the merger. The merger has been well planned to ensure a seamless member experience and minimal impact to members day-to-day. This strategic move not only strengthens our position as Australia’s sixth-largest health fund but reinforces our commitment to deliver exceptional care for teachers, nurses, midwives, carers, and their families and positions us to effectively navigate future challenges in a competitive market,” Joyce said.
The leadership change comes as the wider Australian private health insurance market prepares for higher premium increases in 2026. Comparison service Compare the Market has indicated, based on policies sold through its platform between January and November 2025, that an average premium rise in the range of 4% to 5% would be the largest in close to a decade. On an average hospital-only policy with an annual premium of $2,641, a 4% to 5% increase would add about $105.60 to $132 a year. For combined hospital and extras cover with an average premium of $3,560, the same increase would amount to an additional $142 to $178 annually.
An extras-only policy with an average premium of $830 would rise by roughly $33.20 to $41.50. These estimates take account of government rebates, age-based discounts, and lifetime health cover loadings. Such an adjustment would be the first time since 2017 that the industry’s average annual premium increase exceeds 4%, against a backdrop of rising hospital and medical costs. For insurance professionals, Tregeagle’s appointment places an experienced internal executive at the head of a large not-for-profit, industry-based fund at a time when scale, merger integration, pricing decisions, and benefit design are key considerations across the sector.
