NSW has canned the dental voucher system (or is it a Federal voucher - regardless it no longer exists in NSW). Regarding MRIs when my husband had one we discovered that because the GP ordered the MRI,m medicare would not give us a rebate. They will onlt give us a rebate on a specialist ordering the MRI. So therein is a conundrum. Do you go to the GP and have the MRI before you see the specialist to fast track the procedure (helpful when you are in a lot of pain) or go to the GP, then get referred to the specialist who then orders an MRI and wants you to come back for results and so the while procedure gets stretched out?????
-- Edited by neilnruth on Thursday 23rd of May 2013 04:43:37 PM
Medical is going the way of dental, soon there will be no public hospitals and the docs will charge you up to the max.
My own gripe is that private docs use public hospitals and the facilities for their private patients as well (Excuse is, it cuts waiting times)
I am in no way a communist but if there was no private system I am sure the amount of money available would enhance what we have and expand the number of hospitals. Cut waiting lists and make the system available to all.
They are building a private hospital in Hervey Bay Qld, the other side of the road from the public hospital.
The $60 million (Thereabouts) was given to the private hospital based in Maryborough, about twenty-five K's away.
This was to enhance the hospital services in the Wide Bay area.
Funny the first thing that happened the private hospital decided to shut the Maryborough facility and transfer to the new hospital in Hervey bay.
Oh! and that money was provided by the Govt.
For a private hospital when that money could have expanded the public hospital for ALL.
This is not a political angle just a query why public taxpayers money has been used to fund totally a private hospital.
I agree - we've been in full hospital, medical and extras since 1966 and never once have we had medical expences (before refunds) that exceeded the yearly cost of the insurance, but I'm sure that will not last the way costs are going. Friends of ours with identical cover complain they are still slugged with hefty bills following medical procedures but what can you do? If you opt out Murphy is sure to visit. We are going the way of the Yanks with more user pays and all political parties encourage it purely for political short term gain.
I agree - we've been in full hospital, medical and extras since 1966 and never once have we had medical expences (before refunds) that exceeded the yearly cost of the insurance, but I'm sure that will not last the way costs are going. Denis
You are lucky hako, we have several times exceeded the insurance cost, twice for around $20 000, and were so very grateful for it at the time. Like you, I thought it a rort when we were in good health but as we get older it is proving very useful.
We don't have private health cover, we could never afford it. Les had to have an MRI and it cost us nothing, they just bulk billed it.
With dental we only pay $47 for the first visit, and even if you have to go back for the same problem it's free. You only pay for each individual problem. I mostly go through a private dentist I just take a government form with me.
Not sure about other states, but here in SA we go to a dental clinic at our local hospital, if they are booked up and you either need urgent care or just want to go to a private dentist, they will give you a letter, that is like a voucher, which you take to the detist of your choice, you pay a small fee and the government pays the rest.
I have had Private Health cover for a lot of years. Yes it is expensive but When my wife got ill it made it sooo easy to get treatment quickly and from the best at no cost. I have also had bypass operation and recently problem with my shoulder and NO waiting on public list. I have tossed up weather I can afford to keep it up or not, but the thought of joining the long waiting lists for public non urgent stuff I think I will keep finding the money to pay for it. The older I get the more likely I am to need it. Would hate to total up what they have already payed out on my cover.
Peter, the most I have ever had to wait for anything medical is to see my GP, and that's 2-3 weeks. I have a lot of health problems, including a bad heart, but I've never had to wait long.
Would not be without private cover if I hadn't had private cover I would probably not be here now, I went to the a neck surgeon because of a lump on the side of my face, think it is benign says he, but can fit you in tomorrow at the local private hospital and remove same, at the follow up visit found out it was a secondary Melanoma and need to go back in for further surgery, to remove all the glands in one side of my neck so in short space of time back in hospital and after this op the results came back the cancer had not progressed past the initial site, if I had been in the Public system the delay might have allowed the cancer to progress much further and been a death sentence, so 7 years later still alive and well.
My wife has just had major back surgery with a top Neurosurgeon in a private hospital and the the cost to the Health fund was at least $100,000
While I was staying at a Motel while my wife was in hospital I met other guests whose partners were in the Public hospital and their surgery kept getting put off day after day.
THere is no way that I would be without Private Hospital cover.
Given that a hip replacement costs over $20,000, you only need to have something like that done to recoup a awful lot of years of health insurance payments.
In recent times, The Driver has had two hip replacements, a shoulder reconstruction, a triple bypass, and accumulated about 6 weeks in hospital with blood clot problems. Don't think Medibank Private is making a profit from him! He has friends who have had to wait horribly long times for hip replacements, and then battled hospital acquired infections. Being privately insured meant he could have the replacements done at a specialist orthopedic, which does lessen the infection risk.
I'm a long time advocate for private health insurance.
Whilst we haven't yet had the terribly expensive episodes that some earlier posts detailed, we are starting to experience a steady procession of reasonably expensive procedures. For example, today we are off for a series of heart related tests at $200 each. We get back 90% from the Commonwealth Bank Health Society for preventative procedures.
Our family Doctors bulk bill us.
Bill Hayden's Medicare picks up the rest. Like last week's Colonoscopy, my fortnightly Venesections and the upcoming series of Dietician's visit .. etc etc.
You've just got to love Australia's health care system. Sure it's not perfect but we aught to be proud of it.
Oops. Forgot to mention the great Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
We certainly live in the right (dare I say Lucky) Country ... & perhaps in the right era.
-- Edited by Cupie on Friday 24th of May 2013 11:44:26 AM
Have always had full private cover, would not be without it. When hubby was so ill, we never had to wait for treatment, or worry about what was next. When he passed way I have kept full cover, have not had to use it but I know I would prefer to go without something else rather than let that insurance lapse. For me it is peace of mind, if ever, god forbid that I do need medical treatment.
One of the many things I am grateful for, that I am able to afford it.
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I am fun and adventure. So much to see, so much to do, so many people to meet. Will see, do, and meet all that I can.
Simple pay up and get served otherwise take a ticket and take a seat, During my 32Years in the ADF I paid the family health insurance let alone I was covered by the services no discounts given . I am still covered by the ADF and have the highest single cover for the wife. Wife has never waited more than a couple of week for any procedure. As said earlier by others to get the MIR cover the referral has to be by a specialist not your local GP. As we all get older the health needs becomes greater and our risk factors for needing the health service increase
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Pets are welcome but children must be leashed at all times
I've always been a believer in private health insurance - I've seen what my Mum & Dad went through after they dropped theirs when they retired. Gotta check out the coverage for when we hit the road - may need to be medivaced out of some of the developing countries we'll be visiting :)
I think D and D were 'tongue in cheek' relating to some of the Australian country areas they were travelling to Roving-Dutchy.
As chaslib said ' I would prefer to continue to pay the $175 per fortnight ....' it may seem a lot but the $3000 -$4000 a year we pay in private health insurance is soon refunded when you have surgery that costs $20000. My hubby got many years of our payments back when he had two surgeries within a few weeks. While we were still out of pocket quite a lot, we would have been broke if we'd had to pay what the fund paid for us. PLUS he had the surgery quickly and the second one was the day after seeing the specialist.
The other point I have found is that often the public hospitals will pay any excess you have on your private insurance so that you will use private instead of going public. It helps them out and you get your own choice of doctor. Our son recently had to have surgery after an accident. If he hadn't been private he could have gone on the public elective list for the day but could have been 'bumped off' if a more urgent case came in. How an accident can be called 'elective' though is beyond me. The alternative to surgery was to stay in a sling for 6-8 weeks in the hope it healed itself (20% chance of that happening).
Yes, while ever we can, we will keep our private insurance going.
-- Edited by neilnruth on Sunday 26th of May 2013 05:13:30 PM
We have a very expensive and extensive private cover under a Corporate scheme underwritten by BUPA - one of the benefits from my last employer that we still have access to even through retired. I have often thought to down scale as both of us are reasonably healthy and only in our early 60's. HOWEVER, with impending travel on the near horizon, you just never know what is just around the corner - could be just about anything and when that "anything hits", I need to know any costs and needs will be met so we are not disadvantaged financially. At our stage in life, I would prefer to continue to pay the $175 per fortnight (and cringe as it increases each year) and have the security of knowing we will be taken care of should anything happen rather than be a burden on our children or each other. I have never regretted private health cover - kids dental work alone would have put us in the poor house! I agree, compared to other countries, our health system may have some problems, but we are lucky to have it. If we change anything on our cover we loose the benefits we currently have under the scheme as it is now closed - so, at our age - and I know many of you will be in the same boat - we pay for services we neither need or want but at the same time we are in an age bracket where future health issues can cost a lot if treatment is needed. Don't believe at our age we will be having kids - but, we may need things like joint replacements etc. so the scale does balance!
Just my 2 cents worth ......
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The Maccas ....
2013 Avida Esperance Motorhome - based in northern NSW.
I have paid top family hospital and extras cover for years. We have been fortunate in health. I continue membership through concern about delays in elective surgery. Just a couple of comments:
It is noticeable that service providers like radiologists appear to charge more if you have private cover. That affects the residual cost to you.
Any advantage of private cover is lost outside of elective surgery. For example, a woman relative without private cover who broke her leg last year and suffered the usual complications of age received the very best treatment possible from Qld Health. Mater public womens which is an excellent hospital and into other residential care for rehabilitation, with ambulance (paid for out of Council rates in Qld), physiotherapy services and so on.
You couldn't fault her care and all free. What worth is private fund membership in similar circumstances?
You couldn't fault her care and all free. What worth is private fund membership in similar circumstances?
It may not have cost her anything John, the bill was paid by you and I as well as every other tax payer in Australia,
That is true and she is very thankful. She was independent up to age 70 (husband 74), when the health cover of a lifetime was dropped as assets ran out. Husband was admitted into care (severe Alzheimer's), not so long after her accident. She did the hard yards up to then.
That seems to be the problem for many, that one day the health cover is too much.
There are presently plenty of reports of older people dropping their home insurance too.
She was independent up to age 70 (husband 74), when the health cover of a lifetime was dropped as assets ran out. Husband was admitted into care (severe Alzheimer's), not so long after her accident. She did the hard yards up to then.
That seems to be the problem for many, that one day the health cover is too much.
There are presently plenty of reports of older people dropping their home insurance too.
It's a sad and unfortunate situation, my inlaws dropped private health cover in their latter years, as their health declined they had to resort to the public system, in SA it leaves a lot to be desired.
I could be wrong, but in nSW i believe the public system responds quickly to accident and life threatening events, but things like ear, nose throat, dental, hip and knee and similar type conditions are placed on the hospital waiting lists as elective and the wait is very long. Surely someone needing surgery to correct or improve conditions revolving around mobility, sight and similar problems, should be classified as urgent as the inability to avoid or see emergencies due to poor mobility, eye sight etc could be life threatening
It scares me thinking of a time when we will also have to consider reducing or canceling health insurance, I know that time will come, i just hope it is a long way in the future.
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The Maccas ....
2013 Avida Esperance Motorhome - based in northern NSW.
I've always been a believer in private health insurance - I've seen what my Mum & Dad went through after they dropped theirs when they retired. Gotta check out the coverage for when we hit the road - may need to be medivaced out of some of the developing countries we'll be visiting :)
Mr D
Your Private Health insurance doesn't cover you when you are overseas for that you need travel insurance and unless you are very rich it is essential especially visiting America, my wife got acute sciatica on a trip to the US 2 years back and 2 trips for treatment in emergency totalling about 5 hours all up cost almost $10,000, luckily we were insured and we got a refund from our travel insurer, we use the travel insurance that is included with some credit cards and even though the travel agent reckons you can't depend on it, when I read the policy details it seems to be as good as or even better than insurance you buy from a Travel agent.
You couldn't fault her care and all free. What worth is private fund membership in similar circumstances?
It may not have cost her anything John, the bill was paid by you and I as well as every other tax payer in Australia,
True Santa, but through the various taxes paid by her household over the years, she would have participated in paying the health bills of others. Of course she would still be paying a whole range of taxes even if not income tax, so even now at least in part she would be contributing to the funding of health costs.
Perhaps we could run a similar argument with respect to Govt. funding for other services that any individual doesn't use.
eg. I don't use passenger rail & rarely public buses. Why should my taxes go to subsidizing public transport? Nor do I use child care or the education system etc. etc.
-- Edited by Cupie on Monday 27th of May 2013 10:23:01 AM
