Sally Simpson

Are you charged 1% of your salary? Just trying to be sure that I understand it all correctly, sorry

ABCDiamond

Yes. The surcharge is 1%.

Wol

Look ahead a little, both at your likely increase/decrease in total earnings and also government legislation (not that you can predict the latter to any extent!).

Bear in mind that if you are over 30, if you join a private health scheme you will pay a surcharge of 2% on the premium (each year) for every year you are over. As an exception, if you start within a year of arriving in Oz you are treated as if you are 30 and pay no surcharge for life.

If you think you will be over the earnings limit soon and if eligible and over 30 it might be worthwhile, overall, to start now.

Sally Simpson

Definite food for thought there, thanks Wol!

dpande

Any recommendations for the cheapest possible cover to avoid the surcharge if you have no intention -ever- of using it?
Have done the sums and unfortunately looks like I will be just over the threshold this tax year. We are 2 adults and 1 child so do we have to have family cover, or as the sole income earner can I just buy singles cover for me to avoid the extra tax?
Am still within 12 months of PR so able to avoid the age-related premium loading. Perfect eyes and teeth so don't need extras but would quite like the ambulance cover for WA to be included.

TIA

sun burnt in aus

The welcome sign at the airport should read: Welcome to Australia Conditions Apply

That pretty much sums up corporate australia. Buying the cheapest health insurance is asking for trouble in this country. You need to think much more about reputation for service cause you'll only save a couple bucks anyways.

dpande

Using cheap health insurance for your health is asking for trouble, yes.

However you still have the right to be treated as a public patient regardless of whether you hold private health insurance.

A single person who can get a policy for < $700 or a family <$1400 is financially better off having insurance if they earn more than the threshold for the MLS, hence my question. I have absolutely no intention of ever using private hospitals, for various reasons.

cookiestar

This was going to be my next question! If I take out private health insurance, do I still have the right to public health services through Medicare?

The only reason I will take out insurance is to avoid the levy. I don't really intend on having to use it.

comet555

We did it once. I actually told them we did have private health and that we were opting NOT to use it. They made me fill in a special form or something just so that it was all clear. Everything was totally free for my daughters one day stay.

The easiest option though is just to NOT say anything. Say no to the private health care question since you are not using it anyway they do not need to know. That way things won't get complicated. Much easier that way, I wish I had done it myself.

ABCDiamond

That should apply at all countries Airports. Most countries have policies that new arrivals will not know about.