Anybody here understand private medical insurance
#16
Re: Anybody here understand private medical insurance
Originally Posted by renth
Great post. We're not paying the over thirties loading because we took the policy out shortly after arriving. Maybe the idea is to try to get the least amount of hospital cover possible, to minimise premiums but so that when you will need it when you are older your'e not hit with the age loading.
If you leave your health fund now and try to rejoin it later when you're older (like most people did in the past) you'll get stung for the top premium - no more 30% government subsidies - plus you might have to pay an extra 1% Medicare levy, in the meantime, depending on your income.
Our premium is about $145 a month for the most basic hospital cover plus standard extras (for a family), but the hospital part costs less than the extra medicare levy we'd have to pay if we didn't have it.
#17
Australia's Doorman
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: The Shoalhaven, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 11,056
Re: Anybody here understand private medical insurance
Originally Posted by nickyc
Yep, your dead right. We're way over 30 too, but joined a fund within the allowable period to qualify for the reduction in premiums.
#18
Re: Anybody here understand private medical insurance
Originally Posted by Hutch
Do you know how long the allowable period is, and how you get them to account for it when you apply?
#19
Re: Anybody here understand private medical insurance
Originally Posted by Hutch
Do you know how long the allowable period is, and how you get them to account for it when you apply?
#20
Re: Anybody here understand private medical insurance
as i said earlier, we only have the extras cover, but every person i have spoken to on the suject has a differnet opinion, some say no to hospital cover others say yes.
my daughter needs her tonsils and adenoids out, if we go private it will cost us around $2k and we will get some (approx $400) back from medicare but do i go with the public hospital where it wont cost a cent or do i pay for the private for her to go somewhere that doesnt smell like a hospital and she can get done next week...
my daughter needs her tonsils and adenoids out, if we go private it will cost us around $2k and we will get some (approx $400) back from medicare but do i go with the public hospital where it wont cost a cent or do i pay for the private for her to go somewhere that doesnt smell like a hospital and she can get done next week...
#21
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,027
Re: Anybody here understand private medical insurance
I can't work it out either. We pay nearly $500 per month for a couple - Optimal Visitors Cover. Up until now pretty much been able to claim most things back. Husband had surgery etc etc. However he has just been to a sleep clinic for diagnostic testing at $600 per night and bill been sent back to us saying that we are not covered for Gap? WTF is Gap - going to try Medicare but if no joy then we are $1,200 lighter which was my air fare to Las Vegas!!
#22
Re: Anybody here understand private medical insurance
Originally Posted by renth
Thanks Mags, this is what I'm beginning to think too. It makes no sense to me whatsoever to have hospital cover.
#23
Re: Anybody here understand private medical insurance
A few things that may make private healthcare worthwhile:
If you earn over $50K as a single or $100K as a family then it is worth it just by avoiding the extra 1.5% medicare levy.
My employer pays about 1/3rd of my Medibank Private premiums and also provides “gap cover”. I think a lot of big employers do something similar.
If you have to pay any medical bills not covered by the policy you can claim some of it back via your tax return – your cover provider will give you a statement of how much to put in each box.
I hope that helps.
If you earn over $50K as a single or $100K as a family then it is worth it just by avoiding the extra 1.5% medicare levy.
My employer pays about 1/3rd of my Medibank Private premiums and also provides “gap cover”. I think a lot of big employers do something similar.
If you have to pay any medical bills not covered by the policy you can claim some of it back via your tax return – your cover provider will give you a statement of how much to put in each box.
I hope that helps.
#24
Re: Anybody here understand private medical insurance
Originally Posted by renth
OK, I've been here nearly 4 years have a superduper Medibank Private all the bells insurance policy. It costs me $200 a month for me, the Mrs and 3 kids.
The "Extras" element (dentist, spectacles etc...) makes sense but I'm not convinced about the hospital cover.
For example my daughter was admitted as an emergency patient and I ticked the "private" box on admission and I'm hundreds of dollars out of pocket in "gaps". I reckon if I'd gone in as a public patient I wouldn't have been as out of pocket.
I know this to be true for pregnancy/childbirth - go public every time. But what about needing to go to hospital?
Does anyone know if you are better off (ie less out of pocket) going private. Why would anyone have private hospital cover?
The "Extras" element (dentist, spectacles etc...) makes sense but I'm not convinced about the hospital cover.
For example my daughter was admitted as an emergency patient and I ticked the "private" box on admission and I'm hundreds of dollars out of pocket in "gaps". I reckon if I'd gone in as a public patient I wouldn't have been as out of pocket.
I know this to be true for pregnancy/childbirth - go public every time. But what about needing to go to hospital?
Does anyone know if you are better off (ie less out of pocket) going private. Why would anyone have private hospital cover?
#25
Re: Anybody here understand private medical insurance
Originally Posted by renth
Thanks for asking. She's got epilepsy. Just one of those things...
My father had epilepsy as a side-effect of his antidepressants. I still have vivid memories of his first grand mal seizure, which happened in public at a local church gathering. I was quite young at the time (around 12-13, I think) and the sheer violence of it took my breath away. It was one of the most horrifying experiences of my childhood.
He went on to have several more over the next few years. A change of medication brought some relief, but true peace only came when he finally died.
I sincerely hope that your poor child receives the very best possible treatment Down Under; it's an awful thing for a little lass to have.
#26
Re: Anybody here understand private medical insurance
Thanks Vash.
She's had 3 seizures now, 1 a month. The first was a mild absence seizure, we didn't even know it was a seizure at the time. The second a massive "status epilepticus" hence ambulance and hospital. The third was another mild one, probably mild because of the medication.
We're hoping she'll grow out of it but I'm getting nervous now as the previous 3 were on the 25th or 26th of the month and that date for July is approaching.
She's had 3 seizures now, 1 a month. The first was a mild absence seizure, we didn't even know it was a seizure at the time. The second a massive "status epilepticus" hence ambulance and hospital. The third was another mild one, probably mild because of the medication.
We're hoping she'll grow out of it but I'm getting nervous now as the previous 3 were on the 25th or 26th of the month and that date for July is approaching.
#27
Re: Anybody here understand private medical insurance
Originally Posted by renth
Thanks Vash.
She's had 3 seizures now, 1 a month. The first was a mild absence seizure, we didn't even know it was a seizure at the time. The second a massive "status epilepticus" hence ambulance and hospital. The third was another mild one, probably mild because of the medication.
We're hoping she'll grow out of it but I'm getting nervous now as the previous 3 were on the 25th or 26th of the month and that date for July is approaching.
She's had 3 seizures now, 1 a month. The first was a mild absence seizure, we didn't even know it was a seizure at the time. The second a massive "status epilepticus" hence ambulance and hospital. The third was another mild one, probably mild because of the medication.
We're hoping she'll grow out of it but I'm getting nervous now as the previous 3 were on the 25th or 26th of the month and that date for July is approaching.
#28
Australia's Doorman
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: The Shoalhaven, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 11,056
Re: Anybody here understand private medical insurance
Originally Posted by renth
Thanks Vash.
She's had 3 seizures now, 1 a month. The first was a mild absence seizure, we didn't even know it was a seizure at the time. The second a massive "status epilepticus" hence ambulance and hospital. The third was another mild one, probably mild because of the medication.
We're hoping she'll grow out of it but I'm getting nervous now as the previous 3 were on the 25th or 26th of the month and that date for July is approaching.
She's had 3 seizures now, 1 a month. The first was a mild absence seizure, we didn't even know it was a seizure at the time. The second a massive "status epilepticus" hence ambulance and hospital. The third was another mild one, probably mild because of the medication.
We're hoping she'll grow out of it but I'm getting nervous now as the previous 3 were on the 25th or 26th of the month and that date for July is approaching.
#29
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,375
Re: Anybody here understand private medical insurance
Sorry about your daughter.
Gaps are an arse even on medicare, kids specialist $300 (first visit $150 after that, medicare rebate about $67 )
Regarding gaps in the private system, you health fund should have a booklet on reducing the the gap, its usually by using recommended docs and hospitals who are in agreement with them for schedule fee, or close to it. Of course thats all very well if you know about the surgery in advance, not in the case with your daughter. If its an emergency like seizure/heart attack or something you will get seen in public hospital, however you can then switch onto your private cover if the waiting list for what you need done is long.
Unfortunately its all a bit catch 22, we cant give it up, would pay the fee in extra tax, (high income penalty over $100,000 joint, (hardly high with a family )
But dont regret keeping it now, recent eye operation, only left us out of pocket private (by studying the gap thing ) by a few hundred dollars, waiting list on medicare for an obviously essential operation to continue working/driving for a start was in the specialists words, you will go blind waiting, however we looked into that, several years certainly seemed the case.
Gaps are an arse even on medicare, kids specialist $300 (first visit $150 after that, medicare rebate about $67 )
Regarding gaps in the private system, you health fund should have a booklet on reducing the the gap, its usually by using recommended docs and hospitals who are in agreement with them for schedule fee, or close to it. Of course thats all very well if you know about the surgery in advance, not in the case with your daughter. If its an emergency like seizure/heart attack or something you will get seen in public hospital, however you can then switch onto your private cover if the waiting list for what you need done is long.
Unfortunately its all a bit catch 22, we cant give it up, would pay the fee in extra tax, (high income penalty over $100,000 joint, (hardly high with a family )
But dont regret keeping it now, recent eye operation, only left us out of pocket private (by studying the gap thing ) by a few hundred dollars, waiting list on medicare for an obviously essential operation to continue working/driving for a start was in the specialists words, you will go blind waiting, however we looked into that, several years certainly seemed the case.
Last edited by jad n rich; Jul 18th 2006 at 5:50 am.
#30
Re: Anybody here understand private medical insurance
Originally Posted by jad n rich
Unfortunately its all a bit catch 22, we cant give it up, would pay the fee in extra tax, (high income penalty over $100,000 joint, (hardly high with a family )
Jane