moneypenny20

No because hubby is just under the salary cut off - unfortunately. Same money as in the UK though so it's all good.

Swerv-o

I bought the bare minimum cover that I could find, to avoid the extra levy. I don't think it actually covers me for anything except bare essentials hospital and ambulance. It works out $200 cheaper than the extra levy, and allows me to spread the cost across the year, instead of all in one go. I think that is all it is useful for.

I have been into hospital 4 times this year, had numerous investigations and examinations, most of which Medicare have paid for. I've been more than happy with the service I received from Medicare, so will stick with that. I don't even know where my health fund card is.

And while we're at it, you can get much better cover from an international policy like Bupa or Amex offer, but guess what? Because that's not a registered health fund, it doesn't count towards absolving you from the extra levy...

<sigh>

S

moneypenny20

I guess in the next year he'll go over the cut off but I was kinda hoping they would up the levy level by then. I say that, but I actually have no idea of what the cut off is. Is it $50G or $100G?

bcworld

50k for a single, 100k for a couple.

moneypenny20

No danger of going over $100k for us then

Wol

I was with BUPA in the UK and, when applying for a retirement visa (for which you *have* to have private insurance) I got a quote from them - it was around £8500 pa. And that was some seven years ago....

jad n rich

Use your private insurance when the waiting list on medicare is going to be years. Ie, eye surgery, several year wait, doc bluntly tells patients to go private or go blind waiting for medicare. Cancer treatments where the hospital is coping with more patients than machines and a several weeks waiting can mean life and death. Use it when you've need heart surgery and the only thing medicare can cover you for immediately is the emergency department treatment but not the surgery you need afterwards. Use it when a wait for a gyno is several months and you need to know what that funny lump/bleeding is NOW etc etc etc

If your just rocking up to emergency with a heart attack/burn/sick child of course use medicare.

Also private for your dental, optical etc. Get list of their dentists etc who charge slightly less if your in a particular fund.

If you are using your private insurance for surgery, seek out your funds rules on GAP cover and arrangements with surgeons/specialists who may charge an agreed fee or what the fund covers.

mum01753

So can someone put me straight please ?

If you have a 136 PR and as a family you do not earn more than $100,000. per year, you do not need to have private medical insurance and you will not be charged the levy either as everthing is thro medicare except eyes teeth and ambulances ?

Have i got it right?

comet555

Pretty much I think. Although there are also other perks that private health might cover like physiotherapy, massage, etc.

mum01753

R Thank you

Wol

Catch 22 - if at some future date you DO get above the limit and decide to go private to avoid the surcharge, you will be charged the 2% extra premium per year of age over 30.

MartinLuther

Capped at 70% (i.e. starting when you're 65). Also you can miss 2 years and after 10 years you no longer pay the premium.

Aussies love a gamble

I thought that UK policies got more expensive the later you started them?

Jimclevs

Hi

How true.

We missed a trick there. We decided to look at the PHI situation 2 years into being out here but, as we hadn't taken it up within our first year here we would be hit with a 64% loading for the first 10 years

We were unaware of this ruling - we had no written information on this - either before visa grant, at visa grant or subsequently at the Medicare office.

A letter via my local MP to the Health Minister was replied by his junior Minister with the usual "this was unfortunate" but "our hands are tied" and politely informing us that there is no discretionary element in the legislation to grant any waiver for whatever reason.

How's that for compassionate and caring ?

Jim

Wol

Yes, we were fortunate in that I found out about the alleviation through a thread on this forum, purely by accident. So I mention it every so often so as to "repay" my debt, albeit to other new entrants!

worzel

Another point is that if you have large bills not covered then you can claim the taxable equivalent back, which at least reduces it.