jensteve

My Aussie neighbours are in their 50's said to me the other day that they would not have bothered going with private cover but their income exceeded the threshold. However they are terrified about gap fees and say they could not afford this on top of the premiums. They say as soon as they retire they will stop paying for their insurance.
I have not taken out any cover here, I just cannot figure out why anybody would. Yes you get taxed more but if your like the average Aussie at tax time you try for a refund no matter how does that really matter?

I dunno I don't think we will not bother, the inlaws have been here under 3 years and she has had both knees replaced on the public system. There was no waiting list and the surgeon said she would be put above the private patients as he had to get his public list down, she was in within a week!

Its a bit like telling everyone in the UK to pay for BUPA how many would? I certainly never would have bothered and would have been happy to wait instead.
Jenny

comet555

We bother with it only because we would pay more tax by not having that than if we did. It's cheaper to take out the private health care (minimum hospital cover) in our case.

The thing is even with private health care you can still opt to be treated through the regular public system like everyone else. Therefore you avoid all the gap fees you would have gotten if you went private. It's your choice, you don't even have to tell them you have private care (in fact it's easier if you don't mention it).

Wol

Mrs Wol had to have an ambulance to Manly hospital recently after she fell: she was told there wouldn't be any charges.

So far she's been billed for about seven.

The Medicare system is a complete mess: charges are haphazardly applied and no-one seems to have any idea how it's done. I make no apology for repeating that we have had to spend around $50k in our five years on medical and dental fees on top of our insurance premiums. Just our experience.

Don't be fooled into thinking that health insurance here is the same as in the UK - it is not. The only reason for being in it is to save the extra tax and to keep out of the squalid public hospitals, which in this state make the NHS ones look pretty inviting!

comet555

This is the exact reason that I wouldn't even mention the fact that you have private health care, it just complicates things and confuses people. The first time we needed to use the hospital we actually did mention it and had to sign a waiver saying we would only be treated in the public system and that we couldn't switch later on. They were kind of annoying about so now I would just check no under the private health box. It's easier that way and that way no one should hunt you down.

We only have private health for tax reasons, and I refuse to use it in the hospitals because of the gap fees. I think it's incredibly stupid that you have to pay for private health and then have gap fees on top of it. It's not a very effective way of keeping people out of the public system, in my opinion anyway. It does the opposite for us, and if private did cover everything then we'd be happy to use it.

manzipoo

We are hoping to come to Oz this year. My hubby was quoted £54 with BUPA for basic cover for OZ.?! Think that is Ok.?

Wol

Sounds OK to me - we were quoted something over £5000 pa by BUPA five years ago - and we were BUPA members in the UK!

(Yes, I do mean ££, and I do mean five thousand.)

jad n rich

As much as I agree about the mess of the health system in OZ, I think there is another reason to have it apart from tax. In many states the wait lists for some things are very long. My partners sun damages eyes ( aussie childhood no sunnies, working outside ) - was told a wait of several years on medicare, our docs actual words were ' you would go blind waiting ' . Anyway he got it done in weeks private.

I had minor gyno problem ( sorry ) anyway they quoted up to 2 years to see a specialist on medicare, and I know this is true friend is still waiting, she really cant afford private insurance, this is stuff that not sorted while minor can kill you!!!! Anyway I had mine done in SC hospital, day proceedure and out of pocket costs were $200, which I was amazed about, however we did all the gap quotes and gap participating specialist.

My sons got a sporting injury being fixed overnight proceedure, allegedly he will get no excess from medibank private as he is still a child, private ensuite room is covered, the surgeon so far has quoted $680 but gap will be $289. Think there will be 2 other bills So I am allowing $1000 will have to post what it actually costs, being done on april 1 .

We have it for tax reasons however its come in useful so far. However I might retract this post next week if they send me bills for thousands!!!

Mamoo

fish.01

Over 50% do not have private health insurance. Mid range family policy around $235/mth.

Vash the Stampede

We're a family of three. We don't have private health insurance. I suffer from two chronic conditions for which I require regular medication: ankylosing spondylitis (a form of arthritis) and ulcerative colitis (inflammatory bowel disease).

I bought my medication yesterday. Two prescriptions; one for each condition. Each prescription provides me with 3 months of medication. The first was Pentasa, for my colitis. Full retail price: $306. I paid $5.40. The second was Athrotec-50, for my arthritis. Full retail price: $65. I paid $5.40.

No complaints here.

jad n rich

For people to get prescriptions at $5.40 you would need some type of centerlink card, pension, low income etc. Or have needed so many prescriptions they are now subsidised. $5.40 is not the rate for the avg person.

Cheetah7

I pay $33.60 for my seretide inhaler, $33.60 for my Alvesco inhaler and Im not sure what I pay for my Intal inhaler.

I long for the day it gets to $5.40

Vash the Stampede

Yep, that's my good old healthcare card helping me out.

But even when I was paying the full whack of $33.60 per prescription it was no big deal. $66 for three months' supply of two separate medications is an absolute steal!

Cheetah7

Each inhaler lasts me a month, thats 3 inhallers at $33.60 - alot of money really. I wish they did season tickets like I used to have for my medicine.

bonka

Dump the inhalers & take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar / day, I was on steroids & inhaler, now nada ;o)