Petals

My oh worked it out for the glasses, dentist, physio etc a long time ago and he reckoned we were not winning. So we paid the extra medicare levy until we retired as we were on high income. We figure we would rather all Aussies have the benefit of our money than the private health fund just to avoid a bit of tax. You pay anyway so why not give to all.

We also have a special account where we put money away like paying the insurance but its ours and we use that for anything we want to pay for like glasses, dentist etc, we used to get good interest and that will come again some time and if we do not use the money its OURS.

My mum gave her insurance up when Dad died, they were in full private and Dad was very ill and we knew that if he had the op it would be touch and go and he was in top private hospital for the op, that night the surgeon came to us and said we cannot look after him here he will have to go into the public hospital, so he went into the public hospital, same treatment as public patients but he had to pay all the extras as he had health insurance, he died unfortunately and mum got bills for three months afterwards from doctors she did not know and for tests etc all carried out in the public hospital the lovely "GAP" and it comes to thousands when you are very ill.

I do not think I personally should have better care than anyone else health is one of those things I think is a right not what money can buy. Anyway when you look at it celebs with all their money still die from the same things the public patient down the road dies of.

As my oh says they do not let you die if they can help you.

I had an op I waited three weeks for mine. My mum had a heart attack last year she is 90 now and she had a room of her own and got the same specialist to look after her as my friend's mum who has private health insurance.

Of course we will wait for hips, knees, anything that will not kill us but is uncomfortable but then I can live with that as I do not intend to have any op I do not really need.

Twice I have had the experience seeing a specialist, one not so long ago actually and he said we will operate and etc and then I said oh I do not have health insurance but we can pay. He said oh no I will give you treatment now in the surgery, he did, I am fixed and I did not have an op and really did I need one I think not.

Cheetah7

My husband was discharged from hospital a short while ago and had a follow up MRI scan this week, we were told we wouldnt have to pay. (no private insurance)

How come some people pay for scans and some dont?

Amazulu

We have claimed more out of private health than we have put in. Add to that the 1% Medicare surcharge (due to go up if KRudd and co can get the legislation through the senate) and I would be mad not to have it.

Wilgar

We`ve been paying for almost 3 yrs in Oz and certainly have not claimed more than we `ve paid in. Now I wonder if it was worth it.It seems you can have most things done for free. Obviously we pay for prescriptions and they mount up quite fast but we had to pay for the adults prescriptions in UK too.

Wilgar

!!!!! So he said you needed an op while he thought you had insurance but when he realised you didn`t he sorted the problem right there?That sounds a bit odd.

ozhappy981

Four main reasons:

1. Person has the scan through their private insurance. The private insurance does not pay 100% - person has to pay the "gap".

2. Person has the scan at a facility that is not registered with Medicare. Person has to pay.

3. Person has a type of scan that is not 100% covered under Medicare. Even if person then has the scan at a facility registered with Medicare, they have to pay the "gap".

4. Person has their scan at a facility that is registered with Medicare. They also have a scan that is 100% covered by Medicare. BUT the facility is a private one that does not do bulk-billing, i.e. they charge everyone a bit extra - in which case you have to pay that.

For example, my husband needed a panoramic dental x-ray. His dentist didn't have that type of x-ray machine and sent him to a radiology centre. The centre was registered with Medicare. But the panoramic scan is not covered 100% by Medicare. Therefore my husband paid about $70 for the scan and got only about $40 back.

Another example are blood tests. They are free if done at a bulk-billing facility. But if it's a private facility that does not do bulk-billing, you pay extra.

The thing to do is to ALWAYS ask about bulk-billing BEFORE you have the test or scan or consultation done. (Afterwards is too late.)

In your husband's case he (a) had the scan at a facility registered with Medicare, and (b) it did bulk-billing and (c) it was a type of scan that is 100% covered by Medicare. Therefore he didn't have to pay anything.

Vash the Stampede

When I was a bachelor in Perth, I never bothered with private health insurance until they offered the 30% rebate.

Now I'm going back with a family, we'll probably just get ambo cover and leave it at that.

Wilgar

I`ve been planning what I could do with the extra $400 a month I`d save on not paying Medinbank Private ut OH says `What price the health of our family?`
I`m torn beween a new sofa and peace of mind................

ABCDiamond

That is a VERY valid problem.

You may have the correct answer, to what choice you should have made now, in 20 years time.

It's insurance. Some people will pay out more than they get back, some others will get back more than they pay out.

I have a lovely sofa, but sometimes I wonder, what if I need a new hip... How much are hips anyway ?
In the last 16 years I must have saved about $24,000 in premiums not paid.

Cheetah7

In the UK we had private insurance but only had an excess and not gap cover.

When Mr PP was in hospital the care he received was fantastic, we could not in any way have afforded gap cover.

His surgeon appointment was made and two weeks later he got the appointment for 29th. He had his MRI scan in outpatients this week.

The only thing I am waiting for is the ambo bill which we will give to medicare. So for us its the gap cover we couldnt afford.

ABCDiamond

Do you mean Medibank ? not Medicare ?

Cheetah7

Oops, sorry yes I meant medibank.

Still waiting for the invoice.

weegogs

sorry to hijack this forum,but i'm trying to find out about healthcare in oz,the situation that we're in is we've got our pr176 visa in place and as soon as the house sells we're off,however my wife is waiting for an operation,at the moment she's on the nhs waiting list(yes how longs a piece of string),what position would we be in if we arrive in oz and my wife still requires her operation

thanks in advance

gogs

Vash the Stampede

As a man with two permanent medical conditions that require regular medication, I've paid for my own prescriptions all my life. They were cheaper in the UK, but are still perfectly affordable in Australia thanks to the PBS.

I had private insurance when I was a bachelor in WA, but I didn't bother with it in the UK and I won't be using it now that I'm back in Australia with my wife and daughter. Medicare covers everything I need, at a very affordable price (mere pocket change!) Not sure why you're finding it so expensive?

bcworld

You can join the waiting list as a public hospital patient (still how long is a piece of string). Or get private hospital cover bearing in mind that with a pre-existing condition you will generally have to wait 12 months (e.g.) before being able to make a claim for this operation