ABCDiamond

Optical is not really covered very much by Medicare.

You will get a free FULL eye exam every two years, and some intermediate eye checks during that time if required.

If you get sent to an eye specialist, it will be private, and you pay.

If you are on certain benefits, with concession card, you are eligible for free hospital eye treatment. You also then get free specs, (if you are prepared to wear them in public)

These are our own experiences, which tie in with what I have read.

ozhappy981

I think "optical" is one of the few areas where Australian Medicare is better than the UK NHS. In the UK you have to pay for your eye tests (unless you are a pensioner, on benefits, i.e. a "special" case).

Here I get a free full eye exam every two years. And because I am short-sighted and over -5, I get free contact lens fittings. I also get a free annual contact lens check-up (as long as I go back to the same optician). In the UK I had to pay for all of that - and it wasn't cheap.

I recently had my first eye exam. And I needed new contact lenses, which involved a fitting because my old lenses aren't available here in Oz. The whole thing involved three visits to the optician - and I was very much surpirsed to find I could walk in and out and there was nothing to pay. Just had to show my Medicare card on the first visit .

Swerv-o

Sadly what you win in optical care, you lose in dental.

Dental care is almost twice as expensive as the UK, and there is no medicare coverage for it


S

ozhappy981

Yes, I know! The Australian government seems to care a lot about people's eyes and absolutely nothing about people's teeth (and the general health implcation of having gum disease).

Swerv-o

It certainly says a lot when people are willing to fly to Singapore for dental treatment, because, even taking into account the cost of the flights and stay, it's still cheaper than getting it done domestically.

Not a great state of affairs.


S

ABCDiamond

Except for people on Healthcare cards, who can use the dental hospitals, and for teenagers who get the Dental Voucher, (it's $157 this year), and for primary school kids with the school Dental vans.

Dental is expensive though, these were my last costs.

• $36 for the 6 monthly check up
• $79 for a clean if you want one
• $120 for a single surface filling
• $150 for a two surface filling

And for the teenagers:

ozhappy981

That's very cheap compared to UK private dentistry prices. My six-monthly check-up together with cleaning was GBP140! (We are not talking x-rays or anything like that; just looking closely round my mouth for the check-up and then the usual scraping awawy for the cleaning.)

Here, check-up is $54 and cleaning $95 at our dentist.

KateandPhil

Thanks for your replies. Lets hope he only needs glasses and not braces!!!!

simmoman

If you want to get an idea of the costs and exclusions/inclusions for medical insurance then check out the NIB website it does online quotes. There are plenty of other providers such as Medibank etc

http://www.nib.com.au/

I am with NIB and they are OK.