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Head is ready to explode! (medical insurance)

Head is ready to explode! (medical insurance)

Old Sep 27th 2008, 11:32 am
  #1  
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Default Head is ready to explode! (medical insurance)

Okay, I've started threads, replied to posts of other OP threads on this subject and I'm non the wiser! :curse:

I've been on most of the websites like medibank/iselect/austhealth et al and come away more confused then ever!

Aust health looks straight forward (as we're on a 457) but i'm sure that someone said to be wary of them (?).

I work for a medical insurer so you would think i'd have the upper hand... er nope! It works so differently to here than in the UK.

I hear Medicare even on the 457 will cover you for a % of outpatient treatments like GP appointments and drugs under the PBS system. I don't wanna break the bank on cover however that is so extensive but under all the small print we end up not being able to claim for half of what we pay for!!

Austhealth.com has 190 plan covers all public and private in patient cover including all ambulance-air and land. No mention of excess or co-insurance and its reasonable for $756 for the year (so it seems to good to be true) Any stories or has anyone cracked this cover and can re-iterate is into a more simpler set of terms!

If someone would create a 'medical insurance for dummies' thread or book. "I'd buy that for a dollar!"

I still have to organise transferring of money here to Australia yet so i'm waiting for the next headache! Im sure that isn't simple either! lol!
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Old Sep 27th 2008, 11:38 am
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Default Re: Head is ready to explode! (medical insurance)

We're here on a 457 and if you are a British citizen then you have access to most of Medicare. There are some things that you are not entitled to but we haven't come across them yet. We used to have Overseas Visitor Cover as Employer insisted but it was a waste of time as it only covered the same things as Medicare (ie was completely useless).
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Old Sep 27th 2008, 1:16 pm
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Default Re: Head is ready to explode! (medical insurance)

I have medibank for a 457 but it's expensive and has waiting periods of varying lengths for different things My husband is with another firm whch are a lot cheaper but they may be merging with medibank!
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Old Sep 28th 2008, 4:41 am
  #4  
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Default Re: Head is ready to explode! (medical insurance)

Be very careful!

Ring them and ask for confirmation that they will pay a percentage of the *actual* doctors' fees, and not the "Medicare assessed fee".

The latter is what Medicare determined to be the standard fee some ten years ago: it wasn't representative then and hasn't been updated since.

You can easily have a surgeon's fee for $2500 which Medicare assess as worth $500: insurance might say they pay 80% of the fee but "forget" to say that's 80% of the Medicare assessment which in this case would be $400. Leaving you to pay the extra $2100!

I know - I am fully insured here but had to pay out about $10,000 last year. You live and learn.
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