Health care age loading?
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 0
Health care age loading?
When we arrived I took up health care and avoided the age loading.
If I stop now and decide to get it again at a later date will I have to pay the age loading?
Ian
If I stop now and decide to get it again at a later date will I have to pay the age loading?
Ian
#2
Re: Health care age loading?
I believe you are allowed a "holiday" for a short time but I would check with the provider or online as I can't remember where I *may* have seen it!
#3
Re: Health care age loading?
From http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/info...s/lifetime.htm
'To cover small gaps, such as switching from one insurer to another, you are able to be without private cover for periods totalling 1094 days (ie three years less one day) during your lifetime, without affecting your loading. If you have a gap of 1095 days you will pay a 2% loading. For every 365 days without cover after that, your loading will increase by 2%. If you apply to your health insurer to suspend your cover for a short period, and it agrees, this period of suspension does not affect your LHC loading (you are considered to be maintaining your cover).'
Hope that helps!
'To cover small gaps, such as switching from one insurer to another, you are able to be without private cover for periods totalling 1094 days (ie three years less one day) during your lifetime, without affecting your loading. If you have a gap of 1095 days you will pay a 2% loading. For every 365 days without cover after that, your loading will increase by 2%. If you apply to your health insurer to suspend your cover for a short period, and it agrees, this period of suspension does not affect your LHC loading (you are considered to be maintaining your cover).'
Hope that helps!
#4
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Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 0
Re: Health care age loading?
From http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/info...s/lifetime.htm
'To cover small gaps, such as switching from one insurer to another, you are able to be without private cover for periods totalling 1094 days (ie three years less one day) during your lifetime, without affecting your loading. If you have a gap of 1095 days you will pay a 2% loading. For every 365 days without cover after that, your loading will increase by 2%. If you apply to your health insurer to suspend your cover for a short period, and it agrees, this period of suspension does not affect your LHC loading (you are considered to be maintaining your cover).'
Hope that helps!
'To cover small gaps, such as switching from one insurer to another, you are able to be without private cover for periods totalling 1094 days (ie three years less one day) during your lifetime, without affecting your loading. If you have a gap of 1095 days you will pay a 2% loading. For every 365 days without cover after that, your loading will increase by 2%. If you apply to your health insurer to suspend your cover for a short period, and it agrees, this period of suspension does not affect your LHC loading (you are considered to be maintaining your cover).'
Hope that helps!
thanks,
Ian
#5
Banned
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,348
Re: Health care age loading?
In the context of the new migrant concession, roughly what is the difference in price between a 30 and 45 year old for private med insurance?
#6
Re: Health care age loading?
Premiums go up by 2% for every year over 30, so for a 45yo it would be an extra 30% - quite a big difference.
#7
Banned
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,348
Re: Health care age loading?
Thanks. That is a big difference. So the concession stays with us for life? What I mean is: If I take it out within 12 months of arriving and remain with the insurer, will I will always have that discount?
#8
An Australian Citizen !!
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Terrigal - NSW Central Coast since June 2005
Posts: 1,237
Re: Health care age loading?
........... but it won't protect you from any annual increase from the insurer!!
Jim
Last edited by Jimclevs; Mar 24th 2010 at 6:06 am.
#10
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7
Re: Health care age loading?
If you stop now and you want to start later, its fully depend on terms of insurance and i think you can not get extra benefits when you start again later.
If you find any of positive response regarding this, please let me know.
Thanks,
Mark Janet
If you find any of positive response regarding this, please let me know.
Thanks,
Mark Janet
#12
Re: Health care age loading?
You also need to read the small print and see how many days you will be covered in hospital for. Also if you have a pre existing condition then you have to be in the fund for a year before they will cover you for the condition.
Personally we do not have it at all.
I just needed to be in hospital the other day and they said I could not get in till May and I will be away. So we decided to pay for a private stay for the day and the doc however the public hospital phoned on Monday and I got in that day. So instead of costing me $1,000 it cost me nothing.
If its too hard they tip you into public anyway.
Personally we do not have it at all.
I just needed to be in hospital the other day and they said I could not get in till May and I will be away. So we decided to pay for a private stay for the day and the doc however the public hospital phoned on Monday and I got in that day. So instead of costing me $1,000 it cost me nothing.
If its too hard they tip you into public anyway.
#13
An Australian Citizen !!
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Terrigal - NSW Central Coast since June 2005
Posts: 1,237
Re: Health care age loading?
You also need to read the small print and see how many days you will be covered in hospital for. Also if you have a pre existing condition then you have to be in the fund for a year before they will cover you for the condition.
Personally we do not have it at all.
I just needed to be in hospital the other day and they said I could not get in till May and I will be away. So we decided to pay for a private stay for the day and the doc however the public hospital phoned on Monday and I got in that day. So instead of costing me $1,000 it cost me nothing.
If its too hard they tip you into public anyway.
Personally we do not have it at all.
I just needed to be in hospital the other day and they said I could not get in till May and I will be away. So we decided to pay for a private stay for the day and the doc however the public hospital phoned on Monday and I got in that day. So instead of costing me $1,000 it cost me nothing.
If its too hard they tip you into public anyway.
We don't have it either - especially as we missed the 12 month point (never informed - but that's another story!) and were invited to take up (at that time) a 64% loading
We've been here 5 years now and have not yet paid for any medical consultation etc and, as we now have the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, all scripts are set at $5.40 ($5.60?). As our CP visa cost mucho money that gave us full Medicare rights from day 1 and, hopefully, if we ever do need surgery etc, the public system will cope!
Jim
#14
Re: Health care age loading?
Often the reason for taking out Private Health cover has absolutely nothing to do with needing health cover and simply as a vehicle to avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge (1% for any earnings over $70,000 for a single).
Saves me money and I get cash back from the dentist/optician/physio!
Saves me money and I get cash back from the dentist/optician/physio!
#15
An Australian Citizen !!
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Terrigal - NSW Central Coast since June 2005
Posts: 1,237
Re: Health care age loading?
Often the reason for taking out Private Health cover has absolutely nothing to do with needing health cover and simply as a vehicle to avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge (1% for any earnings over $70,000 for a single).
Saves me money and I get cash back from the dentist/optician/physio!
Saves me money and I get cash back from the dentist/optician/physio!
Jim