Lifetime Health Cover??
#1
Lifetime Health Cover??
Hi all
Looking for some advice from all you knowledgeable people
I just got a letter from the government about LHC saying I need to get private health insurance before we are here a year or else if I take it out after the first year I will have to pay and extra 2% for every year I am over 30.
So should I be taking out private health insurance or not and if so who do you guys use and how much does it cost.
Thanks in advance.
Paddy
Looking for some advice from all you knowledgeable people
I just got a letter from the government about LHC saying I need to get private health insurance before we are here a year or else if I take it out after the first year I will have to pay and extra 2% for every year I am over 30.
So should I be taking out private health insurance or not and if so who do you guys use and how much does it cost.
Thanks in advance.
Paddy
#2
Re: Lifetime Health Cover??
Also consider the Medicare levy surcharge if you decide not to take out insurance.
#3
Re: Lifetime Health Cover??
It cost us about $2800 last year for a family of four on basic hospital and extras cover with Medibank.
Then out of the blue, we had reason to use it several times and were very glad we had it! It's one of those things that you don't necessarily see its worth until you need it then it's too late if you don't have it..............
Then out of the blue, we had reason to use it several times and were very glad we had it! It's one of those things that you don't necessarily see its worth until you need it then it's too late if you don't have it..............
#4
Re: Lifetime Health Cover??
It cost us about $2800 last year for a family of four on basic hospital and extras cover with Medibank.
Then out of the blue, we had reason to use it several times and were very glad we had it! It's one of those things that you don't necessarily see its worth until you need it then it's too late if you don't have it..............
Then out of the blue, we had reason to use it several times and were very glad we had it! It's one of those things that you don't necessarily see its worth until you need it then it's too late if you don't have it..............
We have PR though. The only reason we have it is to avoid the extra tax if we didn't. So it's cheaper for us to have private health than to pay the tax.
#5
Re: Lifetime Health Cover??
It's one of those gamble things really - if you earn a lot and are into the surcharge range then it's probably a no brainer (we pay $250 a month). If you are fit and healthy and prepared to go with public medicine then you dont need to. If you have a glimmer that any of you are going to need elective surgery at any time then I'd think seriously about getting it. I have had 2 quite major ops where the elective surgery would have had me waiting in excess of 12 months and more like 2 yrs and I have had the ops within weeks privately. For us it has been worth it but, like every insurance policy you take out, it is a gamble. As we fell into the surcharge range it wasnt really an issue for us, but if we hadnt, then I would have considered self insuring and putting that much away in a designated account rather than handing it over to the health care fund.
#6
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2009
Location: Fernmount NSW
Posts: 80
Re: Lifetime Health Cover??
Hi
If you are thinking of taking out private health cover you should have a look at this website, http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/ it lists most or all of the health insurers so you can contact them directly to avoid broker commissions.
Bob
If you are thinking of taking out private health cover you should have a look at this website, http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/ it lists most or all of the health insurers so you can contact them directly to avoid broker commissions.
Bob
Last edited by Bob Tonnor; Jun 7th 2010 at 4:10 am.