Lifetime Health Cover and migrants
May 26th 2004, 7:53 am
#1
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Lifetime Health Cover and migrants
Hi guys,
A few threads have been devoted to the lifetime health cover.
Well, as mentioned previously the government here was considering changing how the LHC is applied to recent migrants.
Well, its happened! New migrants over the age of 30 no longer need to pay LHC on their private health cover.
This is off the Health dept website
New migrants receive a grace period to purchase hospital insurance without incurring a Lifetime Health cover loading. This is similar to the grace period that applied for Australian citizens and permanent residents when Lifetime Health Cover was introduced.
Migrants who became eligible for Medicare before 30 September 1999 do not pay a loading if they purchased hospital insurance before 15 July 2000 or their 31st birthday. If they did not purchase hospital cover by the later of these two dates, their loading is calculated according to their Lifetime Health Cover age.
Migrants who became eligible for Medicare after 30 September 1999 but before 23 April 2004 do not pay a Lifetime Health Cover loading if they purchase hospital cover by the later of:
the 1 July following their 31st birthday, or
23 April 2005.
Migrants who become eligible for Medicare on or after 23 April 2004 do not pay a Lifetime Health Cover loading if they purchase hospital cover by the later of:
the 1 July following their 31st birthday, or
the first anniversary of the date they became eligible for Medicare.
Health dept website
A few threads have been devoted to the lifetime health cover.
Well, as mentioned previously the government here was considering changing how the LHC is applied to recent migrants.
Well, its happened! New migrants over the age of 30 no longer need to pay LHC on their private health cover.
This is off the Health dept website
New migrants receive a grace period to purchase hospital insurance without incurring a Lifetime Health cover loading. This is similar to the grace period that applied for Australian citizens and permanent residents when Lifetime Health Cover was introduced.
Migrants who became eligible for Medicare before 30 September 1999 do not pay a loading if they purchased hospital insurance before 15 July 2000 or their 31st birthday. If they did not purchase hospital cover by the later of these two dates, their loading is calculated according to their Lifetime Health Cover age.
Migrants who became eligible for Medicare after 30 September 1999 but before 23 April 2004 do not pay a Lifetime Health Cover loading if they purchase hospital cover by the later of:
the 1 July following their 31st birthday, or
23 April 2005.
Migrants who become eligible for Medicare on or after 23 April 2004 do not pay a Lifetime Health Cover loading if they purchase hospital cover by the later of:
the 1 July following their 31st birthday, or
the first anniversary of the date they became eligible for Medicare.
Health dept website
May 27th 2004, 6:35 am
#2
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How does this help you if you are over 31 when you get the cover?
We got our health cover a couple of months ago and still had to pay the 2% loading for each year we are over 30.
We got our health cover a couple of months ago and still had to pay the 2% loading for each year we are over 30.
May 27th 2004, 6:39 am
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Phone your provider and tell them you are a recent migrant and they should then remove the LHC.
I rang mine today, and they have now dropped my premium by $30 a month.
They just asked when I first arrived as a resident (jan 2002) and was I entitled to Medicare on arrival (yep) and that was it.
I didnt even have to trot down with my passport to prove it!
I rang mine today, and they have now dropped my premium by $30 a month.
They just asked when I first arrived as a resident (jan 2002) and was I entitled to Medicare on arrival (yep) and that was it.
I didnt even have to trot down with my passport to prove it!
May 27th 2004, 11:36 am
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Interesting thread - we still need to organise our cover - one of those things you never get around to. Can anyone recommend any particular company for the average family cover? I have got a few brochures but there seem to be quite a few to choose from.
Thanks, Dawn
Thanks, Dawn
May 27th 2004, 11:39 am
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Originally posted by Trevglas
Phone your provider and tell them you are a recent migrant and they should then remove the LHC.
I rang mine today, and they have now dropped my premium by $30 a month.
They just asked when I first arrived as a resident (jan 2002) and was I entitled to Medicare on arrival (yep) and that was it.
I didnt even have to trot down with my passport to prove it!
Phone your provider and tell them you are a recent migrant and they should then remove the LHC.
I rang mine today, and they have now dropped my premium by $30 a month.
They just asked when I first arrived as a resident (jan 2002) and was I entitled to Medicare on arrival (yep) and that was it.
I didnt even have to trot down with my passport to prove it!
Great I will ring them tomorrow and find out. Weird that they did not tell me this though.
May 27th 2004, 11:42 am
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That should save us a few bob! It looks like anyone will be alright as long as they get health cover before next April.
May 27th 2004, 12:17 pm
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Originally posted by dmf
Interesting thread - we still need to organise our cover - one of those things you never get around to. Can anyone recommend any particular company for the average family cover? I have got a few brochures but there seem to be quite a few to choose from.
Thanks, Dawn
Interesting thread - we still need to organise our cover - one of those things you never get around to. Can anyone recommend any particular company for the average family cover? I have got a few brochures but there seem to be quite a few to choose from.
Thanks, Dawn
One thing, you can get your hospital cover with one provider, then use a second provider for the extras if you so choose.
The LHC ruling doesnt appear to be widely known by the average customer service person at iSelect or any of the Health providers, so when you go for the insurance let them know you are a recent migrant and are therefore exempt from LHC.
For those of you paying it at the moment, nope, unfortunately its not possible to backdate it, so you've lost that money, but save yourselves a few dollars each month by getting your status sorted.
May 27th 2004, 12:18 pm
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May 27th 2004, 1:21 pm
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Originally posted by tinaj
That should save us a few bob! It looks like anyone will be alright as long as they get health cover before next April.
That should save us a few bob! It looks like anyone will be alright as long as they get health cover before next April.
May 27th 2004, 1:29 pm
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Originally posted by moneypen20
What happens after April 2005? We're not coming until December 05
What happens after April 2005? We're not coming until December 05
May 27th 2004, 1:57 pm
#11
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You will have till either the 1st July following your 31st birthday, or the 1st anniversary of being elegible for medicare, so basically you will have a years grace to take out private health cover
May 27th 2004, 2:13 pm
#12
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Trev,
Were are currenty with BUPA - what is the equivilent of this in Australia (Queensland) ?
If there are a few companies can you recommend one that is well known with a good reputation such as BUPA.
Many thanks.
Were are currenty with BUPA - what is the equivilent of this in Australia (Queensland) ?
If there are a few companies can you recommend one that is well known with a good reputation such as BUPA.
Many thanks.
May 27th 2004, 9:39 pm
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Best bet is the iSelect site, it allows you to do a side by side comparison. (http://www.iselect.com.au)
As for a comparison with BUPA, sorry I cannot help you. I had BUPA in the UK, but luckily never had cause to use it.
As for a comparison with BUPA, sorry I cannot help you. I had BUPA in the UK, but luckily never had cause to use it.
May 27th 2004, 10:05 pm
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Originally posted by irishmolly
Trev,
Were are currenty with BUPA - what is the equivilent of this in Australia (Queensland) ?
If there are a few companies can you recommend one that is well known with a good reputation such as BUPA.
Many thanks.
Trev,
Were are currenty with BUPA - what is the equivilent of this in Australia (Queensland) ?
If there are a few companies can you recommend one that is well known with a good reputation such as BUPA.
Many thanks.
One of the big differences between Private cover out here and in the Uk is you are not covered here for outpatient care. If you have to go and see a consultANT IN HOSPITAL FOR TESTS ETC YOU WILL BE LIABLE TO PAY! Whereas in England this was covered. Here it is really only for if you are admitted to hospital.
But the better thing here is if you get the extras you can get money back for dentistry, Osteopaths even natural medicines, this you would not get in England. You don't have to be referred to one you just go to one of the many clinics.
May 28th 2004, 12:23 am
#15
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I've just spoken to my insurer and in the light of that telecon I'm expecting the loading since we arrived in Australia to be repaid in full ...
I suggest that those affected might do what I'm doing - faxing an extract from the Department of Health and Ageing's website (see the attached) to the health insurer with a request that they refund the loading paid since private cover was first taken out.
Best regards.
Update - see my post below
I suggest that those affected might do what I'm doing - faxing an extract from the Department of Health and Ageing's website (see the attached) to the health insurer with a request that they refund the loading paid since private cover was first taken out.
Best regards.
Update - see my post below
Originally posted by Trevglas
Dawn, check out the siteiSelect. Put in your details and it comes up with various choices. You can then go down the list and pick the best package.
One thing, you can get your hospital cover with one provider, then use a second provider for the extras if you so choose.
The LHC ruling doesnt appear to be widely known by the average customer service person at iSelect or any of the Health providers, so when you go for the insurance let them know you are a recent migrant and are therefore exempt from LHC.
For those of you paying it at the moment, nope, unfortunately its not possible to backdate it, so you've lost that money, but save yourselves a few dollars each month by getting your status sorted.
Dawn, check out the siteiSelect. Put in your details and it comes up with various choices. You can then go down the list and pick the best package.
One thing, you can get your hospital cover with one provider, then use a second provider for the extras if you so choose.
The LHC ruling doesnt appear to be widely known by the average customer service person at iSelect or any of the Health providers, so when you go for the insurance let them know you are a recent migrant and are therefore exempt from LHC.
For those of you paying it at the moment, nope, unfortunately its not possible to backdate it, so you've lost that money, but save yourselves a few dollars each month by getting your status sorted.
Last edited by Alan Collett; May 28th 2004 at 1:21 am.