Medicare and / or health insurance?
#16
Re: Medicare and / or health insurance?
I can only endorse the need to get holiday insurance - theOriginalMrDreamy died while we were on holiday in Portugal. We always just had an annual holiday policy with Amex, because we did a lot of short trips all over the place, even though most were to Europe so we would have been covered (at the time, don't know about now) on whatever the reciprocal agreement was at the time.
It would have cost us somewhere around 20,000GBP to cover everything the insurance covered us for - and that was back in 1996, I dread to think what it would cost now.
It would have cost us somewhere around 20,000GBP to cover everything the insurance covered us for - and that was back in 1996, I dread to think what it would cost now.
#17
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 33
Re: Medicare and / or health insurance?
Buy the insurance.
#18
Re: Medicare and / or health insurance?
Don't forget, Medicare doesn't cover everything even for Australians. For example,smoke states ambulances are not covered and can be very expensive. I was taken to hospital by ambulance. Only treatment was gas and air for pain. Short trip of about 5 miles. Bill was $700 - and that was some years ago, I don't think it would have gone down! Be transported by air ambulance and start adding zeros.
#19
Re: Medicare and / or health insurance?
Don't forget, Medicare doesn't cover everything even for Australians. For example,smoke states ambulances are not covered and can be very expensive. I was taken to hospital by ambulance. Only treatment was gas and air for pain. Short trip of about 5 miles. Bill was $700 - and that was some years ago, I don't think it would have gone down! Be transported by air ambulance and start adding zeros.
Total bill = $0.00
What's the NHS's total debt today?
#22
Re: Medicare and / or health insurance?
Sorry, I think we have misunderstood each other. I thought you were inferring that ambulance was free because RFDS was covered. I was saying that yes flying doctors is covered that ground ambulance isn't.
#23
Re: Medicare and / or health insurance?
So you are advocating Medicare fraud?
What happens to the person who "loaned" their card? I'll tell you. Their medical records get messed up because Medicare nowhas a record of paying for, say an elective angiography to assess the angina then the stents to open the artery. However the person who owns the card never had those things! Not to mention they are now guilty of Medicare fraud.
BE has a policy about advice that promotes illegal activity.
What happens to the person who "loaned" their card? I'll tell you. Their medical records get messed up because Medicare nowhas a record of paying for, say an elective angiography to assess the angina then the stents to open the artery. However the person who owns the card never had those things! Not to mention they are now guilty of Medicare fraud.
BE has a policy about advice that promotes illegal activity.
Albeit far fetched and very dramatic.
Although lay off the Greys anatomy episodes, it's sent your imagination into overdrive.
All UK "visitors" are entitled to Medicare coverage, so my scenario for something "minor" is more paperwork dodging than anything else. I had a course of AB's in mind which is the outcome in the majority of doctors visits I know of.
For the record, my last line was I do think the OP should get Health insurance if he has previous.
I don't think your example would even be covered for Private personally with those symptoms.
Still extremes can and do happen, like one in a million or indeed on Grey's anatomy.
How did your imaginary freind get 12,500 miles and suddenly end up on deaths door without any previous at age 63 in my case?
#24
Re: Medicare and / or health insurance?
I'm not sure what you're smoking, but it probably isn't legal in Australia. And for the record I have never seen Grey's Anatomy. I tend to not watch crap TV.
#25
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2008
Location: Perth
Posts: 6,775
Re: Medicare and / or health insurance?
I would say as always in these matters weigh up where your personal interests lay. You are not too gone in years, claim good health, so risk factors minimalized on those issues.
Do you/will you partake in any risk sport/ventures ? Remembering any serious issue will be covered under receptacle agreement, it is up to you after pondering all aspects to conclude if medical insurance is required or not.
Insurance was barely thought about a few decades back by many, self included and ventured to some places, no doubt should have given some serious thought about having it.
Although saying that it does seem 'fear' these days is a form used to control, make people comply, purchase or just keep in line.
In matters of health though being not something to be taking lightly. I would advise make an informed decision on the information on hand that you are happy with.
Do you/will you partake in any risk sport/ventures ? Remembering any serious issue will be covered under receptacle agreement, it is up to you after pondering all aspects to conclude if medical insurance is required or not.
Insurance was barely thought about a few decades back by many, self included and ventured to some places, no doubt should have given some serious thought about having it.
Although saying that it does seem 'fear' these days is a form used to control, make people comply, purchase or just keep in line.
In matters of health though being not something to be taking lightly. I would advise make an informed decision on the information on hand that you are happy with.
#26
Aussie Finn Mixture!
Joined: May 2005
Location: Leschenault WA (after few locations around WA and Around Europe!)
Posts: 1,151
Re: Medicare and / or health insurance?
So you are advocating Medicare fraud?
What happens to the person who "loaned" their card? I'll tell you. Their medical records get messed up because Medicare nowhas a record of paying for, say an elective angiography to assess the angina then the stents to open the artery. However the person who owns the card never had those things! Not to mention they are now guilty of Medicare fraud.
BE has a policy about advice that promotes illegal activity.
What happens to the person who "loaned" their card? I'll tell you. Their medical records get messed up because Medicare nowhas a record of paying for, say an elective angiography to assess the angina then the stents to open the artery. However the person who owns the card never had those things! Not to mention they are now guilty of Medicare fraud.
BE has a policy about advice that promotes illegal activity.
however i second Polly on travel insurance, i used to work as a paramedic involved in medical repatriation, one ambulance trip can be 10 000 dollars with meds involved so let alone flights needed etc. Should you need a medical flight home, its not just the flight, pilot, fuel but also meds used, any medical staff needed etc (and for long haul its always 2x all of them)
never mind that travel insurance usually covers damaged property, lost flights, lost/stolen property....
Last edited by teza; Apr 21st 2018 at 2:15 pm.
#27
Re: Medicare and / or health insurance?
My dad. Finnish citizen registered under medicare under the same rules as uk citizen, had no issues seeing a doctor and getting meds with the medicare issued temp number in a receipt paper. no fraud involved. Both Docs and pharmacy were aware of the rules and this happened more than once at three different surgeries, two pharmacies. Not emergencies, just him underestimating how many meds he needed.
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#28
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,900
Re: Medicare and / or health insurance?
You also have to be careful with plans that "include" ambulance cover. If it says something like "medically urgent" or "priority" ambulance etc watch out, because things like broken legs aren't classified as emergencies because they aren't life-threatening and so you would be on the hook for the ambulance bill in such instances if your coverage is just for "Priority 1" or something like that.
Make sure the ambulance cover is comprehensive, and as Amazulu said it is something like $100 for the year.
Feeling fine doesn't mean something won't happen. Repatriation coverage should be seen as vital.
Make sure the ambulance cover is comprehensive, and as Amazulu said it is something like $100 for the year.
Feeling fine doesn't mean something won't happen. Repatriation coverage should be seen as vital.
#29
Re: Medicare and / or health insurance?
Oh, and enter many years on the forums I have found 100% that those that sing like you are actually the most unhappy in Oz but too scared to admit it. A bit like most closet people.
#30
Re: Medicare and / or health insurance?
If you get an annual travel insurance check the policy to see how coverage works. My one allows only trips up to 3 months long and start and end point must be my "home" country where the policy was taken out. So if going for a 12 month holiday would not work.