Our experience of Perth hospitals
Nov 5th 2006, 10:57 pm
#31
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Re: Our experience of Perth hospitals
Originally Posted by cranni
It makes you a decent person for admitting you where wrong.
Im sure nsks will see that.
Im sure nsks will see that.
I think that I was feeing it all a bit cathartic by posting my guilt on here.
I actually e-mailed Sue today to take me off BE - not really because of anything Badge said but because I felt that I'd crossed the line into displaying really personal emotions - normally don't express any real emotional feelings on here.
I'd better e-mail Sue my change of heart - but if it's too late I'll have to reinvent myself - NKSK Version 3 or something.
Nov 7th 2006, 12:19 am
#32
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Re: Our experience of Perth hospitals
We spent 7 hours in PMH when our 3-y-o hurt his jaw in a fall. They were quick to get us past triage into a&e dept but the doctors couldn't diagnose what was wrong. Nothing came up on the x-ray, dentist couldn't find anything so we had to wait for the paediatric specialist to finish his shift on the other side of the city. He coudln't find anything and -although they were prepared to admit him for the night - the consultant saidhe would be better off at home.
I would say nurses were excellent, volunteers were great for entertainment. It was much the same as a&e we have been to in london (Kingston, Queen Mary's), but talking to one of the nurses, she did mention that the decision by GPs to withdraw bulk billing did seem to have shifted the burden to A&E and they were seeing more children with colds/flu and tummy bugs than they would have liked
We also went to Osbourne Park with our son for a minor op as day surgery. The whole experience was excellent and he has a very positive recollection of the day.
On both occasions total cost was via medicare (we are on the reciprocal agreement)
Mark
I would say nurses were excellent, volunteers were great for entertainment. It was much the same as a&e we have been to in london (Kingston, Queen Mary's), but talking to one of the nurses, she did mention that the decision by GPs to withdraw bulk billing did seem to have shifted the burden to A&E and they were seeing more children with colds/flu and tummy bugs than they would have liked
We also went to Osbourne Park with our son for a minor op as day surgery. The whole experience was excellent and he has a very positive recollection of the day.
On both occasions total cost was via medicare (we are on the reciprocal agreement)
Mark
Originally Posted by NKSK version 2
Daughter (4 yrs) fell of the trampoline yesterday (yep, we are beating ourselves up about it and will continue to do so for a long time) - very obvious break of the wrist (ulna and radius).
Took her to PMH in Subiaco.
I suppose it reinforced my thoughts of the similarities between UK and Australia. Very similar experience to visits to UK hospitals.
A&E packed - 3 hour wait. Triage nurse obvlious to the pain that my daughter was in - dealing with someone who didn't look too distressed.
Anyhow, a very good nurse noticed my daughter within minutes and she was taken straight through. We spent two and a half hours in A&E being x-rayed, given morphine and, it has to be said, waiting for a doctor, operating theatre availability and a porter (a la NHS).
Finally taken up to operating theatre where things began to improve - primarily because my daughter was dosed up and went under for the theatre procedure.
My view on the following may change depending on if any complications develop. The surgeon was excellent, the anaesthetist superb the radiographer was excellent, the nurses in theatre and on the ward were excellent. I had full confidence in them.
I actually felt that the nurses were better than my expereinces in the UK primarily (I think) becauase their workload was lighter (and rightly so). They attended to my daughter every 20 minutes or so, checking her fingers administering pain killers etc and were excellent to me (I stayed overnight) also.
I felt that the ward was more dilapidated than I was used to in the UK. The nurse carried a huge torch on night duty (do they do this in the UK?!) which seemed a bit archaic but was no problem. Toilet in the ward was very clean but were pretty dire in the main hospital (even the ones next to theatre).
Medical insurance - I told them that we were with HBF when I arrived and just accepted that we were going to be out of pocket. But I don't know if we will be charged - the nurse asked me to sign a form and said that it would be all be covered by medicare - but I was in a bit of a dazed state so I'm not too sure.
My daughter was placed on a ward - I suppose I could have invoked the "We have private medical insurance and we'd like a single room" but I didn't - primarily because it was late, we were only going to be there for one night and I thought that it would be better for her if she saw other sick kids rather than be isolated.
One interesting point. I know from the experience of others that we would have been questioned quite intensely by authorities in the UK for injuries to a child. We never got asked a thing other than "how did it happen?"
Took her to PMH in Subiaco.
I suppose it reinforced my thoughts of the similarities between UK and Australia. Very similar experience to visits to UK hospitals.
A&E packed - 3 hour wait. Triage nurse obvlious to the pain that my daughter was in - dealing with someone who didn't look too distressed.
Anyhow, a very good nurse noticed my daughter within minutes and she was taken straight through. We spent two and a half hours in A&E being x-rayed, given morphine and, it has to be said, waiting for a doctor, operating theatre availability and a porter (a la NHS).
Finally taken up to operating theatre where things began to improve - primarily because my daughter was dosed up and went under for the theatre procedure.
My view on the following may change depending on if any complications develop. The surgeon was excellent, the anaesthetist superb the radiographer was excellent, the nurses in theatre and on the ward were excellent. I had full confidence in them.
I actually felt that the nurses were better than my expereinces in the UK primarily (I think) becauase their workload was lighter (and rightly so). They attended to my daughter every 20 minutes or so, checking her fingers administering pain killers etc and were excellent to me (I stayed overnight) also.
I felt that the ward was more dilapidated than I was used to in the UK. The nurse carried a huge torch on night duty (do they do this in the UK?!) which seemed a bit archaic but was no problem. Toilet in the ward was very clean but were pretty dire in the main hospital (even the ones next to theatre).
Medical insurance - I told them that we were with HBF when I arrived and just accepted that we were going to be out of pocket. But I don't know if we will be charged - the nurse asked me to sign a form and said that it would be all be covered by medicare - but I was in a bit of a dazed state so I'm not too sure.
My daughter was placed on a ward - I suppose I could have invoked the "We have private medical insurance and we'd like a single room" but I didn't - primarily because it was late, we were only going to be there for one night and I thought that it would be better for her if she saw other sick kids rather than be isolated.
One interesting point. I know from the experience of others that we would have been questioned quite intensely by authorities in the UK for injuries to a child. We never got asked a thing other than "how did it happen?"
Nov 7th 2006, 1:08 am
#33
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Re: Our experience of Perth hospitals
Do you think we need the medical insurance cos my sister is a nurse and she has advised us not to get it cos it is a waste of money. Any thoughts. I hope your daughter gets better bless her. I also hope hope your son is ok too.
cheers
Lace xx
cheers
Lace xx
Nov 7th 2006, 1:34 am
#34
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Re: Our experience of Perth hospitals
Originally Posted by lacey21
Do you think we need the medical insurance cos my sister is a nurse and she has advised us not to get it cos it is a waste of money. Any thoughts. I hope your daughter gets better bless her. I also hope hope your son is ok too.
cheers
Lace xx
cheers
Lace xx
The $6 million question.
There are many threads on this on BE.
My very personal take on this is as follows:
We have private medical insurance for one reason - we want to queue jump and get the choice of the specialist for our kids if anything serious happens.
We currently have top hospital cover but we aren't really bothered about single rooms in a hospital (which this covers) so we will probably downgrade so that we can just use the insurance for what I mentioned above. Our family income is also above $100K so we will incur additional tax if we don't have private health.
It certainly isn't clear cut but I do know that out of 10 opinions I sought at my place of work, 9 said that you just have to get it - a no brainer. (having said that the one who said don't bother had a major, major emergency op at Charles Gardiner and received excellent treatment and care without insurance!!)
Nov 7th 2006, 9:19 am
#35
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Re: Our experience of Perth hospitals
We are on a 457 visa which bumps the premiums up a huge amount. We have not encountered any problems with the reciprocal agreement so far. The wait for our little ones minor operation on medicare was about 3 months (with the consultant of our choice)
Finacially, if you are earning +$100k between you you will get hit for the Medicare Surcharge levy if you don't have insurance This is 1% of salary, making insurance a more attractive proposition for higher earners.
Mark
Finacially, if you are earning +$100k between you you will get hit for the Medicare Surcharge levy if you don't have insurance This is 1% of salary, making insurance a more attractive proposition for higher earners.
Mark
Originally Posted by lacey21
Do you think we need the medical insurance cos my sister is a nurse and she has advised us not to get it cos it is a waste of money. Any thoughts. I hope your daughter gets better bless her. I also hope hope your son is ok too.
cheers
Lace xx
cheers
Lace xx
Nov 7th 2006, 1:31 pm
#36
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Re: Our experience of Perth hospitals
Originally Posted by NKSK version 2
We have private medical insurance for one reason - we want to queue jump and get the choice of the specialist for our kids if anything serious happens.
We currently have top hospital cover but we aren't really bothered about single rooms in a hospital (which this covers)
We did the same when my daughter had a massive epileptic fit 6 months ago and we have only just finished paying all the invoices. It's a bloody pain in the arse. Invoices for this, that and the other, all of which you have to send off to the private health company who send cheques back in dribs and drabs.
You will also be receiving cheques form Medicare. You then need to add the two cheques up, match them to every invoice and GUESS WHAT?
You've guessed it, haven't you? the two amounts never add up. You have just been introduced to what is known as "The Gap" - time to open your wallet, again.
Had we NOT owned up to private health, everything would have been paid for - no bills, no hassle, nothing.
In my opinion ONLY use private health, if like you said, you need to queue jump ( I hate that expression, but it's true) i.e. you need a knee reconstruction or something non-urgent.
Hospital cover, touch and go as to whether it's a waste of money, if you earn a lot, get it and avoid the tax sting.
Extras cover - get it, definitely worth it for dentist, glasses etc...
Cheers,
Renth
Nov 7th 2006, 1:50 pm
#37
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Re: Our experience of Perth hospitals
Originally Posted by renth
NKSK, you said you told the hospital you had private health when your daughter had her accident. My personal experience of this is you (with the greatest of respect) made a mistake, a big mistake.
We did the same when my daughter had a massive epileptic fit 6 months ago and we have only just finished paying all the invoices. It's a bloody pain in the arse. Invoices for this, that and the other, all of which you have to send off to the private health company who send cheques back in dribs and drabs.
You will also be receiving cheques form Medicare. You then need to add the two cheques up, match them to every invoice and GUESS WHAT?
You've guessed it, haven't you? the two amounts never add up. You have just been introduced to what is known as "The Gap" - time to open your wallet, again.
Had we NOT owned up to private health, everything would have been paid for - no bills, no hassle, nothing.
In my opinion ONLY use private health, if like you said, you need to queue jump ( I hate that expression, but it's true) i.e. you need a knee reconstruction or something non-urgent.
Hospital cover, touch and go as to whether it's a waste of money, if you earn a lot, get it and avoid the tax sting.
Extras cover - get it, definitely worth it for dentist, glasses etc...
Cheers,
Renth
We did the same when my daughter had a massive epileptic fit 6 months ago and we have only just finished paying all the invoices. It's a bloody pain in the arse. Invoices for this, that and the other, all of which you have to send off to the private health company who send cheques back in dribs and drabs.
You will also be receiving cheques form Medicare. You then need to add the two cheques up, match them to every invoice and GUESS WHAT?
You've guessed it, haven't you? the two amounts never add up. You have just been introduced to what is known as "The Gap" - time to open your wallet, again.
Had we NOT owned up to private health, everything would have been paid for - no bills, no hassle, nothing.
In my opinion ONLY use private health, if like you said, you need to queue jump ( I hate that expression, but it's true) i.e. you need a knee reconstruction or something non-urgent.
Hospital cover, touch and go as to whether it's a waste of money, if you earn a lot, get it and avoid the tax sting.
Extras cover - get it, definitely worth it for dentist, glasses etc...
Cheers,
Renth
Excellent post and all of it true.
Nov 7th 2006, 3:44 pm
#38
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Re: Our experience of Perth hospitals
Originally Posted by renth
NKSK, you said you told the hospital you had private health when your daughter had her accident. My personal experience of this is you (with the greatest of respect) made a mistake, a big mistake.
The reason I told them was because the thought went through my mind that I could get done for fraud if I'd not declared it.
How long does it take for the bills to start coming in?
Nov 7th 2006, 4:17 pm
#39
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Re: Our experience of Perth hospitals
Originally Posted by NKSK version 2
Yes - I kind of thought this.
The reason I told them was because the thought went through my mind that I could get done for fraud if I'd not declared it.
How long does it take for the bills to start coming in?
The reason I told them was because the thought went through my mind that I could get done for fraud if I'd not declared it.
How long does it take for the bills to start coming in?
Nov 7th 2006, 7:28 pm
#40
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Re: Our experience of Perth hospitals
Originally Posted by renth
I don't think it's fraud. Can't remember exactly when the bills start to arrive, but when they do they just keep coming for up to 6 months. Or they did with us anyway - brain scans, blood tests, you name it there's a bill for it...
If you're ever admitted to hospital in an emergency always, always say that you don't have private medical insurance.
There must be a catch somewhere. Otherwise it sounds like something out of a Joseph Heller novel. Yes I have medical insurance, yes I pay every week and if anybody asks me I'm going to say that I don't have it!
Or alternatively, please sign me up for medical insurance so that I can spend more money than the bloke down the road who doesn't have it and we'll be treated exactly the same.
Nov 7th 2006, 8:34 pm
#41
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Re: Our experience of Perth hospitals
Check out the "Public Hospital" section here. Even if you have insurance you can choose to be treated as a public patient in a public hospital.
http://www.abc.net.au/health/cguides...ehealthins.htm
Mark
http://www.abc.net.au/health/cguides...ehealthins.htm
Mark
Originally Posted by NKSK version 2
Well it seems such an obvious way to save money.
If you're ever admitted to hospital in an emergency always, always say that you don't have private medical insurance.
There must be a catch somewhere. Otherwise it sounds like something out of a Joseph Heller novel. Yes I have medical insurance, yes I pay every week and if anybody asks me I'm going to say that I don't have it!
Or alternatively, please sign me up for medical insurance so that I can spend more money than the bloke down the road who doesn't have it and we'll be treated exactly the same.
If you're ever admitted to hospital in an emergency always, always say that you don't have private medical insurance.
There must be a catch somewhere. Otherwise it sounds like something out of a Joseph Heller novel. Yes I have medical insurance, yes I pay every week and if anybody asks me I'm going to say that I don't have it!
Or alternatively, please sign me up for medical insurance so that I can spend more money than the bloke down the road who doesn't have it and we'll be treated exactly the same.
Nov 7th 2006, 11:58 pm
#42
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Re: Our experience of Perth hospitals
Originally Posted by mbike
Check out the "Public Hospital" section here. Even if you have insurance you can choose to be treated as a public patient in a public hospital.
http://www.abc.net.au/health/cguides...ehealthins.htm
Mark
http://www.abc.net.au/health/cguides...ehealthins.htm
Mark
Mark you are a star!
The following is the most important:
"When you book in or are admitted to a public hospital and you have private health insurance, you will be asked if you want to be treated as a public or private patient. You will be asked to sign a 'patient election form' to indicate this. It's your choice and the hospital is required to explain the implications of that choice for you."
I was not asked if I wanted to be treated as a publc or private patient (I was just asked if we had insurance). Nor was I asked to sign a patient election form. Nor were the implications of the choice explained to me.
This last point is the key issue - especially for new migrants.
Thanks again
Nov 8th 2006, 9:01 am
#43
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Re: Our experience of Perth hospitals
Originally Posted by NKSK version 2
Nor were the implications of the choice explained to me.
Nov 8th 2006, 10:34 am
#44
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Re: Our experience of Perth hospitals
Originally Posted by renth
The implications were not explained to us either, I felt conned afterwards. Live and learn, live and learn - hopefully the expats here can learn from our mistakes...
Nov 8th 2006, 10:35 am
#45
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Re: Our experience of Perth hospitals
Originally Posted by renth
The implications were not explained to us either, I felt conned afterwards. Live and learn, live and learn - hopefully the expats here can learn from our mistakes...
