brian.w

I may have asked this a few times in past but its regarding private health cover is it really required or medicare enough, I arrived here last june 1st and I just remember something about you get upto 12 months to get it or you get charged 2% for ever year over 32 I take as the 1st june has past im too late?
Or can I still get it.time has flown by since arriving and just wanted a heads up on it all.

Beoz

For many people private health care in oz is a money pit. Just something you need to have toavoid the tax crap associated with it.

moneypenny20

Depends on what you have wrong with you, where you live and what waiting lists are like. As you've been here over a year, you'd be charged the 2%. There can be deals done, but it would be down to you to call around and see what you can get.

spouse of scouse

There are a few things to consider when deciding whether or not to take out private health cover, Brian.

Medicare levy surcharge - if your family income is over $176,000 per year (can be a bit higher if you have kids) then you'll pay a 1 - 1.5% Medicare surcharge if you don't have private cover. http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/heal...harges/mls.htm

Private Health Insurance Rebate - you can get some of the cost of your private health insurance premiums rebated, either through your tax return or through reduced premiums
http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/heal...ancerebate.htm

Lifetime Health Cover - If you don't take out private cover by the time you're 30, you'll pay a 2% loading on your premiums for every year you're over 30, up to a maximum of a 70% loading
http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/heal...ealthcover.htm

Once you've sorted out the financial implications of having/not having private cover, you can consider if it's worth it for you. You'll get a range of opinions from people - from those who are dead against having private cover, to those who wouldn't be without it.

For me, the greatest benefit to private cover is you don't have to wait for hospital treatment that's deemed 'elective' i.e. not urgent. As an older couple, we get pretty good value from our private insurance, including physio and dental.

One thing I would caution you about - don't fall for the idea that having private health cover will always result in cheaper medical bills. As well as the Medicare levy, Scouse and I pay around $4,500 a year in private insurance premiums. I had back surgery a few months ago, and despite the actual hospital stay being 100% covered by my insurer, the 'gap' expenses for anesthetist, MRIs, etc etc came to over $3,000.

If I'd had that surgery as a public (Medicare) patient, it probably wouldn't have cost me anything. But, I would have been in pain for longer, wouldn't have been able to have my own neurosurgeon do the surgery, and the surgery mightn't have been as successful.

Bermudashorts

Oh dear, how unfortunate to remember about the one year thing on June 7th, it is too late for you to avoid the age loadings now, so if you take it out you will have higher premiums than you would have had a week ago.

If you have income over that income threshold, you would be daft not to take it out I think. If you don't have that level of income, I guess it is like any non compulsory insurance, you might spend money for nothing, on the other hand it could be very valuable.

zultan

I was in the same position and HCF allowed my cover to start from the beginning of the month (i.e. pre-dated it).

brian.w

So your telling me that you left it too late and they let you start from the month?im not on the money bracket mentioned in the above posts as been a bad year for me since arriving with work.
But if I got a break then yes it could be possible to make close to what was mentioned in my line of work.
I'm 42 well over the 30yrs limit but wife is just turned 30yrs maybe she can take take it out?
As I have said I have heard both sides to best without insurance and best to have.
We are all healthy but you never sure what can or could happen and wished we had insurance.

brian.w

So what kind of cover are most you on,costs per month and who with sent email to hcf to see if they can do what poster mentioned above.there is myself wife and bub of almost 2yrs.as in what I can earn not had a good run or great year but can I suppose always upgrade if I feel I want better cover.
How many of you don't have cover and how long you been here without it?

spouse of scouse

It doesn't matter who is the 'lead' person on the policy, everyone on the policy over 30 comes under the loading rules. When your premium is calculated, they'll add the 22% loading for you.

You really need to get multiple quotes and see which cover is best for you at a price you can afford. There are always deals to be had but you have to be proactive, make calls, keep notes. You can start with more 'basic' cover, and upgrade it as your financial situation improves.

spouse of scouse

If it's just other people's opinions you want, type 'private health cover' into the forum search engine, there's a shed load.

quoll

If you're not over the threshold and are going to get slammed with the +22% then self insure. Put away your $250 pm into a dedicated account not to be touched unless for a medical situation where you would like to go private.

paulry

True but if he is quick he might be able to persuade them to give him that concession. They are a business after all. Maybe residence can be deemed to have begun when we apply for our tax file number, medicare, etc?

We took out the insurance because we are older and it's worked out very well for us. Mostly with dental related stuff and eye checks, massages, etc.

scrubbedexpat055

I have been reading a bit about the loading arrangements. There is a calculator on private health.gov.au that may help. If you are a couple the loading for the policy will be the average of both adults.

brian.w

I contacted hcf as i read on here they was able to help someone who just passed the 12 months and started the policy from the month it started ie i should have seen about on or before 1st june,but my problem is if its really required and what sort of cover i would need,been a crap year as in work and not really got on my feet since arriving so,paying this would be more strain on paying out more money,then again my luck might be changing and start earning and get regular work.

brian.w

I noticed this on private health site,how does one know when the signed up for medicare?
its got on my card expire 05/2018 but surely it cant be from 05/2013 as i did not arrive in australia until 1st june and im not sure when i applied for it after that may have been a week or two after cant rememeber,this is what i read.

I've just become a permanent resident; can I purchase private hospital cover without Lifetime Health Cover loading?

Yes. If you are over 31, you have one year from the date you registered for Medicare benefits to purchase private hospital cover without incurring a loading. See Lifetime Health Cover for further information.