Private Health Care
Jan 28th 2009, 6:38 am
#1
In Perth & Loving it...
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 539
Private Health Care
Can someone explain how Private Health Care works over here?
Now what I guess is that when you have a medical bill, such as Dental, Optical etc..., the health care company will pay for part or all of that bill. Is this correct?
What about routine doctors appointments? Are these covered, in part or total cost?
If after a Doctors appointment, they advise further tests, would these be covered by the Private Health cover?
If you didn't have private cover, would medicare cover part of the cost of those tests?
TBH, I'm not really interested in cover that just covers Optical, Dental etc... but would be more interested in cover that protected us from those unforeseen bills, or to cover the cost of a routine Doctors appointment.
Thanks for any help guys.
Now what I guess is that when you have a medical bill, such as Dental, Optical etc..., the health care company will pay for part or all of that bill. Is this correct?
What about routine doctors appointments? Are these covered, in part or total cost?
If after a Doctors appointment, they advise further tests, would these be covered by the Private Health cover?
If you didn't have private cover, would medicare cover part of the cost of those tests?
TBH, I'm not really interested in cover that just covers Optical, Dental etc... but would be more interested in cover that protected us from those unforeseen bills, or to cover the cost of a routine Doctors appointment.
Thanks for any help guys.
Jan 28th 2009, 7:04 am
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Private Health Care
This is some info on what you can get for free, without Insurance.
Medicare can cover a major part, or even all, of normal doctors bill (GP's).
An Introduction to Medicare
The Australian Government funded Medical health care system is called Medicare, and is similar in some ways, to the UK National Health system.
Some Doctors are Free, (called Bulk Billing).
Public Hospitals make no charges to Medicare Card Holders for in-patient, emergency and out-patient services.
Some Doctors will charge per consultation, and you claim part back from Medicare.
You can register with as many or as few Doctors as you wish. Registration is a simple case of showing your Medicare card, and filling in a small form with name and address etc.
Private Hospitals charge for everything, but you can claim some of it back from Medicare. Private Health Insurance is considered a must for using Private Hospitals, unless your finances are sufficient to cover large bills.
The Australian Government has agreed values for doctors payments for specified procedures and consultations, and will normally pay 85% of this figure either directly to the doctor, or to the patient.
Many Doctors actually only charge 85% of the quoted figure, and therefore the patient pays nothing, other Doctors charge higher, and then the patient has to contribute.
With the doctors where you pay nothing, you often have to wait to see a doctor, as they tend to be more popular. In my experience this can be 20 minutes to 2 hours, or even the next day, however, in some areas this can be longer.
The Current Doctors rates in 2008, in my area, are about $50 for a standard visit. The Medicare Rebate is $31.45, meaning that your NET cost would be $18.15. Note: Some doctors charge more than $50 and some charge less.
When a Doctor "Bulk Bills", it means they accept a consultation charge of $30.85 only, and they get paid direct from Medicare, so the patient has nothing to pay.
Bulk Billing doctors are more common in the less affluent areas, but can be rare in the better off areas.
There are "safety net thresholds" so that patients do not pay too much over the year, even if they have many visits to the Doctor.
Public Hospital services are available free of charge to eligible persons who choose to be treated as public patients.
Medicare can cover a major part, or even all, of normal doctors bill (GP's).
An Introduction to Medicare
The Australian Government funded Medical health care system is called Medicare, and is similar in some ways, to the UK National Health system.
Some Doctors are Free, (called Bulk Billing).
Public Hospitals make no charges to Medicare Card Holders for in-patient, emergency and out-patient services.
Some Doctors will charge per consultation, and you claim part back from Medicare.
You can register with as many or as few Doctors as you wish. Registration is a simple case of showing your Medicare card, and filling in a small form with name and address etc.
Private Hospitals charge for everything, but you can claim some of it back from Medicare. Private Health Insurance is considered a must for using Private Hospitals, unless your finances are sufficient to cover large bills.
The Australian Government has agreed values for doctors payments for specified procedures and consultations, and will normally pay 85% of this figure either directly to the doctor, or to the patient.
Many Doctors actually only charge 85% of the quoted figure, and therefore the patient pays nothing, other Doctors charge higher, and then the patient has to contribute.
With the doctors where you pay nothing, you often have to wait to see a doctor, as they tend to be more popular. In my experience this can be 20 minutes to 2 hours, or even the next day, however, in some areas this can be longer.
The Current Doctors rates in 2008, in my area, are about $50 for a standard visit. The Medicare Rebate is $31.45, meaning that your NET cost would be $18.15. Note: Some doctors charge more than $50 and some charge less.
When a Doctor "Bulk Bills", it means they accept a consultation charge of $30.85 only, and they get paid direct from Medicare, so the patient has nothing to pay.
Bulk Billing doctors are more common in the less affluent areas, but can be rare in the better off areas.
There are "safety net thresholds" so that patients do not pay too much over the year, even if they have many visits to the Doctor.
Public Hospital services are available free of charge to eligible persons who choose to be treated as public patients.
Jan 28th 2009, 7:10 am
#3
In Perth & Loving it...
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 539
Re: Private Health Care
This is some info on what you can get for free, without Insurance.
Medicare can cover a major part, or even all, of normal doctors bill (GP's).
An Introduction to Medicare
The Australian Government funded Medical health care system is called Medicare, and is similar in some ways, to the UK National Health system.
Some Doctors are Free, (called Bulk Billing).
Public Hospitals make no charges to Medicare Card Holders for in-patient, emergency and out-patient services.
Some Doctors will charge per consultation, and you claim part back from Medicare.
You can register with as many or as few Doctors as you wish. Registration is a simple case of showing your Medicare card, and filling in a small form with name and address etc.
Private Hospitals charge for everything, but you can claim some of it back from Medicare. Private Health Insurance is considered a must for using Private Hospitals, unless your finances are sufficient to cover large bills.
The Australian Government has agreed values for doctors payments for specified procedures and consultations, and will normally pay 85% of this figure either directly to the doctor, or to the patient.
Many Doctors actually only charge 85% of the quoted figure, and therefore the patient pays nothing, other Doctors charge higher, and then the patient has to contribute.
With the doctors where you pay nothing, you often have to wait to see a doctor, as they tend to be more popular. In my experience this can be 20 minutes to 2 hours, or even the next day, however, in some areas this can be longer.
The Current Doctors rates in 2008, in my area, are about $50 for a standard visit. The Medicare Rebate is $31.45, meaning that your NET cost would be $18.15. Note: Some doctors charge more than $50 and some charge less.
When a Doctor "Bulk Bills", it means they accept a consultation charge of $30.85 only, and they get paid direct from Medicare, so the patient has nothing to pay.
Bulk Billing doctors are more common in the less affluent areas, but can be rare in the better off areas.
There are "safety net thresholds" so that patients do not pay too much over the year, even if they have many visits to the Doctor.
Public Hospital services are available free of charge to eligible persons who choose to be treated as public patients.
Medicare can cover a major part, or even all, of normal doctors bill (GP's).
An Introduction to Medicare
The Australian Government funded Medical health care system is called Medicare, and is similar in some ways, to the UK National Health system.
Some Doctors are Free, (called Bulk Billing).
Public Hospitals make no charges to Medicare Card Holders for in-patient, emergency and out-patient services.
Some Doctors will charge per consultation, and you claim part back from Medicare.
You can register with as many or as few Doctors as you wish. Registration is a simple case of showing your Medicare card, and filling in a small form with name and address etc.
Private Hospitals charge for everything, but you can claim some of it back from Medicare. Private Health Insurance is considered a must for using Private Hospitals, unless your finances are sufficient to cover large bills.
The Australian Government has agreed values for doctors payments for specified procedures and consultations, and will normally pay 85% of this figure either directly to the doctor, or to the patient.
Many Doctors actually only charge 85% of the quoted figure, and therefore the patient pays nothing, other Doctors charge higher, and then the patient has to contribute.
With the doctors where you pay nothing, you often have to wait to see a doctor, as they tend to be more popular. In my experience this can be 20 minutes to 2 hours, or even the next day, however, in some areas this can be longer.
The Current Doctors rates in 2008, in my area, are about $50 for a standard visit. The Medicare Rebate is $31.45, meaning that your NET cost would be $18.15. Note: Some doctors charge more than $50 and some charge less.
When a Doctor "Bulk Bills", it means they accept a consultation charge of $30.85 only, and they get paid direct from Medicare, so the patient has nothing to pay.
Bulk Billing doctors are more common in the less affluent areas, but can be rare in the better off areas.
There are "safety net thresholds" so that patients do not pay too much over the year, even if they have many visits to the Doctor.
Public Hospital services are available free of charge to eligible persons who choose to be treated as public patients.
Makes it a clearer now, cheers.
Jan 28th 2009, 9:14 am
#5
In Perth & Loving it...
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 539
Re: Private Health Care
Jan 28th 2009, 9:17 am
#6
Canuck/Aussie
Joined: May 2006
Location: BC, Canada
Posts: 4,547
Re: Private Health Care
Yes, we have private health care but I certainly hope I never need to use it. It'll be public hospital for us in fear of the gap fees if we go private.
Jan 28th 2009, 9:25 am
#7
In Perth & Loving it...
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 539
Re: Private Health Care
Jan 28th 2009, 9:29 am
#8
Canuck/Aussie
Joined: May 2006
Location: BC, Canada
Posts: 4,547
Re: Private Health Care
I'm not entirely sure I would have it if it weren't for that, maybe, maybe not. But right now I just turned 30, the kids are still little and I really haven't had any use for it.
