Private health insurance warning
Apr 23rd 2003, 6:29 am
#1
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Joined: Apr 2003
Location: napier, NZ back to Freo in 2008!
Posts: 244
Private health insurance warning
For information to those of you on your way out here. We have discovered that as from some time in 2000 the goverment introduced what is effectivly compulsary private health insurance for anyone earning of $50,000 p.a. +. If you dont pay it then your liekly to be taxed an additonal 1.5% of your salary. (Cheapest insurance starts at about $500, so it is cheaper to get private health) There are lots of lock out periods and clauses for private use, but you can still effectivly access the public system, which will then claim from your private insurance.
As a couple we are looking at about $800 -$1000 p.a for cover which includes ambulance, dental and hospital inpatient (exclusing private maternity) Many policies do family for about the same price, which if your considering starting one in the next few years is worth taking out so as to avoid lock out periods for your kids!
The other "good news" is that for every year you are over 30 you can expect to pay an additional 2% loading on the policy. You can only get your private health cover with medicare discount (apx 30%) if you are PR.
Something that we were not advised about from either our consultants, employers (health care!) or medicare office! It something to add into your cost of living.
As a couple we are looking at about $800 -$1000 p.a for cover which includes ambulance, dental and hospital inpatient (exclusing private maternity) Many policies do family for about the same price, which if your considering starting one in the next few years is worth taking out so as to avoid lock out periods for your kids!
The other "good news" is that for every year you are over 30 you can expect to pay an additional 2% loading on the policy. You can only get your private health cover with medicare discount (apx 30%) if you are PR.
Something that we were not advised about from either our consultants, employers (health care!) or medicare office! It something to add into your cost of living.
Apr 23rd 2003, 6:43 am
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 87
Re: Private health insurance warning
Originally posted by Birdey
The other "good news" is that for every year you are over 30 you can expect to pay an additional 2% loading on the policy. You can only get your private health cover with medicare discount (apx 30%) if you are PR.
Something that we were not advised about from either our consultants, employers (health care!) or medicare office! It something to add into your cost of living.
The other "good news" is that for every year you are over 30 you can expect to pay an additional 2% loading on the policy. You can only get your private health cover with medicare discount (apx 30%) if you are PR.
Something that we were not advised about from either our consultants, employers (health care!) or medicare office! It something to add into your cost of living.
The 2 % loading on the policy each year over age 30 can be waived in some cases. Please refer link below. Hope it applies to you.
http://www.health.gov.au/privateheal...igcriteria.htm
Regards
Nina
Apr 23rd 2003, 6:52 am
#3
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Joined: Feb 2002
Location: Dream life UK....
Posts: 2,912
As a family, after the gvt rebate we are paying $2016 a year, where did you find $800 cover or does that have lots of Gaps and penalties you have to pay.?
Latest on Health here is a reform, where high income earners of $40,000 !!!!!!! or above will have to pay even more for doctors visits etc. Things are looking bad for us, we pay $2016 in private health cover which still leaves us with co-payments and excesses. Plus the 1.25% of all income compulosory health levy. Now a further levy to be put onto each electricity bill for ambulance cover. Yet still we have to pay for doctors visits, prescriptions, about 30% of dental bills and hospital bills. I honestly think we are going downhill. My doctor reckons liability is to blame and the fact that half the population is subsidised by welfare so us workers have to pay over and over again. Things are quite a shock here after the NHS which will begin to look good once here.
Latest on Health here is a reform, where high income earners of $40,000 !!!!!!! or above will have to pay even more for doctors visits etc. Things are looking bad for us, we pay $2016 in private health cover which still leaves us with co-payments and excesses. Plus the 1.25% of all income compulosory health levy. Now a further levy to be put onto each electricity bill for ambulance cover. Yet still we have to pay for doctors visits, prescriptions, about 30% of dental bills and hospital bills. I honestly think we are going downhill. My doctor reckons liability is to blame and the fact that half the population is subsidised by welfare so us workers have to pay over and over again. Things are quite a shock here after the NHS which will begin to look good once here.
Apr 23rd 2003, 6:55 am
#4
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 87
Originally posted by dotty
As a family, after the gvt rebate we are paying $2016 a year, where did you find $800 cover or does that have lots of Gaps and penalties you have to pay.?
Latest on Health here is a reform, where high income earners of $40,000 !!!!!!! or above will have to pay even more for doctors visits etc. Things are looking bad for us, we pay $2016 in private health cover which still leaves us with co-payments and excesses. Plus the 1.25% of all income compulosory health levy. Now a further levy to be put onto each electricity bill for ambulance cover. Yet still we have to pay for doctors visits, prescriptions, about 30% of dental bills and hospital bills. I honestly think we are going downhill. My doctor reckons liability is to blame and the fact that half the population is subsidised by welfare so us workers have to pay over and over again. Things are quite a shock here after the NHS which will begin to look good once here.
As a family, after the gvt rebate we are paying $2016 a year, where did you find $800 cover or does that have lots of Gaps and penalties you have to pay.?
Latest on Health here is a reform, where high income earners of $40,000 !!!!!!! or above will have to pay even more for doctors visits etc. Things are looking bad for us, we pay $2016 in private health cover which still leaves us with co-payments and excesses. Plus the 1.25% of all income compulosory health levy. Now a further levy to be put onto each electricity bill for ambulance cover. Yet still we have to pay for doctors visits, prescriptions, about 30% of dental bills and hospital bills. I honestly think we are going downhill. My doctor reckons liability is to blame and the fact that half the population is subsidised by welfare so us workers have to pay over and over again. Things are quite a shock here after the NHS which will begin to look good once here.
Thanks,
Nina
Apr 23rd 2003, 7:22 am
#5
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Joined: Feb 2002
Location: Dream life UK....
Posts: 2,912
Excesses in my fund are $500 per person for each hospital admission per person. Gaps are whatever is above the recommended health schdule cost and whatever the doctor charges, which funnily enough is never the recommended charge! This stuff is incredibly complicated and I find I never fully understand it till I get the bloody bill.
All health areas, say dental have limits, like orthodontic, $800 a year after you have been in 2 years. However braces can cost nearer $8000 than 800.
So in a hospital stay of three days I may have to pay extra to the surgeon, anethistist, specialist, room fees etc etc.
By the way we were in top cover when we took it out, but the fund upped the premiums three times since the new government regulations and then lowered the levels! If we pull out we pay the penalties mentioned in the first post. They have it wired, health ins is technically optional, but in money terms you have absolutely no choice.
As my husband (aussie) says Pay, then pay then pay some more.
All health areas, say dental have limits, like orthodontic, $800 a year after you have been in 2 years. However braces can cost nearer $8000 than 800.
So in a hospital stay of three days I may have to pay extra to the surgeon, anethistist, specialist, room fees etc etc.
By the way we were in top cover when we took it out, but the fund upped the premiums three times since the new government regulations and then lowered the levels! If we pull out we pay the penalties mentioned in the first post. They have it wired, health ins is technically optional, but in money terms you have absolutely no choice.
As my husband (aussie) says Pay, then pay then pay some more.
Apr 23rd 2003, 3:43 pm
#6
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Joined: Aug 2002
Location: An expat Aussie trying to understand why anyone wants to move to Oz.
Posts: 485
Yes, I find it amusing that people slag off the NHS so much here in the UK. Even aussies over here are under the illusion that health care is good in Australia.
Apr 23rd 2003, 5:07 pm
#7
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 875
I'm an Aussie and I will say I think it sucks that those who work pay not only thru the medicare, but have to pay the additional thru private cover.
However, having experienced the NHS I would have to say I would quite happily pay for medicare. I'm not saying all areas of the NHS are crap, I had a wonderful GP and felt angry that they had to struggle to survive because of the poor funding. However, once you get into the NHS for specialist appointments etc, you get exactly what you pay for.
However, having experienced the NHS I would have to say I would quite happily pay for medicare. I'm not saying all areas of the NHS are crap, I had a wonderful GP and felt angry that they had to struggle to survive because of the poor funding. However, once you get into the NHS for specialist appointments etc, you get exactly what you pay for.
