Is Private Health Worth it? - Decision is made
Feb 20th 2012, 3:38 am
#46
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Re: Is Private Health Worth it? - Decision is made
As opposed to you saying the opposite.
If you two wish to start that discussion again could you b*gger off and do it HERE please.
If you two wish to start that discussion again could you b*gger off and do it HERE please.
Personally I think that both systems, although flawed, deliver good overall care - I've always had good treatment in both countries. So there's my viewpoint on this - hardly the 'opposite'.
It would be cool if you could get your facts right.
Feb 21st 2012, 7:13 am
#47
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 265
Re: Is Private Health Worth it? - Decision is made
For many years I've paid into private health not knowing if the Hospital Cover element was worth it. Especially after my daughter had to go in as an emergency patient and got EXACTLY the same treatment as she would have done as a public patient and it cost me over a grand in excess/gap fees.
I even spent 5 nights in Joondalup as a public patient last year - amazing treatment in a great hospital, cost to me? nothing.
So when my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer a couple of months ago we decided to have the operation in the public system. Big mistake.
Don't get me wrong, her treatment and the medical professionals were/are excellent but what I hadn't bargained for was ho Royal Perth Hospital is some sort of magnet for the worst scum of WA.
When my wife could have been in a nice private room at The Mount Hospital instead she had to endure a succession of bogans, aborigines, prisoners and gangsters.
She was only in for 2 nights but she had to sit in the waiting room on 2 occasions next to women handcuffed to prison officers, people constantly fing and blinding to the staff, threatening to sue them. Being kept up all night in the ward by loud, swearing bogans who refused to leave after visiting hours and to cap it all 2 gangsters came in and threatened a guy with a knife. That was for only 2 nights!
When my friend's husband lay dying in Royal Perth she was too terrified to leave the hospital at night without security as when you leave you have to run a gauntlet of aborigines.
Anyway, the good thing about this is I have totally made up my mind about private health and any future surgeries my family has to have will be done privately.
I even spent 5 nights in Joondalup as a public patient last year - amazing treatment in a great hospital, cost to me? nothing.
So when my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer a couple of months ago we decided to have the operation in the public system. Big mistake.
Don't get me wrong, her treatment and the medical professionals were/are excellent but what I hadn't bargained for was ho Royal Perth Hospital is some sort of magnet for the worst scum of WA.
When my wife could have been in a nice private room at The Mount Hospital instead she had to endure a succession of bogans, aborigines, prisoners and gangsters.
She was only in for 2 nights but she had to sit in the waiting room on 2 occasions next to women handcuffed to prison officers, people constantly fing and blinding to the staff, threatening to sue them. Being kept up all night in the ward by loud, swearing bogans who refused to leave after visiting hours and to cap it all 2 gangsters came in and threatened a guy with a knife. That was for only 2 nights!
When my friend's husband lay dying in Royal Perth she was too terrified to leave the hospital at night without security as when you leave you have to run a gauntlet of aborigines.
Anyway, the good thing about this is I have totally made up my mind about private health and any future surgeries my family has to have will be done privately.
She had the best Oncologist in WA, one the best breast surgeons (icing on the cake is that they are a husband and wife team, so triangular communication was always spot on), most of her ops/treatment at the Mount Private Hospital (couldn't fault them) + her Rads out of a brand new Private facility in Wembley (more like a 6* Hotel).
The other benefit of being Private (and hence treated at the Mount) is that it's a clinical trials hospital. My wife received an additional drug and extra monitoring/assessment, even to this day. Studies show that patients on clinical trials, even those that are given a placebo, tend to fair better. When I enquired about paying for the trial drug I was told it would have cost me $70,000.00.
It's a cliche, but there's nothing more important than your and your family's health. So if you can afford it, go private.
Last edited by Bazza Boy; Feb 21st 2012 at 7:17 am.
Feb 21st 2012, 9:07 am
#48
Where traffic lights rule
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Brighton QLD
Posts: 2,460
Re: Is Private Health Worth it? - Decision is made
True re the bogans.
But public hospitals pay the staff (nurses ) more and have a much better staff to patient ratio. Some private hospitals don't have the facilities to cope if something goes really wrong, child birth being an example.
Out next door neighbor was induced a few weeks early to fit in with her doctors holiday plans.
I think getting a private room in a public hospital is the best of both worlds.
But public hospitals pay the staff (nurses ) more and have a much better staff to patient ratio. Some private hospitals don't have the facilities to cope if something goes really wrong, child birth being an example.
Out next door neighbor was induced a few weeks early to fit in with her doctors holiday plans.
I think getting a private room in a public hospital is the best of both worlds.
For many years I've paid into private health not knowing if the Hospital Cover element was worth it. Especially after my daughter had to go in as an emergency patient and got EXACTLY the same treatment as she would have done as a public patient and it cost me over a grand in excess/gap fees.
I even spent 5 nights in Joondalup as a public patient last year - amazing treatment in a great hospital, cost to me? nothing.
So when my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer a couple of months ago we decided to have the operation in the public system. Big mistake.
Don't get me wrong, her treatment and the medical professionals were/are excellent but what I hadn't bargained for was ho Royal Perth Hospital is some sort of magnet for the worst scum of WA.
When my wife could have been in a nice private room at The Mount Hospital instead she had to endure a succession of bogans, aborigines, prisoners and gangsters.
She was only in for 2 nights but she had to sit in the waiting room on 2 occasions next to women handcuffed to prison officers, people constantly fing and blinding to the staff, threatening to sue them. Being kept up all night in the ward by loud, swearing bogans who refused to leave after visiting hours and to cap it all 2 gangsters came in and threatened a guy with a knife. That was for only 2 nights!
When my friend's husband lay dying in Royal Perth she was too terrified to leave the hospital at night without security as when you leave you have to run a gauntlet of aborigines.
Anyway, the good thing about this is I have totally made up my mind about private health and any future surgeries my family has to have will be done privately.
I even spent 5 nights in Joondalup as a public patient last year - amazing treatment in a great hospital, cost to me? nothing.
So when my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer a couple of months ago we decided to have the operation in the public system. Big mistake.
Don't get me wrong, her treatment and the medical professionals were/are excellent but what I hadn't bargained for was ho Royal Perth Hospital is some sort of magnet for the worst scum of WA.
When my wife could have been in a nice private room at The Mount Hospital instead she had to endure a succession of bogans, aborigines, prisoners and gangsters.
She was only in for 2 nights but she had to sit in the waiting room on 2 occasions next to women handcuffed to prison officers, people constantly fing and blinding to the staff, threatening to sue them. Being kept up all night in the ward by loud, swearing bogans who refused to leave after visiting hours and to cap it all 2 gangsters came in and threatened a guy with a knife. That was for only 2 nights!
When my friend's husband lay dying in Royal Perth she was too terrified to leave the hospital at night without security as when you leave you have to run a gauntlet of aborigines.
Anyway, the good thing about this is I have totally made up my mind about private health and any future surgeries my family has to have will be done privately.
Feb 21st 2012, 11:42 am
#49
Joined: May 2006
Location: in the Sydney asylum
Posts: 20,690
Re: Is Private Health Worth it? - Decision is made
I had an ovarian tumour last year luckily it was benign but i went private in Sydney and boy do I regret it!
the public hospitals in Sutherland are good normally
I had poor care in the private hospital and was charged top dollar for it! we have top insurance cover the surgeon too the medicare fee the insurance fee the gap cover and still had the nerve to charge me extra on top as did the anaesthetist and all the assistants!
I should have gone public
regards to mrs Renth
the public hospitals in Sutherland are good normally
I had poor care in the private hospital and was charged top dollar for it! we have top insurance cover the surgeon too the medicare fee the insurance fee the gap cover and still had the nerve to charge me extra on top as did the anaesthetist and all the assistants!
I should have gone public
regards to mrs Renth
Feb 22nd 2012, 2:18 pm
#50
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Scotland
Posts: 3,337
Re: Is Private Health Worth it? - Decision is made
I have top of the range cover. It is a perk with my job and it covers my wife as well.
Last year i took ill with sudden pains and was admitted to Peel Health (Mandurah Hospital) It is both a private and public hospital so on admission they asked if i wanted public or private but because i didnt have my insurance details with me i just went public. Have to say the care was excellent. I have zero to complain about. I was in for a week and the only difference between what i got and what i would have had in private was i would have had a private room but in public it was two of us in a room. Also, apparently the private get slightly better food and a glass of wine with dinner. I could not have had the wine and the food was fine.
Got to say, after that experience if i had to pay for the cover i would not bother.
Last year i took ill with sudden pains and was admitted to Peel Health (Mandurah Hospital) It is both a private and public hospital so on admission they asked if i wanted public or private but because i didnt have my insurance details with me i just went public. Have to say the care was excellent. I have zero to complain about. I was in for a week and the only difference between what i got and what i would have had in private was i would have had a private room but in public it was two of us in a room. Also, apparently the private get slightly better food and a glass of wine with dinner. I could not have had the wine and the food was fine.
Got to say, after that experience if i had to pay for the cover i would not bother.
Feb 22nd 2012, 9:33 pm
#51
Still alive
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 28,994
Re: Is Private Health Worth it? - Decision is made
My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. We had top private cover, and boy am I glad we did.
She had the best Oncologist in WA, one the best breast surgeons (icing on the cake is that they are a husband and wife team, so triangular communication was always spot on), most of her ops/treatment at the Mount Private Hospital (couldn't fault them) + her Rads out of a brand new Private facility in Wembley (more like a 6* Hotel).
The other benefit of being Private (and hence treated at the Mount) is that it's a clinical trials hospital. My wife received an additional drug and extra monitoring/assessment, even to this day. Studies show that patients on clinical trials, even those that are given a placebo, tend to fair better. When I enquired about paying for the trial drug I was told it would have cost me $70,000.00.
It's a cliche, but there's nothing more important than your and your family's health. So if you can afford it, go private.
She had the best Oncologist in WA, one the best breast surgeons (icing on the cake is that they are a husband and wife team, so triangular communication was always spot on), most of her ops/treatment at the Mount Private Hospital (couldn't fault them) + her Rads out of a brand new Private facility in Wembley (more like a 6* Hotel).
The other benefit of being Private (and hence treated at the Mount) is that it's a clinical trials hospital. My wife received an additional drug and extra monitoring/assessment, even to this day. Studies show that patients on clinical trials, even those that are given a placebo, tend to fair better. When I enquired about paying for the trial drug I was told it would have cost me $70,000.00.
It's a cliche, but there's nothing more important than your and your family's health. So if you can afford it, go private.
You also realise that RPH is involved in loads of clinical trials, don't you? The big red building on Murray Street just behind Breast Screen is the MRF (Medical Research Foundation) building.
Feb 24th 2012, 6:31 am
#52
I don't re Member
Joined: May 2004
Location: Termite Country (Tanah Merah)
Posts: 1,372
Re: Is Private Health Worth it? - Decision is made
Its really rather simple:
Quality of medical treatment in public or private will be identical. Same doctor - same skill - same concern - same dedication (same sh*t - shinier bucket)
Type of treatment may well be different - e.g., quality of knee replacement used, pacemaker, birthing options...
Elective surgery waiting times for private treatment - very short.
Elective surgery waiting times for public treatment - very long.
As you get old and need minor heart surgery or joint replacements - if you are on public- you will probably die first (2 - 3 year wait). If private - you get instant treatment.
In emergency cases - apart from private rooms and mildly better dinners, treatment is identical in quality and speed. If you are private - you will face a big "gap" bill.
Best option if if you are >40 you should have private for non-emergency stuff . If younger, you may need the same for your kids or when having them!
In emergency situations - don't tell them you have private insurance - it will save you a fortune
Quality of medical treatment in public or private will be identical. Same doctor - same skill - same concern - same dedication (same sh*t - shinier bucket)
Type of treatment may well be different - e.g., quality of knee replacement used, pacemaker, birthing options...
Elective surgery waiting times for private treatment - very short.
Elective surgery waiting times for public treatment - very long.
As you get old and need minor heart surgery or joint replacements - if you are on public- you will probably die first (2 - 3 year wait). If private - you get instant treatment.
In emergency cases - apart from private rooms and mildly better dinners, treatment is identical in quality and speed. If you are private - you will face a big "gap" bill.
Best option if if you are >40 you should have private for non-emergency stuff . If younger, you may need the same for your kids or when having them!
In emergency situations - don't tell them you have private insurance - it will save you a fortune
Mar 1st 2012, 2:20 am
#53
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 265
Re: Is Private Health Worth it? - Decision is made
Oh, and being husband and wife has nothing to do with them communicating about your wife's treatment. It has more to do with both of them dictating letters and their office staff getting them out in a timely manner. I can almost guarentee you that they don't go home at night and talk about individual patients' care.
They are, but not to the extent of the Mount with regards to Breast Cancer. The particular drug my wife received, she would not have got at the RPH
Mar 1st 2012, 2:26 am
#54
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: Is Private Health Worth it? - Decision is made
Not necessarily true. We had an appointment with Tiddler's surgeon on Monday with the hope of planning major surgery in the public system for June/July if we were lucky. The op has been booked for early April.
Mar 1st 2012, 2:32 am
#55
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,375
Re: Is Private Health Worth it? - Decision is made
Its really rather simple:
Quality of medical treatment in public or private will be identical. Same doctor - same skill - same concern - same dedication (same sh*t - shinier bucket)
Type of treatment may well be different - e.g., quality of knee replacement used, pacemaker, birthing options...
Elective surgery waiting times for private treatment - very short.
Elective surgery waiting times for public treatment - very long.
As you get old and need minor heart surgery or joint replacements - if you are on public- you will probably die first (2 - 3 year wait). If private - you get instant treatment.
In emergency cases - apart from private rooms and mildly better dinners, treatment is identical in quality and speed. If you are private - you will face a big "gap" bill.
Best option if if you are >40 you should have private for non-emergency stuff . If younger, you may need the same for your kids or when having them!
In emergency situations - don't tell them you have private insurance - it will save you a fortune
Quality of medical treatment in public or private will be identical. Same doctor - same skill - same concern - same dedication (same sh*t - shinier bucket)
Type of treatment may well be different - e.g., quality of knee replacement used, pacemaker, birthing options...
Elective surgery waiting times for private treatment - very short.
Elective surgery waiting times for public treatment - very long.
As you get old and need minor heart surgery or joint replacements - if you are on public- you will probably die first (2 - 3 year wait). If private - you get instant treatment.
In emergency cases - apart from private rooms and mildly better dinners, treatment is identical in quality and speed. If you are private - you will face a big "gap" bill.
Best option if if you are >40 you should have private for non-emergency stuff . If younger, you may need the same for your kids or when having them!
In emergency situations - don't tell them you have private insurance - it will save you a fortune
The difference, in Private said surgeon actually does the operation, in Public he is often only supervising students doing the operation.
Mar 1st 2012, 2:36 am
#56
(It's not my real name)
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: Ilukapool. WA
Posts: 12,467
Re: Is Private Health Worth it? - Decision is made
I just thought that people who wished my wife and I well might like to know she had her surgery a couple of weeks ago.
The tumour was 4cm which was much bigger than they first thought. The good news is they got it all out and didn't find any cancer in the lymph glands.
She won't need chemo but will start the radiotherapy in a few weeks plus hormone therapy for 5 years.
The tumour was 4cm which was much bigger than they first thought. The good news is they got it all out and didn't find any cancer in the lymph glands.
She won't need chemo but will start the radiotherapy in a few weeks plus hormone therapy for 5 years.
Mar 1st 2012, 2:37 am
#57
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: Is Private Health Worth it? - Decision is made
I just thought that people who wished my wife and I well might like to know she had her surgery a couple of weeks ago.
The tumour was 4cm which was much bigger than they first thought. The good news is they got it all out and didn't find any cancer in the lymph glands.
She won't need chemo but will start the radiotherapy in a few weeks plus hormone therapy for 5 years.
The tumour was 4cm which was much bigger than they first thought. The good news is they got it all out and didn't find any cancer in the lymph glands.
She won't need chemo but will start the radiotherapy in a few weeks plus hormone therapy for 5 years.
Mar 1st 2012, 2:38 am
#58
Auntie Fa
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Seattle
Posts: 7,344
Re: Is Private Health Worth it? - Decision is made
Wishing her all the very best with that, renth, and I know it must be tough for you too.
Mar 1st 2012, 3:37 am
#59
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Re: Is Private Health Worth it? - Decision is made
I just thought that people who wished my wife and I well might like to know she had her surgery a couple of weeks ago.
The tumour was 4cm which was much bigger than they first thought. The good news is they got it all out and didn't find any cancer in the lymph glands.
She won't need chemo but will start the radiotherapy in a few weeks plus hormone therapy for 5 years.
The tumour was 4cm which was much bigger than they first thought. The good news is they got it all out and didn't find any cancer in the lymph glands.
She won't need chemo but will start the radiotherapy in a few weeks plus hormone therapy for 5 years.
Mar 1st 2012, 4:01 am
#60
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2006
Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Posts: 1,717
Re: Is Private Health Worth it? - Decision is made
I just thought that people who wished my wife and I well might like to know she had her surgery a couple of weeks ago.
The tumour was 4cm which was much bigger than they first thought. The good news is they got it all out and didn't find any cancer in the lymph glands.
She won't need chemo but will start the radiotherapy in a few weeks plus hormone therapy for 5 years.
The tumour was 4cm which was much bigger than they first thought. The good news is they got it all out and didn't find any cancer in the lymph glands.
She won't need chemo but will start the radiotherapy in a few weeks plus hormone therapy for 5 years.