Evelin

I fully agree. If I were a yound person I would take out the cheapest private health cover that there is available for the only person that ages catches up with you. The Lifetime Loading Rule is the biggest issue plus I would want to have the choice to go to hospital when I neend it and not waiting 6 months or so.

Although if someone has dental problems, you are better off with private. In the first few years when we had private, I "made more money" from the private health cover because I needed a lot of dental work done. Additionally you don't have to pay the 1 % medicare levy when earning above a certain income. As I said look for the cheapest.

gsidhu

i didnt think private insurance was worth it, we have no kids at mo.

I just got ambulance cover and joined nobleDentists which gives discounts on dental treatment.

So far i've used medicare for a couple of consultants appointments and an endoscopy, for the total cost of $150. So not bad.

I think though when we get a few nippers we'll probably get private cover.

But at the moment Medicare is fine for us.

Wol

You *are* aware that each year of age that you start over 30 you get a 2% loading on the premiums, are you not? So if you start at say 45, there's an extra 30% on the premium. It maxes out at about 60%-odd.

As a concession if you join up in the first 12 months you are treated as if you're 30, regardless of your biological age.

(Just wish that my own body knew that....)

viviennef

My insurer hates me.

We have super extras and full cover and get more than we pay back and will probably do so for the next 14 years. I am so glad I had it - I only got it because I didnt understand the pregnancy cover without it, I was warned about the levy and so I just got it.

It was a lucky decision for me but even if I didnt have it then you can still join when you have a problem but then wait a year for the benefits for the preexisting condition to kick in

Viv

caliburn

Is it possible to buy the minimum private insurance needed to avoid life time loading and medicare surcharge at the beginning when you are relatively young and later on add extra bells and whistles when you are older? Or, its just that you have to stick to the same kind of coverage all along?

Wendy

Yes, that's possible. Just be aware that changing policies may mean starting from scratch with the waiting periods - ask the company or read the small print to check before you sign up.

caliburn

Thanks Wendy!

caliburn

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I feel I'm much wiser now than before. As it goes also.... wiser men are often more confused...

seayork2002

My mum used to be with Manchester Unity and they were really good (it was a while ago though)

gsidhu

Yes i know, however as we plan on going back to the UK for a while after I get my citizenship next year.

It also doesnt work in our favour to get private insurance as I remember reading on one of the private insurance websites they only allow us to dorment the policy for 3 years, and we plan on going back for longer than that.

Also i think its better to have the money in our pockets in these dodgy times

sparkles.79

Just wanted to share our experiences with medicare.

We had a huge debate when we first arrived about whether or not to get private health insurance (I wanted to but my husband thought it would be a waste of money). As a compromise we agreed to save $200 a month for any medical emergancies that may crop up. We have lived here for just over two years now and in that time I have had a miscarriage and required surgery, then the following year I had a baby but she was premature and required some treatment, my husband is also diabetic and requires on going treatment at hospital for his eyes - all of this has been on medicare. We paid for the odd scan during pregnancy and we pay for my husband's perscriptions which in England he would get for free but that is it. So what I would say is - for us medicare has been great. I do feel guilty sometimes though, feeling like we are clogging up the health system - but that is just me, my husband says I'm daft!

viviennef

My story was a little different in that my baby was prem, I was going private and they switched me public as soon as it all went pear shaped.

My daughter has mild cp and so needs weekly physio, speech, ot etc - none of this is covered on medicare. She has needed lots of small ops -most I have gone public but then twice I ahve been caught where its public or wait and luckily have been able to say - just do whatever you need to do.

If you can afford to pay then its all good but we woudl have been short over the last few years if I didnt have it. But you know we would have got by.

Its the extras cover that pays for itself for me but I never met anyone else who says that - I also have glasses and contacts and I just got a rebate on my gym membership

Viv

nik04

Don't forget the short fall, we pay $160 a month for 3.5 years and i had to have a small operation with medical cover it cost (xrays,doctors & consultants) close to $4000 with no insurance $6000. Only good thing was being dealt with straight away, the down side is as soon as you mention insurance doc's eyes open wide. I am sure they get little brown envelopes passed around, or maybe i am just cynical

viviennef

With kids though, they kind of lose the shortfall sometimes and dont make you pay it. I think they know I have lots of medical expenses. I do pay extra for all the therapies.

usually I havent had to pay hardly anything on top of my claim.

big thank you doctors!

Vivienne