Leewales

Hi again, how much is a reasonble amount to set aside for medical cover for me and the wife each month? only a rough guide thanks lee

Colin in the middle

How much do you set aside in the UK?

Not sure what you on about as we dont have any and we have been here over 4 years.

Leewales

i thought all medicals expenses in nz you had to pay for it? here in the uk we have the NHS but as NZ got a simmiular thing? thanks Lee

happynz

Well, there's the ACC which covers you in the case of an accident. It sorted me out a couple of years ago when I snapped my ankle requiring the carpenters in the bone shop to dig into my leg and screw the mess back together. Total cost for surgery, hospital stay and 24 visits to the physiotherapy -- nada! Four months off work as well and they sorted me out with 80% of my salary paid as well. My ankle is fine by the way.
Compared to what I would have got in the States (tie two broomsticks around my leg and hope for the best) ACC is alright in my book.

westiepom

ACC is great and covers most things even physio, if you say you incured your injury while playing a sport it's all free !
I broke my ankle a couple of years ago and all I had to pay was a deposit on a pair of crutches.
You might chose to pay privately for xrays, scans etc. if there's a long wait on the public system... I think they are a few hundred $$
Probably your biggest expense would be at the dentist. I've just paid $360 for one filling and have to have 3 more re done at a cost of $630

If you were thinking about taking out medical insurance, I had fully comp cover with Southern Cross provided by work - for a family of 4 it cost $300 a month. This covered all doctors visits, priscriptions and all the bigger stuff ( maybe worth just just putting that mmount in a savings a/c if you can afford that much in the 1st place ? )
There's no dental cover as such - this policy just provided $400 a year per person and nothing towards orthodontics.

garryhg

hi husband works in health service over here

we are about $150 a month for family of 4,thats 100% cover so we get every penny back . that covers all your x rays and everything else.....

you get different levels of cover at different prices......

your emergency care ifs free,but if you get sent up for x rays or other things i think you have to pay,were with southern cross,they are good and its quite straight forward....

some people don,t bother with insurance ,its a personal choice,but you never no whats round the corner

brujarerdeb

Hi garryhg. I notice that you mention about your husband working in Healthcare. Does this mean that there's a form of medical insurance, or freebie treatment from his work? I ask as my wife is a RGN and would be looking within that sphere?

garryhg

yeh i think we get 6months free cover,hes not quite sussed out any other perks yet...

he used to be able to que jump back home if he had any problems,don,t know if they do that here..

i,m sure it will go on though....
probably not fair on everyone else,but it does save them having long term sickness amongst staff.pays them to speed things up a bit....

brujarerdeb

Ta for that. If he finds out anymore, let me know (Please)

Smiler68

Hi,

It all depends on where you work as well, some employers offer a company scheme, if you work in an insurance company they will probably give you full cover.

When I get more settled I will probably shop around, but girlfriend is with Southern Cross Health Insurance and she recommends them. They are a non-profit organisation and every penny gets re-invested if that makes it any better.

Visit their website at http://www.southerncross.co.nz to see the differnt plans, you can choose from basic plans upto plans which cover you totally, depends on what you want, your ages, fitness, etc. If you don't go to the doctor much now and are young then choose the basic plans, if the opposite choose a better plan and save money.

jackietyfry

Hi guys, question for you before I shoot off to work!
If we were to get PR in NZ and say lived there for 10 years or so and then a pioneering new treatment became available in the UK, would we be able to access that treatment as UK citizens or would we have to pay for it?

I ask cos OH has poor eyesight for which there is no treatment or cure at present but there is a lot of research going on and you never know ....

I guess we want the best of both worlds