What's a fair thing? Talking health insurance

[springyzone]

Just read yesterday about how a lot of women are flooding the public hospital system to have their babies as they can't afford the out of pocket expenses to go private.

But it is not only babies. I have a friend whose husband had prostate cancer. Admittedly, because he went to a specialist as a private patient, he got seen within weeks and that probably saved his life as it was an aggressive cancer.

But after the hospital stay & treatment, they were out of pocket $10,000.

My friend was saying that some scans and tests that he had had before and which were bulk billed at the place he normally went to, when done in a private hospital, he got not a cent back, not even a medicare rebate.

Just recently he has been in hospital with pneumonia and he refused a liver scan. The orderly who came to pick him up said-but you have insurance, you'll be covered. Do you want me to check? 

yes, said our friend.

Orderly came back and said-after rebate you'll only be out of pocket about $190.

But the trouble is, every blood test, every scan, every doctor who saw him-there is always an out of pocket bit (one was $690) and the whole time, he was worried about what this was costing.

If people are paying medicare levy plus private health insurance, surely there could be a cap on how much out of pocket expense there will be per year?

It doesn't seem fair to me that some people get it all free but those who actually pay for insurance get slugged thousands.

[lyndal1838]

I could not agree more....and it is not new.

My Mother has been gone 23 years now but I was incensed at her treatment in the hospital system

I went to visit her a couple of days after she had open heart surgery and she had a new room mate.  The lady was the same age as Mum, had had the same operation done by the same doctor and was obviously receiving the same nursing care and food as Mum.

The big BUT was that the lady was a pensioner and was not paying anything for her hospital stay.  Mum on the other had had top health cover all her life and ended up paying over $10000 for her operation.

It taught me one thing.....use your health cover when it is necessary otherwise go through the hospital system for free.

My Dad was hospitalised after having several mini strokes and he refused to tell them his health fund.  He stayed in for a week for some tests and observation.  As it was Christmas time the tests took longer.  He had to see the specialist  a few weeks after going home and he was told he needed an operation....the best time was within 6 weeks so he decided to go private.  He had his operation within the 6 weeks.

My OH was admitted to hospital with pneumonia and was in for 4 days....he did not give his health fund details so everything was free.

If there was any difficulties he would have used his health fund with the out of pocket expenses.

[bright.ton42]

I don't have private  and last week had to go to Emergency at  the  Alfred for a nasty hand injury.   Was immediately put on the Fast Track list,   over the next week saw  physios,  a specialist,  a Plastic Surgeon   and treated with great care.  Hasn't cost me anything .  A friend told me they are like that with the over 50s,  i don't know,  but the medical  support has been wonderful., could not have been better Private.