Private Health Insurance - how do pensioner's afford it? Do you have it?

[givemeaspell]

I just find the price of private health insurance so expensive, it's something I've always had so I'm too scared not to have it but I look at my elderly parents who struggle to keep it up but are also too scared to let it go in the event they need it (father has health issues).  I believe that there should be some sort of loyalty program, my parents have been in the same health fund for over 50 years, once you turn a certain age how about giving it to them half price or free even? Unless you have made a fair bit of coin before you retire I seriously don't know how people keep paying it.

[kengillard]

both of us have health issues, so we can't afford NOT to have it.  I agree, it's getting more and more expensive...don't know what the answer is

[crystal**flake]

My inlaws have never had it and haven't missed it.

[grandmoon]

It may be worth having a chat with the Insurance company to check on what they are covered for.  And find out if there is anything that they don't need and that they don't need to be paying for.

[cherry*135]

Is it affordable if they only have hospital only cover (no extra cover)?

[daydream**believer]

We dont have it.

I had all my 3 kids in a public hospital and had my own room.

My middle child was in a hospital quite a bit when younger with asthma problems and we never had a problem getting him a bed.

Middle child also needed a nasal operation and we were on a long waiting list to see the specialist but then i found out i could pay to see a private specialist and get bumped to the top of the list and it only cost me $80.00.

Ive used the public hospital for knee physiotherapy twice (no cost) and the hydrotherapy pool during my last pregnancy (no cost).

So, based on all that, what would of been the benefit to me paying for private health cover for the past 13 years?

[grandmoon]

Without being able to go in as a private patient I would still be waiting for my hip replacement that I had 2 1/2 years ago.

[bright.ton42]

Daydream based on what you say I wouldn't see the slightest benefit 

you'd get from private insurance. 🙂

My mother as soon as she got cancer - she was on a pension without 

private health insurance -  she got the very best of medical attention with

top specialists.  I can't remember her neurosurgeon's name but he was one

of the top in Australia.  And it wouldn't just be for cancer, as far as I know

anything really serious is treated very well in the public system, it's the elective

that can have a waiting list though.

But with some elective surgery I think the GP can help to move someone up the

waiting list if they are really suffering.  .  

[kennax_28]

I have had private Health cover since 2000, I am now retired & can no longer afford it, I have labored long & hard over the question, dammed if you do & dammed if you don't. Given the downgrading of cover & the constant increase in fees & I have lived a healthy life to date & don't look like any major surgery is imminent, I have made a decision to dump it & bank the same money in a bank account which pays interest (paltry as that is) so as I will be able to pay the excess if needed. I have had incentives (such as reduced fees for loyalty) so I may as well be loyal only to me. Only downside is I will get now credits for the years I've had it.

[davidc4430]

i dont have it and have never needed it....

but....

i think where it would be helpful is when you get a problem they call non urgent, like you need a knee relacement or hip. you can be left hobbling around in pain for a long time waiting to get into the public system where if you have private you can get in much sooner.

as ive never had anything that needed fixing (yet) i cant swear that this is how it works, only what my father told me many years ago.

ive always recieved the best health cover without private and so did mum and dad. many trips to hospital with dad as he had quite a few strokes.

they did both have their eyes fixed by paying cash as it was going to be a long wait on the public system for that. the op where they remove the lens thing and put in a replacement.