Private Health Insurance

[lurker17260]

I just tried to make a claim for the podiatry consultation I had last week.  No, not covered.  I see IVF is though. 

Now, which one do you think a couple in their 50s & 60s is more likely to use?

[punch*drunk]

It would be hard to let go of Debra if your husband already has heart problems. A friend of mine needs new valves and doesnt have private insurance, if he chooses to pay to get it doen quicker, it will cost him around $50,000. His family have offered to pay for him, but the specialist says there is no rush and he will get in soon enough through the public system, which is lucky. Same surgeon either way.

[purple_haize]

If you dont have insurance and go the public system and you are on a waiting list for whatever & you get worse, they do put you in. Hospitals do have beds for such patients.

I have always gone the public system, have had 2 very big operations and in both cases, had my own surgeon, and a room on my own.

My two grandies because of problems are under the care of the top paediatrician at monash & dont pay anything.

The only one that has private insurance in my/OH's family is my mother in law, but she gets no better treatment than those that go public and she is aways out of pocket, so much so, that she is giving it up.

[debra9275]

thanks Punch I think you've just helped me to decide

PH that's what worries me, having to wait if something goes wrong, I saw a relative go through hell waiting for an OP

[purple_haize]

Deb, I was told when I was waiting for one of my operations, that if you are on the waiting list, and you get worse, they put you in straight away.....

My sister in law doesnt have insurance and was a waiting list, she got worse one night & they put her in straight away, no problems. That was early this year.

They are not about to let someone die, just because they dont have insurance.

My opinion of the health insurance system is that it is a big rip off, they say you should have it to get the *best* treatment, which isnt true.

[punch*drunk]

I think it all depends on the surgery needed.

Life threatening should always get in ahead of anyone else.

My friends mum needed a hip replacement and was in excruciating pain, but her wait was so long (years) that she ended up paying to go private.

My husband tore his bicep tendon off and although not life threatening or particularly painful, if its not fixed within 3-4 weeks the tendon shrinks away too much to be reattached. So they got him in within a couple of weeks.

[punch*drunk]

A friend of mine cancelled her private insurance when she had her first child by emergency cesarian. The anaethetist had to visit twice and because she went into labour on 30th June and her son was born on 1st July, she got charged the excess fee twice. Once for each finacial year.

[cezm]

A couple of months ago I got private insurance for me and my son (23yr old dependant). The last time I had it was 23 years ago! Every year I have been debating the pros and cons with myself but as we have been able to get quite a bit back at tax time we have never done it until now. Now those rules have changed and we will receive a much reduced refund so it was time ...

I did a lot of research on the internet but it was very difficult to compare and many of the options didn't suit us. In the end I narrowed it down to 2 and went into their offices and told them what we needed and got a quote. The prices were totally different to anything quoted on the comparison website. In the end it came down to customer service! I negotiated that they waive the 2 and 6 month waiting period and went off to the physio that afternoon!

Having had arthroscopies on both knees to bide time, and needing replacements, I foresee that I will get my monies worth. Our priorities were hospital + physio, dentist, optomotrist and psych - so thats what we got. Our premium is $122pf (corporate rate).

Ultimately I have tried to change my mindset to acknowledge that it is insurance ... and like every other insurance I have, I hope I don't need to use it ...

On reflection it was perhaps ridiculous that we had comprehensive insurance for 2 cars, house and contents, income protection insurance and trauma insurance and yet no insurance on our health costs. Given the luck we've had in the past 3 years - twice flooded and 2 not-at-fault car accidents I am a bit relieved to have medical insurance ... you just never know ....

[twinkles**stars]

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@punch*drunk wrote:

A friend of mine cancelled her private insurance when she had her first child by emergency cesarian. The anaethetist had to visit twice and because she went into labour on 30th June and her son was born on 1st July, she got charged the excess fee twice. Once for each finacial year.

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When I had chemo I had to pay the excess every week! It was considered a new admission....same with the radiation. Out of pocket $10,000. Had I been a public patient, admittedly I would have had to travel a further 20 minutes but no out of pocket expenses.

We sent many letters to HBA  outlining it was one treatment over many months.

[azureline**]

I was not covered by insurance when I had surgery/chemo/radiation. I was not required to pay anything at all, not even accommodation for 6 weeks in Brisbane. My OH had to pay a small amount for his accommodation though. I had surgery immediately cancer was found.

[catsnknots]

With private health insurance you need to constantly talk to your provider and ask them "is this covered" 

I will be going for a hysterectomy in the near future and expect to be covered... I do not have OBGYN cover... but this is not an OBGYN problem... 

If I am not covered I will be furious as I knew it woudl eventually come up and I asked specifically to be covered.... 

OP.. change to a better fund.. make some calls and you will get equal or better coverage from elsewhere. the fund you are in now should have called you up and said "considering your age you really should look at a different cover".... 

all of your waiting times will flow over to the new fund... you do not have to go for waiting periods again.