What is the advantage of private health insurance.......

[crystal**flake]

I'm really wondering (again) whether its really is worth it.

I had to go to emergency on the weekend and was there for 13 hours!

I have private health insurance and I'm wondering................why!

I'm after peoples point of view on the advantages of having it.

Also having to go to see specialists too.

[fiestas*girl]

i ahve had several ops and procedures via the emergency department as a public patient and cannot fault my care or the speed i was attended to

i have had pregnancy related services as a private patient and could not fault anything

i abhor anyone who uses casualty as a gp visit. when clearly your 'problem' is better dealt with via your regular gp and not clogging up and wasting valuable resourses in casualty

[cherry*135]

Staff that work in hospitals (nurses etc) know which specialists have bad reputations. Useful if you know one of them and have a choice of specialist for an operation.

If you have private health insurance and are needing a referral from GP for a specialist, the GP's know the best ones to recommend.

[polksaladallie]

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@boris1gary wrote:

Just wondering, is there a list of surgeons rated by their peers that is available for those with private cover?

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I have a list of all GPs and specialists in Queensland, although it is a bit out-of-date now.  I check out how old they are, where they trained etc and decide if I want to use them.

You don't have to go to the specialist that your doctor chooses, you can nominate another.  They still get the kick-back.