Author Topic: Private Health Insurance.  (Read 38909 times)

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Offline kiwipride

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #25 on: July 02, 2015, 07:05:10 AM »
Just like to add. But my wife gets free yearly check ups from a eye specialist chain. Who then will add deals such as your free pair of glasses free. All done with no cover..

quick sums.
Your 20's and 30's = 20yrs.
200 per mth = $2400 per yr
$2400 yr @ 20 yrs = $ 48,000.

That's alot of coin.
IF and IF you did pay that $200 per month into yr home loan or something I FEEL someone could be better off.

Sitting in hospital now just had TDR. We joined Private Bupa one year ago. With out insurance this OP alone would have cost over $40,000. Or a 4-6 year public wait.

So, yes $48k over 20 years is a lot but are you banking on not needing major surgery until you have saved up for 20 Years?

By the way, my 23 other OP's were all public with minimal waiting,

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« Last Edit: July 02, 2015, 07:11:45 AM by kiwipride »
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Offline alnjan

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #26 on: July 02, 2015, 10:45:34 AM »
Have always had private cover and yes it cost a lot but once we needed it, sure glad we had it.  Jan was diagnosed with cancer in her right femur.  After major surgery to remove 23cm of the femur and basically reconstruct her right leg, a fortnight in Hospital after the op, heaps of physio to learn to walk again, follow up op a year later with another week in Hospital and more ongoing physio, not to mention the ongoing chronic pain afterwards, we are glad to have had the cover.  We still have top cover as there is still more, albeit benign growth still in the knee section of the remaining femur.  Not to mention all the other medical stuff between us. 

Yes you could save the same amount as the expense of Private Cover and try and save it or pay off mortgage but, that first op, the best we could tally up the bills for Hospital, two teams of specialist Drs plus other medical expenses came in of $200k.  Yes we are broke and still with a mortgage but it has been 17 years since that fateful day and the best part about it is we are still together enjoying each day.
Cheers

Al and/or Jan

Offline gronk

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #27 on: July 02, 2015, 10:51:44 AM »
Sitting in hospital now just had TDR. We joined Private Bupa one year ago. With out insurance this OP alone would have cost over $40,000. Or a 4-6 year public wait.

So, yes $48k over 20 years is a lot but are you banking on not needing major surgery until you have saved up for 20 Years?

By the way, my 23 other OP's were all public with minimal waiting,

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I don't know what a TDR is mate, but with a total of 24 ops, you have had some pretty bad luck in your life..... :'(

( ps; the best I could come up with was a Total Dick Reconstruction ?? )

But I hope that didn't offend you.....and if you can, maybe you'll get a laugh out of it ??   :cheers:
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Offline kiwipride

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #28 on: July 02, 2015, 01:43:50 PM »
I don't know what a TDR is mate, but with a total of 24 ops, you have had some pretty bad luck in your life..... :'(

( ps; the best I could come up with was a Total Dick Reconstruction ?? )

But I hope that didn't offend you.....and if you can, maybe you'll get a laugh out of it ??   :cheers:

LOL. My TDR is Total Disc Replacement. (Neck)
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Offline oldmate

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #29 on: July 02, 2015, 01:59:19 PM »
I don't know what a TDR is mate, but with a total of 24 ops, you have had some pretty bad luck in your life..... :'(

( ps; the best I could come up with was a Total Dick Reconstruction ?? )

But I hope that didn't offend you.....and if you can, maybe you'll get a laugh out of it ??   :cheers:

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Offline fishfinder

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #30 on: July 02, 2015, 02:27:59 PM »
We have health cover, not top cover but for dental and eyes. My daughter had dental work done in WA and out of $9000 we were able to claim $6500 back through health insurance.so we were out of pocket $2500 The WA awfuldontist said the continual treatment is Australia wide and we need not to pay no more. Well we shifted to Tasmania shortly after and apparently Tasmania is not part of Australia and they do not continue the treatment so we had to pay an extra $6500 to continue the treatment and was unable to claim back on insurance as we have already made a claim. So is it worth it ????
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Offline Moggy

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #31 on: July 02, 2015, 06:11:41 PM »
Pmsl, and this time doc can we make it bigger, fatter and bad'r then you ever have before  ;D
Now that made me smile

I gotta get private health insurance

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Offline slydar

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #32 on: July 02, 2015, 06:54:41 PM »
did anyone read about the pensioner who is paying private health but has been told that his cover 'no longer pays' for so much of what he had done on his last hospital trip? he has or has to lose an arm to cancer to stop it spreading and has about six months to live if he doesn't have the surgery

Offline krisandkev

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #33 on: July 03, 2015, 06:52:51 AM »
did anyone read about the pensioner who is paying private health but has been told that his cover 'no longer pays' for so much of what he had done on his last hospital trip? he has or has to lose an arm to cancer to stop it spreading and has about six months to live if he doesn't have the surgery

If it is true there may be a lot more to that story?  If it is true......  Kevin
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Offline Redcherokee

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #34 on: July 03, 2015, 08:24:57 PM »
We did this process a year or so ago and went full hospital but absolutely no extras.  Looked at the extras we would actually claim, and realised there was just no way we could claim more than the cost of the cover for the things we are likely to use.  Including maximum massages and glasses etc. 

Seriously, have a look at how much you can claim (eg $60 per physio to a max of $X) and see if you can win.


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Offline 99disco

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Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #35 on: July 05, 2015, 04:57:56 PM »
^^^
We've not got private health at all and although I've often earned good money and pay a fairly big Medicare levy the private health never adds up for us (I've done the maths every financial year).

At the end of the day they are an insurance company, their am is to make money not for you to win.



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Offline alnjan

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #36 on: July 08, 2015, 10:13:32 PM »
Hi, I'm the Jan part of alnjan, I know Al has already put a little bit about me, but I thought I'd just add to it a little...

As Al said, I was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer in the right femur (that's the big bone in the top of the leg, it's surprising how many folks don't know that, so I'm not trying to be a smart arse or anything).  In the nine weeks from the first xray to the 13 hour op where I got a new leg, there were countless tests and scans, a lot of which weren't covered by medicare at the time.  We're talking hundreds of dollars for each test.  So being a public or private patient would still have meant we had to pay for it all; having private health insurance meant we could claim some of it back.

The big difference though, for my particular circumstance was the LEG I ended up with.  The cancer was so advanced, that I was having surgery asap, private or public, that wouldn't have made much difference...at least I hope not, because I was pretty damn close to not seeing my kids birthdays apparently.  The big difference was the way they went about fixing me up.  You see, I now have someone else's bone in my leg.

I had experimental surgery, where 23cm of my own femur was removed and a donor-bone grafted in to replace it.  My fibula (the small bone from the back of the calf) was also removed and grafted alongside the donor-bone to provide live bone from the top to the bottom of my leg.  A bloody huge plate holds it all in securely from hip to knee, where the pronged end is bent at right angles and belted into holes drilled into the top of my knee.  I had to go back a few months later to have the top graft redone, as the graft hadn't taken the first time around, and a second plate was put over it to help hold everything as still as possible.

In the public system, IF I was lucky I would have had a metal rod put in the place of my femur, which would have had to be removed within 5 years because the ends of the rod would have worn away at the bone shaft to which it would be anchored.  And then my leg would be amputated.  But I would have had a few more years of having a full leg.  If I wasn't so lucky, my leg would have been amputated there and then.

The care I received during the two weeks in the private hospital was unbelievable.  Each nurse only had 4 patients per shift; one high-needs and ranging down to the fourth one due for discharge.  I had my own room and private bathroom.  Alan was allowed to be with me from sun-up to late at night - I can never express how important his continued presence and support was to me, and I'm grateful he was allowed to stay with me.

And that's the difference between the two systems.  And do you know they are STILL amputating people's legs for similar bone tumours?  STILL!  WHY?  The only answer that comes to mind is the difference between the public and the private health systems.

Eighteen years later, and I'm still walking around on my donated bone.  I've had several 'maintenance operations' over that time, and will continue to do so all my life.  But I've lived to see my kids grow, I've played backyard cricket with them - although watching me try to run is a belly-laugh, I've even walked our daughter "down the aisle, with Al on the other side of her. And I'm looking forward to seeing our son married soon. These are things that almost slipped away from me.

I know my story is on the other end of the 'normal day to day' range, but trust me, these things happen.  We had been talking about dropping our health cover only a few months before all my 'leg business' happened.  Now, of course, we don't dare drop it, because the mechanics of my leg require specialist attention - even the simple knee replacement I will need in the future won't be so simple, as they will have to design a special joint to hold my plate anchored, and Lord knows what will happen to the fibula stump where all the muscles in my calf were anchored. But that's in the future, and I refuse to worry about it.  For now, there's a lot of Australia to explore, and I can do it on my own two legs...well, my own one and a half legs and a borrowed other half! ;-)

Jan
xxxx 
Cheers

Al and/or Jan

Offline areyonga

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #37 on: July 09, 2015, 08:19:17 PM »
Anyone looking for private health cover should look at Defence Health, I am on top hospital and top extras and paying a lot less that the replies are quoting.  While there is a limit on who can join, it is very open and if a sibling, grandfather, father or mother etc was in defence, or a defence contractor or civilian in defence you can join.  It is non profit and the returns are good.
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Offline Nomad

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #38 on: July 09, 2015, 08:45:11 PM »
Your nothing short of a legend Jan.
 :cup:

Offline Redcherokee

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #39 on: July 09, 2015, 09:12:03 PM »
Wow, that is an amazing story, Jan.

Glad you are still around. 


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Offline alnjan

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #40 on: July 09, 2015, 09:52:53 PM »
lol I never thought of my being a legend, been too busy getting on with the job of living and enjoying every moment that I can, but thanks guys.  I have to admit, my "little" turned out to be quite a bit bigger when I'd finished writing...and I trimmed it down, would you believe!

Jan
xxxx
Cheers

Al and/or Jan

Offline edz

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #41 on: July 09, 2015, 10:46:43 PM »
I know this isnt the what made you smile thread, but you damwell made me smile .. Love ya spirit Jan. :cup:
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Offline Bird

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #42 on: March 09, 2017, 02:44:03 PM »
Chick at work saying her medibank is going up to $466 a month for her and hubby!

I can see thousands dropping off this gig like a brides nighty
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Offline LB

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #43 on: March 09, 2017, 03:03:02 PM »
Have to admit we have great cover through the mine my husband works at. We pay about $250 per month for the second top hospital with a $250 Excess. With out extra's we pay only 15% of the bill and have huge limits. Told my husband he will be working there till retirement. It also covers my children till they are 25.
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Offline trinityalyce

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #44 on: March 09, 2017, 03:31:05 PM »
Jan, that's an incredible story. So glad that it all worked out the way it did for you.

The whole debate over private room vs not issue can really depend on the hospital facilities, staff available, all sorts of things. So the level of care some will get as a private patient in some hospitals in some areas will be amazing, and in other areas may not differ pretty much at all from the level of care you'd get as a public patient. At least that's my understanding on it...

I have some degree of hospital and extras cover, and I do make sure I use it as much as I can! You have to make it work for you to get the benefit from it - you're paying the premiums so you may as well!

I also have a strong view that in some cases you get what you pay for in the medical system. I've been to bulk bill doctors I wouldn't trust (well I've been to non-bulk billing GPs I wouldn't trust either...), and choose to pay to see my doctor. I've had similar terrible experiences with an optometrist who bulk billed my eye exam then told me I needed glasses (which I didn't, so it turns out... what a waste of money which sadly I handed over being young and naive back then!). I apply that view to everything when it comes to my health. Maybe you will have out of pocket expenses, but I'd rather trust the opinions given to me when it comes to something as important as my own health.
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Offline LB

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #45 on: March 09, 2017, 04:06:13 PM »
I really do struggle with this, you are happy to pay insurance on your car but not for yourself and your family.

My son need urgent surgery or could have ended up with permanent issues on his hand many years ago due to a rubgy accident. It was considered non urgent via the public system so it would have been 6 - 12 months wait. To have paid for it through private would have cost 15K. That is not including all the physio afterwards. Thank you to our health insurance surgery was done in less than a week no out of pocket and we only paid $20 for each physio session.

Next week I am have a knee reconstruction which I would have had to wait 12 - 18 months through the public system. That could have meant around 2 years before I could return to the SES Field work. Now I will be back in 6-9 months. Would have been looking around the 15k for this as well out of pocket $1000.

I even have health insurance on my dog.

I do this so I never have to make a choice about the health and safety of my family.
« Last Edit: March 09, 2017, 04:16:31 PM by LB »
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Offline Pete79

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #46 on: March 09, 2017, 04:41:44 PM »
Just read this thread from the beginning, some interesting comments in there.
After I made a post in the rant thread I was starting to think I was the only one that knew this private cover thing was a scam. Apparently there are others that see through the blanket of fear that covers this insurance industry.

And my take on the bulk bill V non-bulk bill thing.
The local GP in our little country town parks his Porsche at the back door of the surgery, you look at it as you walk towards the examination room as a friendly reminder why he doesn't bulk bill.
The level of care is average at best and the level of contempt shown by the receptionist is disgusting.

So I choose to drive 20 minutes to the closest GP that does bulk bill. I get awesome care there and I even get spoken to like a real person every time I walk in the door.

My personally experience has been, the GPs that do bulk bill are there to help with the health needs of the community.
The GPs that don't bulk bill are there to make money, and lots of it...

Offline LB

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #47 on: March 09, 2017, 05:22:46 PM »
Just to point out GPs have nothing to do with the private health system that is totally to do with Medicare. My doctor bulk bills and she is amazing. That's a doctor by doctor thing.

Private health insurance whilst maybe over priced but it is not a scam.

My mum was diagnosed with cancer at 44 years of age, prior I don't think she had had a sick day in her life. She had always insisted on private health insurance even though they had little money. Dad told me if it hadn't been for the private health insurance he would have gone bankrupt.

Not everything is available under the public system, which Jan highlighted earlier. In my mothers case things were done that were considered unnecessary in the eyes of the public system, so would not have happened with out the insurance to cover the cost. My mothers quality of life was hugely improved by those treatments. One was a hip replacement that had been caused by bone cancer.

Like any insurance you always hope that nothing will go wrong, but Shit happens and like having your house burnt down there would be very few people who regardless how much they had put away could cover that. Sometimes medical bills can rake up to more than a house.

So if your prepared to take the risk that's your choice, but I hate nothing more (as I have heard it from my friends) is complaint about waiting lists, dentist bills, glasses for the kids etc  because they chose not to have insurance.

Its not a scam its insurance
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Offline Rumpig

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #48 on: March 09, 2017, 05:58:11 PM »
How funny is that...whilst reading this thread my misses walks up to me and says, "we need to either look st changing our health insurance or look at cancelling it".....she just mentioned what our new fortnightly cost is going up to...reckon we might be cancelling it soon.
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Offline Bird

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Re: Private Health Insurance.
« Reply #49 on: March 09, 2017, 06:23:30 PM »
Quote from: LB
I really do struggle with this, you are happy to pay insurance on your car but not for yourself and your family.
$460 a month is $600 out of reach of many families, no matter what sort of warm and fuzzy story you put infront of it - and that price I mentioned is 2 60+ yr olds, no kids.
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