Private Health Insurance.

[Julian Kaye]

50% of people pay no net tax.....

   Too much middle-class welfare. Child care, family allowances and dare I say it, Medicare. Governments have been telling us for over 40 years not to look after yourselves, we will do it for you for free, it's why the country is an economic basket case.

[richo9923]

I used to have private health cover, yes it was top lever cover with all the bells and whistles with HBA, when I took it out from memory it was about $120 a fornight (before the govt rebate), within 2 years it had risen to over $250 a fortnight, now maybe somewhere out in this world there is someone that had the same level of increase in their wage as that but I certainly didn't.

During the 2 years of having the cover I attempted to make 3 claims, and I say attempted because all three were rejected for various reasons.

1) I had a very serious eye infection that caused me to be off work for 4 weeks, and multiple trips to the eye clinic, now the eye clinic was close to $200 per visit and they did not bulk bill, so I had to pay on the day and try and reclaim the money, first I went to Medicare who gave me just under $70 back saying that you get a rebate on the recommended fee and if the eye clinic charge more than what medicare think is fair then you just have to suck it up, so I went to HBA and asked if they would cover the gap, short answer was NO its covered by medicare so we don't cover it!

2) which is related to number 1, part of the policy was income protection, at that time I was a casual employee at work, when I tried to claim the income protection due to being off work for 4 weeks, you guessed it, sorry sir as your a casual there is no income to protect...

3) I was involved in a car crash, which although I required no medical treatment, as a result an ambulance arrived so I was sent a bill for over $1000 from NSW ambulance, for an ambulance that I didn't even step into yet the driver at fault was taken away in, anyway contact HBA as the policy had ambo cover, the reply "sorry sir due the ambulance being part of a vehicle accident you'll need to get the car insurance to pay" which of course is never as easy as it sounds as they wanted a form signed by a doctor who wanted to charge me nearly what the ambulance bill was for doing so, which the insurance said they wouldn't pay. NSW ambulance wouldn't just take the payment from me as I had private health cover, it was a nightmare to say the least, however TAC paid the bill no questions asked because I was in a VIC registered car.

So needless to say my HBA cover was canceled, since canceling I've had medical bills as a result of the car crash and a work place accident, TAC have paid for everything associated with the crash including paying my wage for any time off work so I've not had to take my sick leave from work, and the Workcover insurer has done exactly the same.

Now I'm not saying priv health cover isn't worth it, as I know people that have it and use it and are more than happy with it, however I'm prepared to to take my chances, and now knowing that for most things there are always ways and means to get the treatment you need at a much reduced time frame and cost, its just a case of doing your homework.

[Pete79]

Terry Barnes, a former health advisor to Tony Abbott, warned there was a lot at stake, particularly if consumers started turning away from private cover.

"It is important that those people feel [like they're] getting value for money, or they'll drop out," he said.

"When the younger drop out, that leaves older and sicker using services and claiming, and that's when premiums really spiral up.

"That's where [the] real tipping point will actually be."

http://abc.net.au/news/2017-03-15/health-insurance-ceos-could-be-summoned-to-senate-inquiry/8357250?pfmredir=sm

[Bird]

Terry Barnes, a former health advisor to Tony Abbott, warned there was a lot at stake, particularly if consumers started turning away from private cover.

"It is important that those people feel [like they're] getting value for money, or they'll drop out," he said.

"When the younger drop out, that leaves older and sicker using services and claiming, and that's when premiums really spiral up.

"That's where [the] real tipping point will actually be."

I bet hes on big money to think like that...

[Pete79]

I bet hes on big money to think like that...

It did say he was a former advisor to Tony Abbott.

[Pete79]

And we get another step closer to the US heath system, insurers are winning this war......

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-04/health-insurers-accused-of-anti-competitive-conduct/8414328

The ADA believes insurance call centre staff are pushing patients to use their contracted dentists, and increasingly to visit so-called super-clinics, run by the insurers themselves.

The Hicaps machines at dental clinics register every claim that is made and feed the information back to health insurers, which can find out what clinics are charging and how much money they are making.

If insurers are in the business of owning clinics as well, it means they know everything about their competition.

Nope, nothing wrong with this system....

[Fizzie]

Nope, nothing wrong with this system....

No, no, nothing at all wrong...

After all, the boss of Private Healthcare Australia says that everything with their system is fine, so that should reassure you, shouldn't it

[Pete79]

http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/same-surgery-different-surgeon-huge-variations-in-outofpocket-costs-for-orthopaedic-operations-20170814-gxvppb.html

[gronk]

http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/same-surgery-different-surgeon-huge-variations-in-outofpocket-costs-for-orthopaedic-operations-20170814-gxvppb.html

Bit like going to a mechanic, pick one that is good and also charges the right price.

I recently had a colonoscopy, by a well renowned doctor, who doesn't charge out of pocket expenses, in a private hospital ( I have basic hospital cover ).
If I wasn't in a fund, the same doctor would have referred me to a public hospital ( waiting list I presume ), BUT, he wouldn't do the procedure, an intern would.
Now, the "good" doctor has a failure rate of 1 in 10,000, but there was no way I would let an apprentice shove something up me with the potential of an operation to fix up any stuffup !!

So, private insurance has some advantages, but so does the public system if you are prepared to wait for a procedure....and possibly get a bush mechanic to work on you !! 

[03GV]

And we get another step closer to the US heath system, insurers are winning this war......

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-04/health-insurers-accused-of-anti-competitive-conduct/8414328


Nope, nothing wrong with this system....

Heard on local radio that some dentists were pushing unnecessary dental work at bupa dental clinics. Some people had got second opinions and it was at odds with what the bupa clinics said.

[Rumpig]

So, private insurance has some advantages, but so does the public system if you are prepared to wait for a procedure....and possibly get a bush mechanic to work on you !! 

i got lucky years ago in the public health system whilst seeing an eye doctor / Professor. There was no waiting required and I was operated on by the Professor himself all for free (I was awake for one op and saw him doing the cutting)...my wife works for Medicare and processed a customer of his claim that saw him privately, she commented that we couldn't afford to see him privately...lol

[Julian Kaye]

i got lucky years ago in the public health system whilst seeing an eye doctor / Professor. There was no waiting required and I was operated on by the Professor himself all for free (I was awake for one op and saw him doing the cutting)...my wife works for Medicare and processed a customer of his claim that saw him privately, she commented that we couldn't afford to see him privately...lol

    The same old story, people think that health care by some miracle is "free".  There is a mighty chunk of mine and your tax that goes towards paying for this "free" healthcare, and plenty of people who earn enough so that they could and should contribute to their own health care. Just the sort of attitude that is sending this country broke.

[Rumpig]

    The same old story, people think that health care by some miracle is "free".  There is a mighty chunk of mine and your tax that goes towards paying for this "free" healthcare, and plenty of people who earn enough so that they could and should contribute to their own health care. Just the sort of attitude that is sending this country broke.

get off your high horse, it was an off the cuff remark....obviously the cost is coming from our taxes FFS...I pay plenty of tax and have private health cover that costs my family a motza each year, you aren't the only person paying tax on this forum you know 
The way you carry on here at times is the very reason I know several forum members no longer frequent this site...it's getting rather old actually, and I'm heading the same way as them. This used to be a nice friendly forum, but these days it more feels like people like yourself just want to take pot shots at other posters all the time.

[Bad Scott]

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Pete79]

Watch this space.

Young people are going to save average $32 per year off their $1800+ premiums. Awesome!

Sorry hippies, your Tai Che and acupuncture isn't going to covered any more.

But the kicker goes right to heaps and heaps of previous posts in here. No more cheap hips and knees for the oldies.

Sounds fantastic, sign me up.....

[Craig Tomkinson]

Hi All, My wife and I have been with Bupa for over 20 years, Great thing, In our case we had to have it as our first two kids are IVF took around 10 years to make them, so yes I am a wanker, The twins were born over three months premature and just legal at around 30cm long. they spent two month in the Mater in intensive care in Brisvages that cost around $26,000 each then one month in Selangor  private in Nambour that coat around $10.000 for both, they have both just turned 18, Then my wife had many opps over the years associated with having babies that another 25 grand worth, So we will keep paying to put money back in as we oh a lot to it, Craig   

[Bird]

Watch this space.

Young people are going to save average $32 per year off their $1800+ premiums. Awesome!

Im excited!!

[Pete79]

Im excited!!

Remember what life was like way, way, way back in 2015?

The absolute top end of the discounts being offered to young people will take their premiums back to what they paid 2 years ago.....

[shanegtr]

    The same old story, people think that health care by some miracle is "free".  There is a mighty chunk of mine and your tax that goes towards paying for this "free" healthcare, and plenty of people who earn enough so that they could and should contribute to their own health care. Just the sort of attitude that is sending this country broke.

People who earn enough are contributing to there own health care costs via the medicare levy anyway - I paid more in medicare levy than I did in private health insurance costs last year (actually thats not hard since my employer pays for most of my health insurance). My medicare levy last financal year was $2900 so Im not excatly getting "free" medical care.

[Bird]

Good to see it going up by upto 200 a year for families and Gov co says that's ok, its not as much as last time... 

they'll be dropping out like flies this time.

[Pottsy]

Each to their own when it comes to healthcare, I have had private healthcare since I turned 16 back in 1976, always with the same provider and yes it is expensive but if I were to add up all the premiums and gap payments etc against all the cost of treatments, I reckon I'd still be in front. The wife is set to undergo Deeep Brain Stimulation surgery in the next twelve months, not sure of the costs but you can guarantee it won't be cheap, then a knee replacement, again not cheap, plus all allied visits to specialists etc for Parkinsons and I would not be without private health. Ops for the wife and I alone over the years total in excess of twelve, plus dental, chiro, physio, and three kids.
We will continue with private health but I also could not blame anyone for dropping out or never having it.
My younger brother, 54, just this week had mis first ever stay in hospital, just an overnighter and he has been prepared to go without private health cover.
It's insurance cover, like house, fire, theft and even termite protection, all needs to be assessed individually.

[Bird]

12,000 more have dropped out in 3 months... and another 5% increase coming in April...

"More than 12,000 Australians ditched their hospital cover in the three months to last December, new figures show, as a separate survey suggests the key reason was they felt it wasn't worth the money."

“With premiums up approximately 70 per cent over the past decade alongside of policies with a growing number of loopholes, it is clear private health insurance is no longer a good value option for many people,” said Choice's Tom Godfrey.

“With wage growth remaining static, more people are feeling pressure on their household budget and are rightly questioning whether they need to pay for health insurance.”

The more that drop out the more it will cost the poor ****ers still paying, = more that cannot afford it... and the circle of death continues. Like wages and essentials etcx.

[plusnq]

12,000 more have dropped out in 3 months... and another 5% increase coming in April...

"More than 12,000 Australians ditched their hospital cover in the three months to last December, new figures show, as a separate survey suggests the key reason was they felt it wasn't worth the money."

“With premiums up approximately 70 per cent over the past decade alongside of policies with a growing number of loopholes, it is clear private health insurance is no longer a good value option for many people,” said Choice's Tom Godfrey.

“With wage growth remaining static, more people are feeling pressure on their household budget and are rightly questioning whether they need to pay for health insurance.”

The more that drop out the more it will cost the poor ****ers still paying, = more that cannot afford it... and the circle of death continues. Like wages and essentials etcx.

And more that are on the broken public health system.

[Bird]

And more that are on the broken public health system.

[callmejoe]

Thats alot of drop out..
Another issue i find with these system is a lack of loyalty.
Parent inlaws paided out for 20 plus odd years for private health cover, and never needed it but banked on the belief they'll benifit from it in there later years.......AND THIS IS WHERE THE PROBLEM STARTED..
Once they retired they tired to maintain there private cover, but the rapid rate it has increase was never forseen so never budgeted for and its became unaffordable..
So now at the ripe age of 70 plus and  where THEY thought the private scheme they paid so dearly for would have paid for it self has failed well and truely....... Once you stop paying it all gone all over rover...
Butttt the positive, since dropping it a few things have had to be rebuilt, as it public, no out of pocket, still have little waiting time and they where happy with the service....if they knew now what they do now they WOULD HAVE NEVER bothered with a scheme such as "private" health cover.

But this is more of a heads up to those who do have private cover to calculate IF you can still afforded it once you do retire and  believe this is when you could most benifit from it. etc..