Private Health Insurance.

[Ausfree]

Is Private Health Insurance getting too expensive for the average worker???

Health Minister Peter Dutton approves 6.2 per cent increase to health insurance premiums next year - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-23/nib-to-lift-health-insurance-premiums-by-nine-per-cent/5172326)

[Ausfree]

Yeah I have gone and accidently posted this in the wrong area, waiting for Mods to move it. Silly me!!!:p Now moved......thanks Mods!!!

[Roverlord off road spares]

Who can really afford it these days.
We dropped out 12 years ago, it became too expensive.
Every tax time some of the insurance so call selectors advertise you'll have to pay more tax if you earn over $X, the the extra tax paid is a lot less that what the insurance policy would have been it's always scare tactics to get people to sign up.
Ok you can pick a hospital and doctor, but we found the specialist always seem to charge more than what your insurance pays. Funny that they all think they are worth more than the allowed fee.
But it does have some advantages
My sister is on the waiting list to get her knees replaced, at 50 they reckon she's too young and has to wait.
My mate Army all his life and in his 50's still has to wait , too young they say.
My other mate needs a hip replacement, he has health insurance but had to wait a year, he will get it soon after the 12 month exclusion.

My sister has to suffer on the public system and can hardly walk,and in extreme pain as bones rub against one another, and doesn't have the $30K the surgeon wanted, so he told her tiff tiff put yourself on the public system , but he refuses to operate in a public hospital and wait

My Army mate, would have thought the Gov't would pay for it.

what do you do if you can't afford it, you suffer!!!!!

[Slunnie]

I've had it for a long time now, and will continue to have it. It suits me and I'm lucky enough to be able to have it.

[WhiteD3]

Is Private Health Insurance getting too expensive for the average worker???

On a day to day basis yes, but all it takes is one thing to happen and you're in front (or not behind).

In the last 17 years we've had 2 kids born, 4 operations and countless trips to the dentist (by me :( ) and while the premiums scare the smelly stuff out of me, we are still way out in front.

Last op for the Mrs was over 10k and cost us < 2K.

[Ean Austral]

We have it for many years and will continue to do so.


Between the kids births, braces, glasses and continued visits to the dentist for us its been a real asset.


There are a lot of things I will go with out before I drop private health.




Cheers Ean

[scarry]

We have had it for many years as well.

Luckily we took it out,wifes idea, once we could afford it.

a few years later had a son who was very sick for many years,so it well and truly paid for itself.

I have also had a couple of stays in hospital,one bill was $7k,i paid $150.

Like any insurance,it is getting more expensive,so you have to decide if it is for you.There are many people around that don't have it.

One of my brothers can afford it but doesn't have it.

I recon he is stupid,has two young kids,but that is just my 2 cents worth.

[jboot51]

I have private cover.
Made a claim 2 weeks ago for prescription glasses, entitled to $200 refund per year, which is fairly poor going, considering I could also claim $400 for AROMATHERAPY/year.

[Keithy P38]

Not to mention the free teeth cleaning every year, plus your own room at hospital!

As expensive as it is I think it's worthwhile.

[Reads90]

We have had it for many years as well.



Luckily we took it out,wifes idea, once we could afford it.



a few years later had a son who was very sick for many years,so it well and truly paid for itself.



I have also had a couple of stays in hospital,one bill was $7k,i paid $150.



Like any insurance,it is getting more expensive,so you have to decide if it is for you.There are many people around that don't have it.



One of my brothers can afford it but doesn't have it.



I recon he is stupid,has two young kids,but that is just my 2 cents worth.




I think when you have kids then is good to have. We have two boys both who had to have their tonsils out in last year on private

I am lucky to have a good work one. We have to pay but get a good discount on a top of the range Bupa one and the company pays the Hospital excess

As said I would do without other things before getting rid of health insurance.

With two boys good know what I might need it for in the future.

[Pickles2]

We've always had it.
My mum, who was a pensioner, always had it. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she got the very best of attention.
I know it's getting expensive, but with increasing wages, medical costs, ALWAYS going up, like everything else, it sure ain't gonna get any cheaper.
Cheers, Pickles.

[R Miller]

we have private health insurance,


our first 2 kids were born under the private, it still cost us a few grand after we paid for all the scans, the obstrictian appointments, the hospital booking fees, and a few other things along the way,


then the doctors delivering the babies want everything done there way, which was really uncomfortable for my wife, once the babies were born they made her stay in for a few days each time, she did not want to be there, and was asking to go home as all the checks had been done and were all passed


our 3rd born fella was under the public system, the hospital wasn't as nice a new and fresh looking, im sure it was just as clean, just not as modern, the nurses were more helpful, we even had a student nurse appointed to us who would call to check on my wife and just make sure she was doing well the whole way through delivery. Once the baby was deliverd we went to a small room, where there was a bed for my wife, and a school chair for me to sit in, all the check were done and dusted by 9am, and my wife had the option to go home then, so we went home to get her settled into her routine and back to normal life with 3 kids under 3Yo...


I think if we decide to go again we will go public, and only switch over to private if it looks like there will be complications

[richard4u2]

when my brother fronted up for treatment for his cancer treatment he put down private and the hospital told him to go public as this would be free he did and got the same treatment as private

[loanrangie]

Too expensive and they hit you for extra's, guy i worked with had private for first child birth which cost 15k extra because of complications, 2nd child in public system cost him nothing - yeah thats worth it.

[sheerluck]

We've had PHI since we arrived here a few years ago, and have questioned the wisdom of having it several times. Apart from a few dental visits, we use our allowance for optical every year ($400 for the family of four, which goes nowhere), we'd used our physio allowance for the first time this year ($250, which lasted 3 sessions).

For the hospital part, the only occasion we'd had to use it was when my wife was admitted to hospital after being attacked by a pair of Rottweilers, and because she was admitted over a weekend it wasn't worth going private anyway, as she would get exactly the same level of care (which was exceptionally good anyway) if she went public.

So far, we've spent $20k on premiums, and got $3k back.

[frantic]

Our health insurance has been worth it.
Me: cerebral anurisim , I had the specialist doing the op not the trainee, Gaul bladder removal, ditto. Yes there where extra bills for these but a better level of care. Snip, podiatrist, dental teeth removed.
Wife, 5 children( my fault as well;) ) 4 oldest private, 2c-section 1vb then another c. Choice of ob, the ob only increased their fees when the baby bonus was introduced so took 1/2. Private room.
Our 5th was prem 26 weeks(876grams, our other kids where 3.8-4.2kg's!) and public c-sect after 6 days in the ward. The staff in the NICU where excellent, the maternity ward not so. We where warned on day 1 not to leave anything out as visitors often went "shopping" in other peoples rooms and would flog whatever was out. Being one of 4 NICU hospitals in the state(3 if you don't count Canberra!) that handle premmies you would think the ward would try and put the premmie mums in the same rooms to reduce the stress but you would have 2 person(a few 4 person) tiny rooms with 1 bub and the premmie mums stressing about getting infected, before the birth, not able to walk without a wheelchair before , to prevent labour, or after the birth for 2 days, as severe pain. After the birth we had a single room for a day as my daughter was at risk, and we found out later this was the room for the mums of the bubs most at risk:( . In the ward you would have had 2-4 mums(to be) who were going to or just had given birth to bubs in NICU and a little more co- ordination could have placed them together. After our youngest was born she spent 2 months in NICU, public, then another 3 weeks in Wollongong babies ward. 2 years later she is excellent :)

[disco gazza]

I've often thought about getting out of my health fund as I dont really claim anything.But last year I had to get my prostrate checked and the bill was around $4 grand all up.My fund paid the lot.
I have to get my right shoulder operated on in the new year so I'll be staying with them for a while longer.

cheers

[BMKal]

I have private cover.
Made a claim 2 weeks ago for prescription glasses, entitled to $200 refund per year, which is fairly poor going, considering I could also claim $400 for AROMATHERAPY/year.

You're with the wrong fund. ;)

I had an appointment with the optometrist yesterday and ordered two new pairs of glasses - one for long vision, the other for reading. My private health insurance picked up $350 of the total cost - I'm entitled to this amount yearly.


when my brother fronted up for treatment for his cancer treatment he put down private and the hospital told him to go public as this would be free he did and got the same treatment as private

Got exactly the same advice at Charlie Gairdner's last year when I had my heart attack. Once I got out of "emergency" they took me up to the "cardio" unit, where all patients receive exactly the same treatment / room configuration etc regardless of whether public or private health insurance. In fact, they told me that if I wanted a private room, I would have to be transferred to another hospital. At the time, a "private room" was the least of my concerns - I stayed put.

A couple of weeks ago though, I was booked in to a private hospital in Perth for some skin cancer removals / skin grafts. Had I not had private insurance for this, would have gone onto a waiting list in a public hospital for who knows how long. As it was - the only "waiting" was for a day when the specialist could fit in an appointment to do the work. Best specialist in his field in Perth they tell me - has a very good reputation, and drives an old Landrover to his favourite fishing spots on the weekend as well. :D

[bob10]

If the majority of the increase went to better service, I could understand. From this article in the Courier Mail Friday, I'm not sure, Bob
Courier mail, Friday, Dec. 27.


" As families face paying an extra $150 a year for private health insurance after the biggest premium price rise in almost a decade, health fund bosses have enjoyed steady salary increases, some as high as $ 100,000 a year. " NIB managing director Mark Fitzgibbon's pay rose by an average of more than $ 100,000 a year , from $ 952,502 in 2009 to $ 1.3 million in 2013 according to the Company's annual report, the article goes on to say.


" HCF premiums will rise by 6.89 % next year, after rising 5.74% this year. Between 2009 & 2013, its key executives were paid almost $1 million extra in total." it goes on to say, " Medibank private bosses were paid more than $2 million in the same period, the total executive pay budget rose from $5.3 million in 2009 to $ 8.5 million this year. "

[Grumbles]

I have premium private health insurance. With a number of family member hospital stays for surgery etc over the years the only time a private hospital was used I had to pay many dollars extra for the surgeon, anesthetist etc but did get a private room.

All the other times were with no choice available but as a private patient in a public hospital but received public shared accommodation, public surgeon, public care etc. The health insurance I pay dearly for meant nothing and my account after each stay was zero.

Interesting too that one public hospital revealed to me that they would bill my health fund for private admission and accommodation when in fact I was treated as a public patient in a public shared ward.

I do wonder why I maintain the health cover.

[Basil135]

We have it, and have had for years.

Picked up 2 pairs of glasses for the youngest this morning, cost no extra. All 4 of us can get 2 new pairs each year.

I use the chiro & physio on a regular basis due to my back, and the others do so as needed.

On top of that, podiatrist & dental visits....


SWMBO works for an OB/GYN. Most people dont realise that a specalist receives the same Medicare rebate for a consult as a GP. That is for a standard consult. A GP also has the ability to claim for an extended consult, but a specalist does not.

Now, considering most specalists spend up to 15 years in training, (7 for GP, then about the same in their chosen field), they are not looked after by Medicare all that well.

When new patients enquire about the fees, she tells them the Dr's charges in total. They can then get the Medicare rebate, and she gives them the codes to check with their private health fund to see how much they will pay.

Often, it means the patient is around $2k out of pocket for a birth. Sounds a lot, but for that, you get 15 years training, plus all your checks, plus a doctor that will get out of his bed at 3am to come & deliver your baby.

Now, this doc also teaches & consults at a public hospital, so he is not all that busy counting his money...

Yes, Private Health Insurance is expensive. And in recent times I have experienced both the public & private system. I can tell you there is one private hospital that I would never attend again, despite them having an Emergency Room, which costs $350 to get in the door. The care was substandard, and they seemed to be counting the cost of everything they provided. Including the medications. In direct contrast, both SWMBO & myself have had stays in the local public hospital. The care was outstanding, and nothing seemed to be any trouble.

And, considering the price of the drugs she needed, they were in NO hurry to get rid of her. ($450 per does, 4 times daily for 7 days... :o )

[scarry]

Yes, Private Health Insurance is expensive. And in recent times I have experienced both the public & private system. I can tell you there is one private hospital that I would never attend again, despite them having an Emergency Room, which costs $350 to get in the door. The care was substandard, and they seemed to be counting the cost of everything they provided. Including the medications. In direct contrast, both SWMBO & myself have had stays in the local public hospital. The care was outstanding, and nothing seemed to be any trouble.

And, considering the price of the drugs she needed, they were in NO hurry to get rid of her. ($450 per does, 4 times daily for 7 days... :o )

I found the exact opposite,went to the local public hospital with a heart condition about 5 yrs ago,they had absolutely no idea what they were doing.The most incompedent lot of medical staff i have ever come across.
Gave me the wrong medication.bla,bla.I had a very common condition,but they had no idea what was wrong,not a clue,they were completely stumped:mad:

In hindsight should never have gone there,but at 4am in the morning,with a heart issue,you would normally go to the nearest medical centre that was open.
Eventually at my request 7hrs later i ended up at a private hospital,and they knew immediately what the issue was and got it sorted quickly.
I have since been back to that private hospital,as has SWMBO for a major op,and i can't speak highly enough of their professionalism,helpful staff,etc,etc.
Everytime we have been there,all paid by medical insurance.

Maybe we were unlucky at the public hospital,who knows,but no one in our family will ever go back there.

[Andrew Morris]

Like all insurance, it's to cover you for the items you can't afford! Whatever you may think of doctors fees, if you need 'em then it's good to know the health insurance can pay.

[George130]

Well I'm about to find out how the public system goes with specialist care. No health insurance and I have had a sudden onset of peripheral neuropathy. I'm not allowed to drive at the moment to just to make things worse.

[Ausfree]

Well I'm about to find out how the public system goes with specialist care. No health insurance and I have had a sudden onset of peripheral neuropathy. I'm not allowed to drive at the moment to just to make things worse.


Good luck mate, can I say this, I had bowel cancer back in 2004 and the public health system and the hospital that I was operated in were excellent. The specialist got me in for operation within a month of me being diagnosed. I think a lot depends on if the problem is life threatening or not. I went through chemo and radio therapy and it didn't cost me a cent. Saved my life and I'm very happy with the specialist.

Good luck, again. Cheers.:D:D

[numpty]

Is Private Health Insurance getting too expensive for the average worker???


I have no idea, as I opted out of private insurance nearly 20 years ago :)