Health insurance...aarrrggghhhhh

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Originally Posted by chunk

We pulled out of private insurance a few years ago, at the time we were paying for top cover $150 a month. Now my son is 15 and is an accident waiting to happen, in his short life he has broken both arms twice plus one had to be reset, he had a strangulated testicle, he had his appendix removed and put back, yes thats right they put them back. He also broke his collar bone and now has a titanium plate to support it. Each operation cost use $500 out of our own pocket. Thank christ he doesn't play sport.

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:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chunk

We pulled out of private insurance a few years ago, at the time we were paying for top cover $150 a month. Now my son is 15 and is an accident waiting to happen, in his short life he has broken both arms twice plus one had to be reset, he had a strangulated testicle, he had his appendix removed and put back, yes thats right they put them back. He also broke his collar bone and now has a titanium plate to support it. Each operation cost use $500 out of our own pocket. Thank christ he doesn't play sport.

My daughter had a severe ear infection and need 8 operations over 5 years the first 5 cost us $500 each the next one was $750 and the next 2 cost us nothing because we had pulled out by then, same doctor,same hospital.

As it is now we are paying off a small mortgage, add on rates, insurance and maintenance costs and we couldn't afford to pay for private health cover even if we wanted to, and most people are in the same boat.

The worst part is the reason most people join a health fund is for the dental cover and you can't claim stuff all.

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Sounds like your should have your own personal doctor following your son around! :eek: I'd be a nervous wreck by now if it was me!

I reckon Gough mucked up what up 'til then was good system. We took out cover in the UK before coming here and it was fairly cheap, most people had it in the early 70s and even if you weren't covered by private health, you still got treated anyway.
Then along came Gough interfering and his Medibank or whatever it was called and premiums shot up.
They call themselves "not for profit" organisations but those premiums keep a hell of a lot of fat backsides on seats in smart offices and driving expensive vehicles.
I take my chances these days with the public system and have so far as a family we've had good care.
Alan.

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Originally Posted by ATH

I reckon Gough mucked up what up 'til then was good system. We took out cover in the UK before coming here and it was fairly cheap, most people had it in the early 70s and even if you weren't covered by private health, you still got treated anyway.
Then along came Gough interfering and his Medibank or whatever it was called and premiums shot up.
They call themselves "not for profit" organisations but those premiums keep a hell of a lot of fat backsides on seats in smart offices and driving expensive vehicles.
I take my chances these days with the public system and have so far as a family we've had good care.
Alan.

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I think you'd need to look at what was proposed by the Whitlam Government at the time, and not what the then Opposition changed it into.

Medibank/Medicare itself, in my opinion, was a good thing, but due to Senate changes before introduction, funding was reduced. Since then, later Governments have changed it ad hoc.

FWIW, we have never regretted our decision to opt out of private insurance.