Private health care

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It is unfair

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Life is unfair, mate. You never know what's around the corner.

All I know is that when I put my little girl on an air ambulance at 4:30am one morning and I didn't know what was going to happen, the last thing I was thinking about was the $120 a month we pay to the health fund. And when my wife arrived in Sydney and they told her she could be admitted as a public patient or private, which did she want, she asked "what's the difference". The difference was personal attention from the best renal surgeon in the country, and a room with a dedicated nurse, the decision was real easy...

The last time I was in hospital was over 10 years ago when I fell rock climbing and broke my heel. I went public all the way and the only thing not covered was the steel plate they put in, which was paid for by the health fund. About $700, which at the time was about 2 year's premium for me.

Both our kids were born in St George Private Hospital. If you want the best obstetrician in the country (Dr O'Connor), then that's where you have to go. My wife would have kept her knees together until he got there because until she met him, every other specialist, the ones that her GP sent her to, told her she'd never have children. A friend told her about Dr O'Connor and the rest, as they say, is history.

We'll keep paying it, definitely while the kids are in our care. After that, well, we'll see.

G'day Wongo,

Again I agree. But now you bought up another point I'd like to throw in the mix. I have life insurance for the usual, but it also pays out when I'm 45 and when it does I'll start another.

When I started my life insurance when I was a young bloke I always wondered what I'll be doing when I'm 45 since the work I do is very volitile - advertising, and it gives me some piece of mind knowing it can do a number of things for us.

Let me make it clear. If something happens to my wife or my little girl today. They will get on an ambulance, go straight to the hospital and see doctor at all cost. I will do whatever I can to pay the cost.

Just wanted to point out that we are not here to discuss how much we love our family. This thread has got nothing to do with health.

I am gambling on $$$$ but not their health. Dont get confussed.

I suppose that begs the question: can you be a private patient without a health fund? I admit I don't know. I always assumed health fund = private, no health fund = public. They always ask you what your fund is. If I said "I don't have one, just send me the bill" what would happen?

I believe that in the US they wont accept you at some hospitals if you don't have a health fund. Maybe it's not like that here yet.

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Originally Posted by silentC

I suppose that begs the question: can you be a private patient without a health fund?

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Same here but then what is the difference.

If you go “Here is $10,000 for the cost mate!” so what are they going to do? They still get the money, it does not matter if it is from my bank account or private healthcare.

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Originally Posted by silentC

I believe that in the US they wont accept you at some hospitals if you don't have a health fund

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That sucks

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Originally Posted by Wongo

Same here but then what is the difference.

If you go “Here is $10,000 for the cost mate!” so what are they going to do? They still get the money, it does not matter if it is from my bank account or private healthcare.

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That's the bit I don't know. Would you have access to private health care if you weren't in a fund. That's what I'm unclear on. If we fronted up to Randwick Children's Hospital without a health fund, would we even have had the 'private' option, or would we have had to take our chances with the duty roster?

I have worked in public hospitals for 18 years, currently managing a department in a hospital that has both public and private on the one campus.


Private Insurance - What other business group in Australia is propped up by a tax payer funded allowance. (I guess they have to get something for their money. Sydney Morning Herald states that combined health fund donations to the federal liberal party for 03/04 were in the vicinity of $460,000.00)

Our private hospital has to negotiate a contract with each health fund which sets out the amount the fund will pay for each service. We then have to negotiate with each surgeon as to the amount they will charge. The word negotiate is used loosely here as, du to a shortage of surgeons in the country, they can charge what they want. Guess who then has to pay the difference.

Trouble is, if you don't have any private insurance, and you have an accident that isn't life threatening, your in trouble. O.K., you might need a new knee because you are in constant pain and cant leave the house, but you wont die from it, so you can wait 2 years on the public list. 2 years is a long time if you are living in pain.

Public system - Great, if you are about to die. Still a lot of fat cats making big money. In our Emergency Department we employ casual doctors to cover the roster. All expenses are met by the hospital except the doctors private indemnity insurance, but we still have to pay them $210.00 per hour. Great money if you can get it. My biggest concern is the public hospital system only just manages to cope when everything is running smoothly. If we have a major disaster or disease outbreak, the system will definitely not cope.

I could go on about this topic for hours, and tell you stories that would make your hair stand on its end, but unfortunately I have work to do.

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Originally Posted by silentC

That's the bit I don't know. Would you have access to private health care if you weren't in a fund. That's what I'm unclear on. If we fronted up to Randwick Children's Hospital without a health fund, would we even have had the 'private' option, or would we have had to take our chances with the duty roster?

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At the hospital I work at we will develop an approximate figure for what service you are being provided with and you need to pay this up front before we will look at you

Before you go back back into the breach, can you answer this one: "Would you have access to private health care if you weren't in a fund."

If Wongo fronted up to a private hospital with a bag full of money, would they turn him away because he's not in a fund, or would they take his money?

OK, so they will take uninsured patients but they have to pay in advance...

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Originally Posted by silentC

Before you go back back into the breach, can you answer this one: "Would you have access to private health care if you weren't in a fund."

If Wongo fronted up to a private hospital with a bag full of money, would they turn him away because he's not in a fund, or would they take his money?

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As I said earlier they work out an approximate of how much you will cost and then you need to pay this up front. This happens quite often, especially with people from country areas. One of the areas I manage is security and I often get called to count money and lock it in my safe. It amazes me when you get a famer in and he pulls out a huge wad of notes from his pocket to cover the bill. It always seems to be farmers for some reason

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What other business group in Australia is propped up by a tax payer funded allowance.

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It always seems to be farmers for some reason

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;)

Just spoke to a few older (wiser) workmates in the office.

And the conclusion was “$$ is $$. Why would they discriminate?”

It's not a matter of whether they would discriminate, it's a matter of whether they are allowed to do it. But Shrek has answered that, some private hospitals ask you to pay up front. They will take your money but they wont give you credit. I don't know whether that applies to all of them. I still don't know whether or not we could have been 'private' patients at the Children's Hospital if we didn't have a health fund.

All I'm trying to get at is that maybe you have more options with a health fund (maybe you don't, I'm not sure) and for me, that makes it worth paying. The whole system is probably corrupt but we can't control that and all I want is what is best for the family. If there's absolutely no value in being in a private fund, then I suppose it makes me a fool who is easily parted from his money.