Private health care

[Wongo]

I had to see a specialist the other day. So I went, I was OK, I handed over my hard earned $200 and said to the lady

“So Medicare will not do me any good, will it?”

“No you get about 60% back” she said.

“Really? Even for a specialist?? Why do people have private health care then?” I said.

We joined private health care 5 years ago. It was when they had the scare campaign to push people to join before the age of 30. We paid around $150 monthly for the whole family. Nothing ever happened in the next 2 years (damn didn’t get to use it).

I said to myself so what is the point then. Why do I put $2000 a year into someone else bank account when the same money can be in my pocket working for me? So we terminated it.

My reason was without private health care you can still see a doctor. With private health care you still need to pay part of the bill. I can be my own private health care. Lets say in the next 5 years I will have $10,000 for my family if needed. If not then it is a bonus.

Someone might say “you silly bugger I have a friend who has cancer and it cost him $20,000 for the treatments.”. But hey insurance is like gambling. I am simply going for the percentages.

What is your view?

[bitingmidge]

“you silly bugger I have a friend who has cancer and it cost her $85,000 for the treatments.”. She sold her house. Couldn't borrow any more, because she didn't have an income.

Now she has cancer, and no where to live....

My dad paid all his life, and wondered the same. Then at the age of 58 he developed a serious condition, which required regular hospital visits for the next 20 years. Because of Health Insurance, he could afford the treatment he needed when he needed it, in comfortable conditions.

Of course when he had a heart attack, he was treated magnificently in a public hospital, same as everyone else. The difference was, that he got his pacemaker the same trip, unlike another friend who waited 8 months for the same "non-urgent" surgery!

Paying the premium hurts, but I reckon I've got a better chance of eventually making a claim, than I do of winning lotto, and I still buy lotto tickets too.

Cheers,

P

[DavidG]

If you get taken to hospital in an ambulance do NOT mention you you have private insurance. It will cost you heaps. Go public and it is all free.

Private insurance is only good for when you need elective surgery. No queue for a price. Also covers teeth and other things.

Dad had to wait 2 years with prostate problems. When they finally got around to it they found it was cancer. If he had been a private patient that two years may have made a difference to the result.

Always been insured but I think I have paid in more than I have received.
As I get older I am more scared than ever about dropping out.

[Waldo]

G'day Wongo,

I agree, it's a complete scam from my point of view. OK we need Private h/care as my wife is diabetic and it saves on costs and also with her being pregnant too.

But for what you pay and get back you just get ripped off. I had a boss who does the same thing as you and comes out winning at the other end.

Except for my wife I can't see the value. OK, some might say but we're better off with it, but when you pay top dollar and it doesn't cover everything - it's nothing more than a joke to me.

[Wongo]

“you silly bugger I have a friend who has cancer and it cost her $85,000 for the treatments.”.

Midge, if she had private healthcare would they pay for all $85,000?

[silentC]

We had about $2000 worth of bills last month. Medicare pays a fifth of bugger all of most of it because the doctors charge above the scheduled fee (the good ones always do). Our private health cover paid the rest. The bill from the hospital was around $5000 but the health fund paid the lot. I think we shelled out a couple of hundred.

OK, we could have used the public system and it would have been free, but we thought to hell with the expense, this is our 6 year old daughter and we want the best. If we'd gone public, we would've had whoever was the duty doctor at the time. Instead we got Professor Rosenburg. It made sleeping at night a lot easier.

A guy who I worked with years ago had a theory about car insurance. He reckoned if he put the premium away each year, in the event that something happened, he'd have enough money to buy a new car. Very true, however 6 months after that, someone stole his car and wrote it off. He hadn't had time to save enough premiums and so had to shell out for a new car. He insured it.

[Dan]

Don't forget the Medicare Levy (for those without private cover), 1.5% of your taxable income and depending on your circumstances you may be eligable for a further 1% surcharge. It may be cheaper to have some sort of private cover.

[Dan]

But hey insurance is like gambling.

Your odds are also getting worse as you add to your family.

[anthonyd]

But for what you pay and get back you just get ripped off. I had a boss who does the same thing as you and comes out winning at the other end.

Well I suppose if the majority got back equal or more than what they paid in then the private medical company would be out of business and hence not exist would it not?

Private medical cover is an insurance that you really hope you loose on - much like life insurance. And it is not even just diseases. What if you get hit by a car tomorrow and need $100 000 worth of surgery. Yes medicare will pay for the life threatening stuff, but what about the surgery to replace you nose where it should be and not sticking out your ear?

[Wood Borer]

We have no health insurance, used to have it until the greedy health insurance companies kept raising the fees. We must be a bit slow because it took us 15 years to realise that health insurance seems to have nothing to do with health but with plenty to do with wealth. The wealth of the crooks running it and the crooks in the government putting fear into people’s minds so their mates get fatter. They conned us out of lots of money when we couldn’t afford it on the pretence we were doing the right thing by our kids and each other.

I have no problems paying for Health and I have no problems paying in more than I receive back. It is highly desirable that I get back less than I give for two reasons, firstly it means I am healthy and secondly I am contributing to society both high priorities for us.

I would be prepared to pay into a national health scheme 5% or 10% of my salary knowing that my contributions would benefit all Australians and keep the hospitals up with the latest equipment and highly trained staff rather than pay to scum, have run down hospitals and long waiting lists.

In other words, I see the government’s so called encouragement as a threat – get ripped off and make our mates rich or die and suffer – a sad reflection on Australia’s current priorities.

[Ashore]

When I retired from full time work some ten years ago we went through the same thing ,
With us however our children are off our hands . Our doctor a friend who bulk bills us and I do stuff for his surgery, said to put $20,000 into a good intrest account , add $200 a year (10 % ) and use this for all your medical bills,
My wife has had to have two operations in that time buth in private hospitals with specialists etc and with intrest we are still over the original 20 we put in
We do pay the ambulance levy and never touch that money for anything else
It was a slug when we started but I reckon its saved us about 10k
Not every one doing this will come out on the plus side and having a young family would change things, and the money can't be used to get a new car etc it just sits in the investment until you need it but it sure worked for us.


The trouble with life is there's no background music.


Ashore

[savage]

What if you get hit by a car tomorrow and need $100 000 worth of surgery. Yes medicare will pay for the life threatening stuff, but what about the surgery to replace you nose where it should be and not sticking out your ear?

One of my very best mates, and ex-fellow firefighter was hit by a car 2 1/2 weeks ago, he was fixing his sons broke down 4x4 in the breakdown/cycle lane and some dope not paying attention rear ended the 4x4 sending him into the road (thankfully there was a break in the traffic). He ended up with a shattered elbow and 2 x $40k operations later, that is why we pay the CTP slip at rego time, Compulsory Third Party insurance, so that's not a good example Anthony, not picking on you but different kettle of fish so to speak. I do understand what you meant to say, there are a lot of people out their suffering that should not be, due to funds going to the wrong places. A classic example that I remember was some middle aged "surfie chick" applied for and recieved a grant for $8000, get this, to conduct a study into developing a surfboard for a women. Now to all of the women out their before you jump down my throat, think, it was obviously knocked back by the major surf companies or presented a "too hard" way, hit up the government, easy. that money could have gone to women, for breast cancer, cervical cancer or other numerous ailments our better halves are afflicted with, but I guess a surf board is pretty important?!....Just my veiw's.
savage(Eric)

[ozwinner]

We have no health insurance, used to have it until the greedy health insurance companies kept raising the fees. We must be a bit slow because it took us 15 years to realise that health insurance seems to have nothing to do with health but with plenty to do with wealth. The wealth of the crooks running it and the crooks in the government putting fear into people’s minds so their mates get fatter. They conned us out of lots of money when we couldn’t afford it on the pretence we were doing the right thing by our kids and each other.

I have no problems paying for Health and I have no problems paying in more than I receive back. It is highly desirable that I get back less than I give for two reasons, firstly it means I am healthy and secondly I am contributing to society both high priorities for us.

I would be prepared to pay into a national health scheme 5% or 10% of my salary knowing that my contributions would benefit all Australians and keep the hospitals up with the latest equipment and highly trained staff rather than pay to scum, have run down hospitals and long waiting lists.

In other words, I see the government’s so called encouragement as a threat – get ripped off and make our mates rich or die and suffer – a sad reflection on Australia’s current priorities.

Well put Rob.
We havent paid private health since....erhhhh. well its been ages. ( 20 odd years)
Id like to thank all of yous who have been paying, you have helped keep our public hostibals free of the rich scum.

Al

[Gingermick]

If you get taken to hospital in an ambulance do NOT mention you you have private insurance. It will cost you heaps. Go public and it is all free..

Last time (and first time) I was in an ambulance they took me 200m and it cost me nearly $1000. They have changed the system now so that we all pay on our power bills, but were unable to hire any more staff of pay them more.

[ozwinner]

Last time (and first time) They have changed the system now so that we all pay on our power bills, but were unable to hire any more staff of pay them more.

As Pauleine says.
Please Explaine?

Al :confused: