Do You Have Private Health Cover?

[Dog_ger]

The public health system is broke.

Shame Labor.

I will never vote Labor again.

What have you done to this once great country.

[Q.]

The public health system is broke.

Shame Labor.

I will never vote Labor again.

What have you done to this once great country.

Which Labor government broke it?

[Dog_ger]

EVERY ONE OF THEM....

[dedja]

Have always had private health cover ... hospital and since we've had kids, extras.

For us it has been worth every cent ... a relatively small price to pay for the benefits.

There is a difference in treatment between public and private, sometimes it's just that you're better informed, other times you can get access to treatment far more quickly, such as the myriad of waiting lists for surgery.

It's an individual choice though and can also depend on affordability.

[Psyber]

The public set up is best for emergencies and life threatening situations where you get high priority.
It is not so good for elective situations, or where you want an informed say in which form of treatment is best for you in your circumstances.
It also breaks down a bit where outpatient follow up is required - as an acquaintance of mine who had Stomach Banding done via the public system discovered.
(There was no interest until it became an emergency.)

[Psyber]

This seems to be topical for this thread.
As I said the public system is fine for emergencies and services that cannot be put off - like having babies.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/lat ... ed-by-ama/

Patients in NSW are waiting more than two years to see a specialist doctor and up to another two years for surgery, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) says.
"It's the waiting list to get onto the waiting list for surgery," AMA NSW president Brian Owler says.
He's told Fairfax Media the "hidden waiting lists" mean that for people without private health insurance the waiting time can be years, not just for surgery but for procedures such as childhood allergy tests.
"I don't think we've seen any action on hidden waiting lists ... we need to start measuring it and reporting it," Dr Owler says.

A letter from Liverpool Hospital eye clinic to a patient says that because of high demand the waiting period for a routine appointment is about two and a half years, Fairfax reports.
The Optometrists Association Australia says some people are housebound for four years while waiting for eye surgery.

[Mickyj]

The public health system is broke.

Shame Labor.

I will never vote Labor again.

What have you done to this once great country.

Don't vote liberal then Dogger had 3 knee ops the longest wait was under the last state liberal govt

[Mickyj]

Needed to join up with diabetes SA had the govt free member thing needed to join up .Lady says some health insurance companies will refund part of the joining fee !! Off I go to Bupa and yes they do but only if you have private hospital cover !!!
Seriously thinking of looking elsewhere !!

[Psyber]

Needed to join up with diabetes SA had the govt free member thing needed to join up .Lady says some health insurance companies will refund part of the joining fee !! Off I go to Bupa and yes they do but only if you have private hospital cover !!!
Seriously thinking of looking elsewhere !!

I think you'll find that is common practice.
The theory is that joining something like that reduces your risk of needing hospitalisation so they give you an incentive because what you are doing may save them money.
If your joining doesn't reduce their risk they don't give you the incentive - that's how the business side of insurance works.

[Mickyj]

Needed to join up with diabetes SA had the govt free member thing needed to join up .Lady says some health insurance companies will refund part of the joining fee !! Off I go to Bupa and yes they do but only if you have private hospital cover !!!
Seriously thinking of looking elsewhere !!

I think you'll find that is common practice.
The theory is that joining something like that reduces your risk of needing hospitalisation so they give you an incentive because what you are doing may save them money.
If your joining doesn't reduce their risk they don't give you the incentive - that's how the business side of insurance works.

I understand that Psyber but they should perhaps state they will only do these things for people with private hospital cover . Which per month or per year is out of my reach !!
The amount I pay per month is way to high compared for the same cover by medibank private !!(or so a co worker tells me )
And my company has cooperate cover that us mere employees can use . When compared short term I would be worse off long term better off in most things except Glasses where I'd be worse off . If that makes sense !!

And for the record i'm not sure joining diabetes sa will keep me out of hospital ,Wish it would not 100 percent certain

[MagicKiwi]

I had extras until I was 40 and then went full private. After you reach a certain age, the peace of mind is worth the extra cost especially if serious illness is concerned.

[Psyber]

I had extras until I was 40 and then went full private. After you reach a certain age, the peace of mind is worth the extra cost especially if serious illness is concerned.

Especially when you here about this example from the UK: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wo ... -appendix/
One of the references said the initial operation was done by trainee surgeons.

Here in Australia, they are supposed to be supervised by someone qualified until they have demonstrated their ability.
I was certainly supervised initially when I did some surgical rotations before deciding it was not my preferred career direction.
On the Gynaecology team, after I'd done a few under supervision, I was allowed to do post-miscarriage Curettage unsupervised.
And in my Plastic Surgery term I was allowed to do minor, skin deep only, procedures without supervision after the first few.

[prowling panther]

I have a Gold Card (DVA)

Not trying to up stage anyone on here, it certainly gives me peace of mind along with quality of life.

[dedja]

Saw a specialist last Friday, booked in for surgery in 3 weeks. If I didn't have private health insurance, I'd be waiting for months.

[kickinit]

Saw a specialist last Friday, booked in for surgery in 3 weeks. If I didn't have private health insurance, I'd be waiting for months.

if your lucky

[whufc]

Saw a specialist last Friday, booked in for surgery in 3 weeks. If I didn't have private health insurance, I'd be waiting for months.

if your lucky

Depends what category you get put on

[Q.]

$500 worth of dental done this arvo and didn't pay a cent

[tigermad]

No and never have ,just had a double lung transplant was flown to melbourne in a flying doctors plane ,
my wife was given a return flight with quantas ,we where given accommodation at 15 dollars a night in a hotel on st kids rd
three months of rehab , all paid for by the SA government ,and last i got a flight home . so no need for private cover !!

[Hefty]

did my ACL last year and didn't have private. was told it would be about a 12 month waiting list on the public health system. well that was a lie. had been waiting 8 months and gave the hospital a buzz to see how much longer and they told me another 20 months!!! don't know if she was having a lend of me or not. have a friend who is a nurse at Modbury hospital to double check this for me and yep another 20 months.

so, bit the bullet and signed up with BUPA for some private health action. $100 a month and have to wait 12 months before can have surgery but it is better than being on a public hospital waiting list never really knowing when things will happen.

[Booney]

$500 worth of dental done this arvo and didn't pay a cent

Yeah you did. How much do you pay a month for private?