I'm in the middle of sorting this one out, can anyone recommend a good company and outline what they get/ don't get for the money. Also ambulance cover, as I'm aware that this isn't always included.
OH's company recommended Medibank and we haven't had any issues with them, we have to have private as we are on a 457 so our costs will most probably be higher than yours. They sent us a brochure and it gave you a breakdown of what cover you get for each level of cover it was very detailed and yes we get ambulance cover as heard they can cost the earth as they are all privately run.
We get assistance with dental costs, etc. Have you got your Medicare card as you are also entitled to reciporacal (spelt wrong) care from the Uk which also can help with costs.
Thanks for the reply
We've got medicare because we've got PR, but medicare doesn't cover everything. Unfortunately, its a bit of a downside of living here another expense to take into account. Although, I don't think it'll be that long before there's a similar set up in Blighty, the infrastructure can't cope, and all the hard working tax payers are coming here!!!!!
I agree with you totally about Blighty my father was ill for a very long time before we came here and the hospital he was in was filthy and they didn't look after him at all. My mum had to sleep at the hospital to make sure he was fed and cleaned as even though he was a paraplegic and almost blind they put his dinner on a trolley to the side of him and expected him to feed himself!!!!! From what I've seen of hospitals here they are very clean and much better run and you don't mind (saying that with gritted teeth) paying if you are at least going to get a good service. My friend here has just had her baby and had a private room with double bed and her husband was allowed to sleep there if he wanted to so that they could both enjoy their new baby before she was sent home 3 or 4 days later, slight different to the UK eh!!!!!
Location: From Bury,Manchester To Jimboomba, Brisbane
Posts: 6,304
My bug bear is the kids dental treatment,kids teeth over here seem so bad why cant check ups be free or the school dentist more readily available?? BUT ,with Dr and Specialst treatment id rather pay here and get the excellent service you do ,than wait months on a waiting list in the uk and then get a Specialist i cant understand!!lol,,some things are worth paying for!!
Cal x
Hi there,
As an ozzie staying in london at the mo... Medicare is our version of the NHS only better in a sense. The hospitals are usually cleaner and better equipped. waiting lists for things aren't nearly as bad. The only downside of it is that you do pay for your visits to the doctors/ specialist but not the whole amount. Medibank private is a private version of public health system if you read the fine print. Its getting a private room in a public hospital. I've used HBF for years and can't complain. They have preventaive measures with stuff. ie. if you see a dentist every 6 months then you qualify for more towards bigger things like root canal and other big "jobs".
All private health plans have a waiting period before you can claim (up to 12months!). Previous ailments aren't taken into account as much. All private plans should include ambulances. It cost my friend $800 to use one when her husband fell ill. If you didn't want to go private but have ambulance cover then St john of gods ambulance do cover for about a dollar a week. On average it costed me around $1200 a year but you can pay by installments. You really have to ask yourself what cover do you really want and go from there. Cheers
We have been with HCF for years and it is as good as any as far as I can see. I just got $220 off two pairs of specs - that is my limit for the year. MY DH got a pretty good return on a recent dentist visit but that may have been because the dentist didnt charge like a wounded bull! We pay a higher excess which reduces our premiums and I have had a couple of hospital visits over the years and they have been reasonably well covered. Nevertheless the premiums are over $200 a month for just the two of us which is quite hefty when you are retired.
I believe if you are going to Queensland, they take the ambulance insurance premiums with your power bills.
