fairystar32

We chose to rehome our dog with help from rescue (not the pound) and met the family and it was the best choice for HIM. I personally feel we would be selfish to have dragged him here, he was 11, hated the UK heat and we had too rent and with quarantine, it wouldof been a nightmare forhim. We could of brought him, but made the choice based on him, how we thought he would cope with the heat and his age. I miss him every day.

Oh and I had all my scans, checks, bloods etc.. and still do, with little wait, it depends on whats wrong I guess. I did however pay private intitally for the first ENT, to get in the system quickly after they found my tumour, to be seen within a week.

Yes bulk billled is free. private means choice of private hospital, choice of DR in public or private and own room ( althgough not always guranteed in a public hospital) From what I understand via friends who have private they pay every month and they choose their Dr's go in a private hospital so no real wait and the insurance only really covers the hospital stay, so they get charged a whole heap in gap, thousands they have had to pay, hence why we dont bother. as we dont have the gap money anyway. In public I think they can do a no gap but unsure how it works?

Hi Most Dr's at least the ones around here have signs in the window saying bulk billed, you can also check websites or ring and ask. If your private at the hospital, not sure how it works, as we have never had private however, yes if you say no to private its bulk billed.

Yes it does, we have two local hospitals, one private one public, both free parking, but the ones in the city are really expensive.

thanks for letting me know mine are due at the private dentist in the next few mths, we have the $1k vouchers too. The school has an onsite dentist, so wonder what will happen.

Here is the information Eye tests in our state are free (bulk billed) but we have extras for glasses so my family get a free pair of glasses every year. http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/subjects/medicare-services

Hi, vaccinations are covered for now (free) until/if the budget kicks in then it will be $7 a visit for each vaccination. This is as long as they get them within a certain time period (one of ours is way overdue and now we need to pay) If its bulk billing at the doctors, its free, if its private you pay and claim a portion back, most Dr's do that onsite as long as medicare have your bank details otherwise you go claim it back with the recipet. Dental is private here, we have private extras cover and find it great as it covers all the kids, so they get a free checkup once a yr and money back from certain procedures. However, in our State they also have school dentists which are free, so we try to get stuff done there. hopsitals are currently free and care there is free too, although non urgent has a long wait. I have used the hopsital system many times though and for operations and found it excellent. Meds are payable and cost various amounts.

We moved when I was 34, hubby was 42. I think its attitude not age which matters, in if you settle, personally, but I know others with think differently. Would be a hole heap easier and cheaper before kids

There are heaps of bulk billing doctors where we live, I pay private for myself as I really like and trust my doctor, I am out of pocket $35ish an appointment, but they bulk bill under 16's, however, If I need too and am short on cash, there are lots of freee bulk billing doctors around for the entire family Meds are extra. We do not have private health and never paid the surcharge. This goes by if your single/family etc.. and how much you earn.

actually there was a woman with kids sleeping her a van not far from my home, the community got her help. Situations change things happen, not everyone is a dole bludger.

Free education????? They are not asking for a free education, my son already pays $10k a year too study and is FULL time, this is double what it was in the first year he started, already. He doesnt have time to get a job due to the work load.

I recieved an text from a doctors surgery saying they are still bulk billing, think people are panicking. Littlest has been really sick this week, first time I have got into the DR's 3 x in 2 days and turned up for a scan, without issue for appointments!

Yes, I have always planned to go back to work, didnt plan to get sick! I have always worked in the UK around the kids but comming here, youngest was 9 mths and I stayed home. Hubby has to work on call, some weekends and overtime and sometimes go away, so working is hard. I also have 4 kids, eldest at uni, so inbetween no family to help, frequent hospital trips, running kids around like a taxi, unsure how to fit a job in with the kids. We will now have to move to the local school to save fuel costs (it has taken him 10mths to settle at school, but we moved a yr ago and school is 40 mins away) We will also have to cut costs, we have no savings as it is. Hubby is paid reasonably well but with 4 kids, mortgage, bills and fuel and food costs ( we try to eat organic due to health reasons and my higher risk of malignancy, but that will no longer be an option now) I have actually had my CV up online in various places and in the 4 big companies for 18 mths now, but hours I can actually do, make it impossible. I didnt even get a checkut operator for 4hr shift interview, yet was a supervisor in 2 shops in the UK!! I have evn had a friend who works at a supermarket hand my CV in but no luck Unsure how I would actually fit it in though anyway.

yikes. I have a super rare issue, so much so, that I am my Dr's only patient with my type in the largest teaching hospitals so I am kept a close eye on if i like it or not, as well as causing other issues and having to see other people now and again, I have to be monitored, this will end up being unaffordable, expecailly when we will loose the FTB. We are one wage and youngest is 6.

does anyone know if the $7 fee applies to the hospital public specialists? If your under the hospital and have regular bloods, scans and visits in the actual hospital as a public patient? I do not know what a health care plan is, but I am under the specalist and will be for a very very long time with frequent bloods, scans and check ups..

Mine hasnt had the CP vaccination, we have decided not too have it, all my other kids had the wild virus in the UK. I know they dont do it in the UK, s yes if your wishing to have it done and move back, you would need it done here first or pay in the UK. A lot of people in the UK I know havent heard about it.

Big hug whatever you decide and hope it works, We moved here when our kids were 14, 12, 8 and 10 mths. It was very difficult for the 14 and 8 yr old, they really struggled missing family and friends and were very homesick and wanted to go home for years. It wasnt until eldest started Uni, he really settled and no longer wants to return and I think after 5 yrs, our other child would still probably be thrilled if we chose too leave. I have become more homesick after my diagnose of a serious illness, I get pangs of panic, but we will never leave as we love it here, but I miss my family very much. I wish you all the best with whatever you decide, but do it now, whilst the kids are young.

Yes....

Somone my husband works with is a citizen, they went to the UK and realised his wife didnt have a Aussie passport to return, she left due to a family issue, she had to apply for a Australian passport in the UK before she returned.

Hi, we have had friends who have lived here over 20 yrs, never had private and never felt the need, we do not have private either but we do have extras, which helps with a family of 6 towards dentists mainly. I have friends with private and they may get seen earlier but they are also out of pocket thousands as well as the costs each mth for the private cover payments. Seeing what they pay and the treatment we have recieved in the public sector ( had operations and been in hospital) I personally wouldnt get private as anything urgent, you are seen pretty quickly anyway and its like th NHS wait, I wouldnt have private in the UK either.

OP, I think so many miss family. We have been here 5 yrs and the last 6 mths I have had wobbles about how I feel. I love Australia and want to spend my life here, the kids have a lovely life, we have a nice house in a nice area ( wouldnt be able to afford anything like this in the UK) and really like it here. I do now however, really miss my sister and nieces, I miss my parents expecially on birthdays and celebrations. I miss my active social circle (although I have made so any friends here, more than in the UK) It is also expensive. My husband has a good job, but things are getting more and more pricey, but I am guessing that happens in the UK too, We are a single wage and his is a good wage, so I thought, but reading by some posts on here about what some claim they are paid, its pretty low LOL we survive with 4 kids, I cannot seem to find local work around the kids and with having two arctic breeds (our choice) cannot be out the house for long either. So we have no spare cash and a huge credit card bill, goodness knows how those on really low wages cope, expecially with all the cuts comming in... Overall I can see easily why so many return, sometimes the family missing is gut wrenching heartbreaking and makes you cry. I do not think we will ever move back, but nobody knows whats around the corner. The wetaher here we do love, I like the hot sticky humidity summers and warmth, wild storms and the cold chilly winter mornings and evenings and nice warm days, I switch from jeans and jumpers to skirts and shorts in one day, but I like the changes. There are lots of things to do here, if you make the effort but there is also lots to do in the UK if you make the effort too, I have found the longer you are here, like another person said, there is always tomorrow, so you do not tend to do as much after time, but we were similar in the UK. Overall, there is nothing wrong, I have learnt, with either country, both have pros and cons and its down to the individual or family what suits them and what they want in their life and what they are willing to sacrifice. When we first came here, we were adamant on 2 yrly UK visits, we are sadly still paying the loan which enbled us to visit 2 yrs ago when my mum was due surgery at Xmas and will be for 4 more yrs. That dream went by the wayside due to costs and still having to live here as you do in the UK, where you also wouldnt normally visit Australia every 2 yrs unless you were very well paid.

Yes its nice outside, sat inside with the dogs school pick up shortly.....

I am in qld, and sat in skinny jeans, top, jumper, socks and boots, its cold today ! I certainly dont wear sandals and shorts all year around.

Congratulations, we have been in our first home here a year now