health insurance hip replacement

[Guest lost4words]

My friend has just got residency and wants to get private health insurance which will possibly cover hip replacement. He is 26.

He has been with IMAN for last 2 years.

He had hip pain last year and went to doc and then hosp. They refered to physio but it didnt get better. When home he got a scan and was unoffially told that he may need a replacement in near future or at least diagnostics when back in OZ

 

From researching I will tell him to apply for medicare.

Because he was with IMAN does he have to serve waiting period?

Does he have to go with NIB?

What cover should he go with?

He is in WA but was told there is a specialist in Melbourne who is the expert in this area. If he gets insurance in WA can he be seen in Melbourne under his cover.

 

Thanks for reading and any info would be helpful.

Thanks

[Petals]

Any insurance he takes out he will have to have been in a fund for 12 months before they will pay for an existing condition. With private health you do get doctor of your choice, with public you get to be on a waiting list just like UK and get the surgeon who is rostered on that day.

 

Depending on the lists they can be very long for hip replacement in public.

 

If he goes private he will have out of pocket expenses to pay and having just had my knee replaced with full private insurance they are not cheap. My out of pocket costs were $3,000.00 and if you add on the premiums I pay for insurance that is $6,000.00. So having health insurance you still need the cash to back it up.