fish.01 Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 (edited) As an optometrist in Australia there is a maximum fee that can be charged, I would be surprised if its different for GPs. If the GP is bulk billing or charging a GAP they are not private as they are claiming from Medicare. Almost all private doctors claim from medicare in Australia. Medicare provides public services (public hospitals, public specialists, public pathology etc) and subsides private services (GP's, private specialists, private pathology, xray etc). It is a similar model to private child care centres I think. The child care centres are registered with, and monitored by, the govt and claim a set amount of govt money for services rendered but are still private companies setting their own customer fee levels. Edited November 26, 2012 by fish.01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossmoyne Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Private health insurance is a problem. Legally they are only allowed to repay you up to 80% of the Medicare cost of treatment. That percentage is often even lower, and the Medicare cost is usually just a fraction of what a private hospital will charge. This leaves you massively out of pocket. If you ever hit chronic poor health, you are likely to have to use your pension fund or home equity to pay the bills, even with insurance. Also, when you get treated, you will get separate bills for doctor, anaesthetist, hospital and pharmacy. Nobody will be able to tell you beforehand how far out of pocket you'll be. IMO the NHS is the best healthcare system in the world. It prioritised according to need and is basically free at the point of delivery so nobody has to forego treatment or medicines because they can't afford it. Tell me about it! Been paying health insurance for 20 years and my out of pocket expenses this year hit over $5000 because of my health issues. However having said that, I was seen very quickly by 5 different specialists and all the tests, including MRI's were done within days. If I had gone the Medicare route I would still be waiting to see the first specialist I was referred to 7 months ago! Money isnt everything and I am happy to have paid what I have to get the diagnosis and treatment into place quickly. Not sure I would still be on this planet if I had relied on Medicare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 I also don't understand why people think ambulance insurance is a necessity. How often do you use an ambulance? To put it in perspective my motor insurance policy has a $1,000 excess so (if ambulance was included on that which of course it isn't) the whole $700 ambulance bill would come from my pocket anyway. You should only insure yourself against costs you couldn't afford to pay for yourself, for everything else it'll work out cheaper in the long run not to have the insurance (it's called self-insuance and means you pay just the cost, paying the insurance premium means you pay the cost plus the insurance company expenses and profits). $700 is the minimum cost, if they decide to use an air ambulance to speed you to hospital you'll be billed the cost of the helicopter (considerably more than by road!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Anyone who is employed is covered by work cover, if we are injured in a car crash we are covered by motor acc paid for by our registration. So when considering taking out private health need to think about it if young and healthy. We gave up our health insurance when my daughter got type 1 diabetes as the out of pocket expenses of the condition would have been too much. We only had kept it on because we had it for years and years. We now have it again because we are in the dispatches department and need more care and maintenance and for care and maintenance the lists are long. My oh last op which was a month ago, he waited two weeks to have it and that was because they had to prepare for the operation and decide how it was going to be handled. He also had a top specialist who we had nominated. The reason why because they could not do the operation in a private hospital they just do not have the necessary equipment. What did it cost us zilch. Of course medicare levy covers our care here in Aus. As for ambulance people do not have to take it out but I always looked at it as supporting the ambulance service as where would we be without it. Its not a bad thing for us to have to pay towards our health as long as we are looked after well when the chips are down. We just have a bob each way now we are older and whilst we can still afford it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Well I have to say today was a real eye opener. Had to be at the hospital at 6.30 for day surgery. By 7.15 I was being wheeled to surgery ward. In for op at 8am and back up to ward at 9.30. A HUGE lovely whole meal sandwich and a cup of tea, Obs till 11.30am then home. Professional and lovely staff. All completely free. Soo happy with care so far . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix16 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 All I can say is that in the 6 months leading up to my migration I started to have some health issues that were dismissed by GP's in the UK and no tests taken, I arrived in OZ and was consumed with settling in and building a new life, the health issues got to the point that they could no longer be ignored, I saw a GP, had a few scans and was quickly (within days) seeing a consultant, by which point the issues were so servere my only option was a full hysterectomy at the age of 42, I subsequently had the op 2 weeks later. Now 18 months later, it was the best decision, at the time it felt overwhelming and I felt angry at all the GP's I'd seen previously who didn't take my symptoms as seriously as they should. Yes, I paid a fair few $1000's over here but actually I don't feel angry, just grateful for the swift diagnosis and that I got my life back. and most of all I feel eternally grateful for the amazing health care I really believe I got here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinmaclec Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Well I have to say today was a real eye opener. Had to be at the hospital at 6.30 for day surgery. By 7.15 I was being wheeled to surgery ward. In for op at 8am and back up to ward at 9.30. A HUGE lovely whole meal sandwich and a cup of tea, Obs till 11.30am then home. Professional and lovely staff. All completely free. Soo happy with care so far . So you don't have healthcare and use medicare? I am just trying to establish if its worth taking out insurance if it dosen't pay out fully as it seems kind of pointless to me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernbird Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 (edited) So you don't have healthcare and use medicare? I am just trying to establish if its worth taking out insurance if it dosen't pay out fully as it seems kind of pointless to me? For general day to day health matters such as going to the GP you don't really use it. We have it but have never used the hospital part of it. Plus if its an emergency medicare would cover you anyway. It helps you jump the queue if you require non emergency surgery of some kind. Have used the dental as our policy entitles us to 2 check ups/cleans each per year. Have also used the optical part to get discounts on my glasses. Plus of course the ambulance part which, as I have said, I feel is essential in WA. Edited November 28, 2012 by northernbird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Wills Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Hi Lynda, I just came across this post regarding your husbands arthritis and was hoping you might be able to help me. Myself and my partner are moving to W.A on the 475 visa in September this year. He has just been diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis (a form of arthritis) it is very active and he will be starting on the same medication as your husband in March. We are so stressed and worried as our move has been three years in the making and now because of this we are worried that we will wont be able to move over to OZ due to cost of health care and meds for him. Are you able to tell me me how it works and if our move is still possible. He is a carpenter and the condition will not stop him from working if he receives the Humira injections. Any help would be greatly appreciated (we are really pulling our hair out at the moment) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Wills Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 hubby has had meds for arthiritis changed since been here, now uses Humira injections twice a month. Both consultant & pharmacist advised the drug costs $1800 a month!! BUT we only pay $35 prescription fee. Pay for the consultant & get just under half back through Medicare. We bulk bill & he has blood tests every month at no charge. Also, we are on a temporary visa, so can only get Medicare. The drug has been a miracle change for him, we couldnt be happier Hi Lynda, I just came across this post regarding your husbands arthritis and was hoping you might be able to help me. Myself and my partner are moving to W.A on the 475 visa in September this year. He has just been diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis (a form of arthritis) it is very active and he will be starting on the same medication as your husband in March. We are so stressed and worried as our move has been three years in the making and now because of this we are worried that we will wont be able to move over to OZ due to cost of health care and meds for him. Are you able to tell me me how it works and if our move is still possible. He is a carpenter and the condition will not stop him from working if he receives the Humira injections. Any help would be greatly appreciated (we are really pulling our hair out at the moment) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausborn Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 My fiancé after arriving in oz had some pain from a problem the GP in England just kept monitoring over the last few years in the uk. He just used to say it was alright we will just continue to keep a eye on it. On arrival here she mentioned it to my GP in oz. the same day she was in for a ct scan and blood tests. The following week then problem was removed in day surgery. He said this should of been removed as soon as it was found. This was all free. She has a lot of anger towards the doctor that looked after her in the uk. Waiting lists are nothing here like the uk for surgury in my opinion. Why do people say NHs is free? I payed in NHs contributions with every pay check in England. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpodom Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 My fiancé after arriving in oz had some pain from a problem the GP in England just kept monitoring over the last few years in the uk. He just used to say it was alright we will just continue to keep a eye on it. On arrival here she mentioned it to my GP in oz. the same day she was in for a ct scan and blood tests. The following week then problem was removed in day surgery. He said this should of been removed as soon as it was found. This was all free. She has a lot of anger towards the doctor that looked after her in the uk. Waiting lists are nothing here like the uk for surgury in my opinion.Why do people say NHs is free? I payed in NHs contributions with every pay check in England. ergo the NHS is crap compared to Medicare. Yeah, right... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 (edited) medicare isnt free. $80 to see a doctor and get $20 something back after a month. Perscriptions can cost anything and you get nothing back, just happens almost everything is under a perscription so you have to pay the $80 to see a doctor for it ! Even private healthcare doesnt pay for much more than what medicare provides here but people take it out as a tax saving. They have something called the GAP - basically what isnt paid for by private healthcare which can be a fortune. Basically a waste of time but you save money by not paying the tax for medicare - total bullsh*t system if you ask me! Many people here goes to bulk billing doctors so there's no fee to then claim back but if you have ever been to one and stood in a que in the sun for 2 hours it isnt fun ! Makes you appreciate the NHS but that is a lottery depending on where you live. Edited January 17, 2013 by dustyroad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausborn Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 (edited) medicare isnt free.$80 to see a doctor and get $20 something back after a month. Perscriptions can cost anything and you get nothing back, just happens almost everything is under a perscription so you have to pay the $80 to see a doctor for it ! Even private healthcare doesnt pay for much more than what medicare provides here but people take it out as a tax saving. Basically hospitals are free so if in an accident then your OK but incidentals arent like they are in the UK. Everyone here goes to bulk billing doctors so there's no fee to then claim back but if you have ever been to one and stood in a que in the sun for 2 hours it isnt fun ! Have you really stood in the sun for 2 hours waiting to be seen by a bulk billing doctor .bigger fool you. I make a appointment and I'm seen on time just about every time. Have the pleasure of sitting in a nice modern aircon doctors surgery as well, like everyone else. You lot do make me laugh and thanks for that. Edited January 17, 2013 by Ausborn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 (edited) $80 to see a doctor and get $20 something back after a month. Most doctors' surgeries have an automatic link to Medicare and your refund can be credited to your bank account immediately. Or, they give you the receipt and you can go to a Medicare office immediately. Perscriptions can cost anything and you get nothing back, just happens almost everything is under a perscription so you have to pay the $80 to see a doctor for it ! Pharmacists can prescribe for many things...so you can always see them first. No charge. Even private healthcare doesnt pay for much more than what medicare provides here but people take it out as a tax saving. It's only a tax saving for people on fairly high incomes. Re the queue in the sun...What??...Don't they have waiting rooms in your neck of the woods?:shocked: Edited January 17, 2013 by Skani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I pay $65 for appointment and get approx $35 back instantly when I pay. Never ever had to wait beyond allotted time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 The last time i paid to see my Dr (she doesnt bulk bill) Medicare credited their share ($32) into my account BEFORE the Dr's fee ($65) had been taken out, on my statement there were another 2 transactions inbetween,lol. I get my prescriptions written off my specialist at the hospital when i see them (2 or 3 times a year) as this way i dont need to keep going (and paying) my Dr. My kids and hubby go to a bulk billing Dr, its a newer, cleaner, fully air conned set up than my Dr's surgery and you can even book an appointment on line, although the last 3 times ive been, has been without an appointment due to my accident prone child and we have been seen within 20 minutes every time. Cal x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ptp113 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I agree. Anyone who has kids, particularly ones who are involved in competitive sport should get ambulance cover IMO. Ambulance free, used a number of times and with no insurance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 My GP is bulk billing. I've never needed to make an appointment and never needed to wait more than 10 or 15 mins to see him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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