Guest nastasia Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Hello , Is medicare enough as coverage? Why do people need to take medical insurance on top? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 We don’t need to take out private on top, we choose to. We get a good deal and it avoids the loading penalty (if we didn’t take out private till later on). Many do find it expensive and question if it’s worth it. I’m not sure of the percentage with private cover but you could probably find out. We are questioning if we really want it and the do without it. Probably could. For many Medicare is fine. You may want to find a bulk billing GP perhaps or shop around for one where the gap isn’t a big amount. We have a bulk billing GP and others to choose from if we wanted, some local, some a bit further afield. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nastasia Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 I meant why do some people choose to take medical insurance on top? Medicare does not cover all costs of any medical and dental interventions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Medicare doesn't always cover the total cost of basic medical procedures so sometimes you have to pay what is called a "gap" fee. Medicare doesn't cover dental care, optometrists, physiotherapy etc. So you can choose to take private insurance for those. In addition, some places have long waiting times for hospital care which is not considered emergency or life threatening. So some people choose to have private insurance so they can access a private hospital or specialists for these conditions. The medical system is quite complex in Australia: it takes a while to understand it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stung Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 In most cases there is a 2% Medicare levy on your income and in many cases if you don't have private health insurance there is an extra Medicare surcharge levy of 0-1.5%. It is not uncommon for people then to take out private health insurance and get dental and other benefits, rather than paying the extra in tax. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nastasia Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Which insurance provides good value for money medical insurance plans? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 17 minutes ago, Stung said: in many cases if you don't have private health insurance there is an extra Medicare surcharge levy of 0-1.5%. This applies only to individuals with income over $90,000 per annum, or family income over $180,00 per annum. Quote It is not uncommon for people then to take out private health insurance and get dental and other benefits, rather than paying the extra in tax. Only private hospital insurance is needed to escape the Medicare surcharge levy. Having or not having 'Extras' such as dental doesn't affect the levy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 1 minute ago, nastasia said: Which insurance provides good value for money medical insurance plans? This is very difficult because there are literally thousands of options with many variables such as what level of cover you want, your age, whether you have children, which state you live in etc. etc.. The government has a website about private health cover where you can enter details which apply to you and search for and compare policies: https://www.privatehealth.gov.au/dynamic/search Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stung Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 1 hour ago, Skani said: This applies only to individuals with income over $90,000 per annum, or family income over $180,00 per annum. Only private hospital insurance is needed to escape the Medicare surcharge levy. Having or not having 'Extras' such as dental doesn't affect the levy. This average income is from 2016 data, 2017 average income is around $80,000 (Average pa) and many are on or near the minimum wage of $36,500 pa or work part time or under employed, so lots exceed the $90,000 limit. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4385448/Australia-s-monthly-salary-according-age-revealed.html Many policies are combined policies and attract the tax saving but also add in some dental and other benefits. These "extras are included in the hospital policy but at a reduced price of often 60% when compared to taking out separate and extra cover separately. https://www.choice.com.au/money/insurance/health/buying-guides/health-insurance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 6 minutes ago, Stung said: This average income is from 2016 data, 2017 average income is around $80,000 (Average pa) and many are on or near the minimum wage of $36,500 pa or work part time or under employed, so lots exceed the $90,000 limit. Yes....but I don't see how that helps explain to the OP what the Medicare Levy Surcharge is .............or whether or not she may have to pay it. This is from the Australian Taxation Office's page on the Medicare Levy Surcharge. Quote The MLS is payable in addition to the Medicare levy. ................. The base income threshold (under which you are not liable to pay the MLS) is $90,000 for singles and $180,000 for families. The other bit about combining policies is also adding extra complication. For the purposes of avoiding MLS you need only have hospital cover. You may choose to combine it with some extras because you think it is a good deal....but that is a different issue. If the OP gets to the stage of comparing policies - either through the government's website or the Choice one - she will then be able to see whether a combined policy is worth it for her. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 I wonder if Labor will keep the surcharge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 It’s a personal thing. Medicare covers the essentials excluding dental optical and ancillary therapies (except in certain circumstances like in hospital therapies).Having private health cover benefits you potentially for the non urgent stuff - like your kid needs grommets, you want your gall bladder out or your hip replaced. In some places the waiting list for elective surgery has really blown out (Canberra has an appalling record for non essential wait lists) so having private cover means you don’t have to wait 18 months in pain for something you could have next week and with a surgeon of your choice not someone who’s just started doing the op. Whether you take it out or self insure is up to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stung Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 I just did a Bupa hospital only cover $18.10 a single per week, basic hospital and basic extras $17.85 a single per week. Obviously they will have different cover, but both can remove the surcharge. But medical, Medicare and circumstances including location in Australia play a big part in what is the best selection. In some places it is better on $300,000 pa not to have private insurance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulya Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 We found it to be pointless 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibiscusDreams Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 Really depends on your job. My s/o gets private cover through her employer at a discount, though her income means she wouldn't get hit with the levy surcharge anyway. You don't really need it though in most cases (YMMV). I think the relatively high usage of private in aus is partly due to medicare being (relatively) new, so the older generation still feel more comfortable having private - whilst the medicare rebate system makes having private more attractive (and affordable) than in the UK. The real bugbear in the aussie system is the governments refusal to support and encourage bulk billing. It's a shame, and it means some people have to travel way out of their way to get a doctor who still accepts it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, HibiscusDreams said: . I think the relatively high usage of private in aus is partly due to medicare being (relatively) new, so the older generation still feel more comfortable having private - whilst the medicare rebate system makes having private more attractive (and affordable) than in the UK Medicare was introduced in 1975, so for anyone under 65 it's just the norm - they would've been using it from the very beginning of their working life. Therefore it's only the oldest generation - 70 and over - who wouldn't be "comfortable" with it. Older Australians are more comfortable with private health insurance because the private health funds used to run subtle but relentless scare campaigns. Brits take it for granted that if they need specialist treatment or treatment in hospital, they accept whatever doctor they're allocated, and they don't think twice about being in a big public ward. The old health fund ads were designed to brainwash people into thinking that's somehow second-rate and risky, and that it's vital to be able to choose a good specialist (as if you'd know who to choose!) and have more "personal care" in a private room. Of course, the government wants people to have private insurance because it eases the burden on Medicare (and private wards help subsidise public hospitals). When people started to get wise to the ads, the government introduced the big stick - if you don't take out health insurance when you're young, you'll be slugged with a huge penalty when you're older. My oh has never had health insurance but now he's in his 60's, he's started having more health problems. He looked at health insurance, but because he's never had it, he would have to pay an additional 40% penalty on the usual premium! Then of course, there's the surcharge for people on higher salaries. So for a lot of people, they have health insurance for financial reasons. Edited April 6, 2018 by Marisawright 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibiscusDreams Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 Good point! I can see the thinking behind the penalty system but it's unfair in a lot of ways. Younger people are more likely to be on a low income and trying to save to get on the super-affordable and easy to climb housing ladder, pressuring them to buy insurance they don't need is draining money away they already can't afford - Then when you can afford it, you get whammied with the penalty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 Less than half of Australians now have private health cover. Having insurance does not mean you will not have to pay a gap. For some they end up paying more than someone without cover and that is on top of premium payments. The so called choice of practitioners is becoming more limited. We self insure, having a fund we can use if required that is earning interest. Similar to what we did in UK, if the NHS could not offer or would take too long we paid for private on an ad hoc basis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDougster Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 On 25/03/2018 at 14:53, Skani said: This is very difficult because there are literally thousands of options with many variables such as what level of cover you want, your age, whether you have children, which state you live in etc. etc.. The government has a website about private health cover where you can enter details which apply to you and search for and compare policies: https://www.privatehealth.gov.au/dynamic/search So I reckon I owe you a beer or two! The person I spoke to on the 'phone at BUPA was clueless. They told me we need overseas visitor health cover with a 457 despite me saying that we are from the UK and have a medicare card with reciprocal cover. Combined with their "offer" on private hospital cover the bargain was $420/month... No OVHC and cover from HBF to avoid the MSL = $62.80... Easily enough saving to pay a tax accountant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernbird Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 3 hours ago, DrDougster said: So I reckon I owe you a beer or two! The person I spoke to on the 'phone at BUPA was clueless. They told me we need overseas visitor health cover with a 457 despite me saying that we are from the UK and have a medicare card with reciprocal cover. Combined with their "offer" on private hospital cover the bargain was $420/month... No OVHC and cover from HBF to avoid the MSL = $62.80... Easily enough saving to pay a tax accountant! This used to be true, in fact my cousin had to take it out before her 457 could even be issued. Obviously the rules have changed since then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 16 hours ago, DrDougster said: So I reckon I owe you a beer or two! The person I spoke to on the 'phone at BUPA was clueless. They told me we need overseas visitor health cover with a 457 despite me saying that we are from the UK and have a medicare card with reciprocal cover. Combined with their "offer" on private hospital cover the bargain was $420/month... No OVHC and cover from HBF to avoid the MSL = $62.80... Easily enough saving to pay a tax accountant! I'd just be checking that the reciprocal cover means what you think it means. I understood it to be fairly limited and that 457 holders usually do have medical insurance for that reason. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDougster Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 5 hours ago, Marisawright said: I'd just be checking that the reciprocal cover means what you think it means. I understood it to be fairly limited and that 457 holders usually do have medical insurance for that reason. You need it to get the visa and until you have medicare cover. It is then ambiguous depending on your country of citizenship but my understanding is that from a UK point of view living in Aus with medicare is largely comparable to having NHS cover in the UK. If you need treatment then you'll get it: if you want treatment then you probably won't. Private hospital cover means you aren't subject to MSL on your tax return. It seems to be a bit of a racket to be honest and you need to click through lots of government sites before you get to the still slightly ambiguous truth. I am perhaps slightly lucky to work at a hospital just around the corner so have some confidence to do it this way. If anyone has some concrete evidence that a UK citizen with reciprocal medicare cover needs extra health insurance then I'm all ears! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klaartje Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 (edited) I have very recently been granted a TSS visa and one of the requirements is for me to have health insurance. I am moving to Adelaide from the Uk, however not a UK citizen, but my husband is. On both our visa it is mentioned that maintaining health insurance is a requirement Edited July 18, 2018 by Klaartje incorrect entry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unzippy Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 This was a good read for me - http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-09/private-health-insurance-do-i-need-it/9633430 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happychappy Posted August 4, 2018 Share Posted August 4, 2018 On 17/07/2018 at 19:14, DrDougster said: You need it to get the visa and until you have medicare cover. It is then ambiguous depending on your country of citizenship but my understanding is that from a UK point of view living in Aus with medicare is largely comparable to having NHS cover in the UK. If you need treatment then you'll get it: if you want treatment then you probably won't. Private hospital cover means you aren't subject to MSL on your tax return. It seems to be a bit of a racket to be honest and you need to click through lots of government sites before you get to the still slightly ambiguous truth. I am perhaps slightly lucky to work at a hospital just around the corner so have some confidence to do it this way. If anyone has some concrete evidence that a UK citizen with reciprocal medicare cover needs extra health insurance then I'm all ears! If your visa condition doesn't ask for it, you don't have to. Now the reason you want to get one is mainly to avoid MLS. Also, if you need an elective surgery and you are not happy to wait through public system (as it can take a long time for certain surgeries) or if you have to call an ambulance, yes you need one. At the end of the day, for most people, its a matter of peace of mind when it comes to buying or not buying an insurance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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