Bruce Posted April 2, 2019 Posted April 2, 2019 In the news, this 78 y/o woman who had paid her private health cover for years was refused admission to Hobart private hospital because of her age. A very similar thing happened to my Auntie Pat, when we were told by the Ashford private hospital that she wasn't welcome back there next time, on account of ( they didn't say this explicitly ) she had become unprofitable for them. I reckon that they should disclose this policy up front so that silly old people don't live in a fantasy world. Auntie Pat finished being looked after in a nice Catholic place ( she had been anti-Catholic for ignorant reasons) and the public hospital system, despite being proudly "private". Maybe right-wing oldies are easy to rip off, methinks.
facthunter Posted April 2, 2019 Posted April 2, 2019 Capitalism has all the answers so I'm led to believe. Isn't insurance where the premiums pay for the hard luck of some contributors? Nev
Marty_d Posted April 2, 2019 Posted April 2, 2019 Yep, those right-wingers really hate socialism... until they come up against a privatised medical system.
facthunter Posted April 2, 2019 Posted April 2, 2019 The real test is how they handle a claim. Not how little they charge for a premium. Nev 1
Bruce Posted April 2, 2019 Author Posted April 2, 2019 Yep, the bit of information the insurance companies know very well but don't disclose is the payout percentage. That is, what percentage of claims are actually paid out. I reckon we need an insurance buyers co-op to sort this out.
Yenn Posted April 3, 2019 Posted April 3, 2019 Wasn’t it John Howard who promised that if we all joined up for health insurance, the premiums would go down? Now it seems premiums are going up and up, plus we have to pay extra to get anything done. I am glad I didn’t listen to our worst prime minister.
red750 Posted January 13 Posted January 13 Reawakening an old thread. How many of you have received notification that from March, you will not be covered for hospital insurance? Canadian company Healthscope, who operate a vast number of private hospitals in Australia, particularly in Victoria, have cancelled their arrangements with health insurance companies, and hospital costs will be out-of-pocket expenses. I thought it was just my health insurance, but on resumption of the Men's Shed today, we discovered that it covers many health insurance companies. Our co-ordinator, who has just been through kidney stone treatment, said he would have been up for a few thousand. He heard that Healthscope has done this to increase their profit and line the pockets of their investors. 1
facthunter Posted January 13 Posted January 13 You shop around. We are far better off than the USA and it will get worse under the fake Orange face President and Musk. Nev 1
facthunter Posted January 13 Posted January 13 IF their prime aim Is Large profits you'd be better off with Local managers, You can find out more about them. Nev
red750 Posted January 13 Posted January 13 Here is a list of the Victorian private hospitals where you can no longer claim benefits from your health insurance company. Other states have simalar or smaller lists. Thr change takes effect from midnight, 3rd March. I have used Knox Private Hospital for a number of treatment, because that is where my specialists operate. My pacemaker was inserted there, and it's battery replaced 9 years later. It is only 5 km down the road, and my cardiologist, urologist and surgeon operate from there. Ringwood Private Hospital is where my wife received her radiation and chemotherapy treatment for cancer. Other private hospitals in the area are not much more than doctors surgeries and don't have emergency departments. Public hospitals are overloaded to the gills with enormous waiting times.Box Hill Hospital is 15 km. away. Healhscope private hospitals in Victoria.
facthunter Posted January 13 Posted January 13 That's the result of action by those hospitals against Certain Insurers as I understand it. Nev
onetrack Posted January 13 Posted January 13 Just a correction from Red's post above - Healthscope is not Canadian, it is owned by a North American private equity group, Brookfield. The row is all about BUPA and AHSA refusing to pay an extra hospital fee that Healthscope is demanding. All the other health insurers have already agreed to pay the fee. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-22/healthscope-ahsa-bupa-private-insurance-contracts/104633886
red750 Posted January 13 Posted January 13 Thanks OT. I was only going on what I was told by our Shed Manager/Co-ordinator, who is employed by the community health service that runs our Shed, and as I said in the OP, has just been in hospital with kidney stones. He said he was told not to use BUPA. My fund is a member of AHSA. 1
red750 Posted March 13 Posted March 13 This could be in the Celebrating Positives thread. I received an email today from my health insurance company, not related to my recent 9 day hospital stay, for which I have not had to pay 1 cent, although a bill could still come. Part one of the email announced the premium increase everyone is getting. Mine was $3.01 per fortnight. I think I'm getting my moneys worth. The second part advised that they have come to an agreement with Eastern Health so I can still use the hospital I went to and be covered. This could be in the Celebrating Positives thread. 3 1
Jerry_Atrick Posted March 13 Posted March 13 (edited) II was living overseas when Howard overhauled health insurance.. and of course, I hadn't picked up on the surcharge pe year when you're over 30, I think it is.. When I do return I will be paying 60% more than I need to.. I guess in some ways it's fair as the premiums don't appear to take into account anything but pre-existing, but that was a bit of a gulp moment when I found out. Edited March 13 by Jerry_Atrick
facthunter Posted March 14 Posted March 14 My Boss and I still pay it even though it's not easy on the OA pension. Nev
Bruce Tuncks Posted March 17 Posted March 17 jerry how do you know that you are actually insured? The only way I know of is to figure out if they are making money from you. Auntie Pat found this out the hard way.... well, if she had not been demented, she would have got a rude awakening. I reckon that it is not for nothing that they take control of the fine print. 2
facthunter Posted March 17 Posted March 17 They have to stay solvent. It just depends on what% they cream off. Nev
Grumpy Old Nasho Posted March 17 Posted March 17 I have another big beautiful policy to announce soon, relating to the medical industry. You'll love this one.
Bruce Tuncks Posted March 17 Posted March 17 This is what I've read and believe to be true... An insurance company will pay out 1/3 of its premiums in claims. ( the rest goes in overheads and profits ) So if you have ordinary luck, you have to lose on the whole deal. I reckon the best deal would be to be in an insurance club, whose sole purpose was to keep the wolf from the door for members.This club should not start to baulk until the claims were closer to 100 percent.
onetrack Posted March 17 Posted March 17 Quote I have another big beautiful policy to announce soon, relating to the medical industry. You'll love this one. Is that really you, Donald? Surely you aren't planning on taking on the global pharmaceutical companies and the medical instrument/equipment suppliers?? 1
onetrack Posted March 17 Posted March 17 Bruce, wasn't that the basis of all the old Scottish/English charitable/benevolent care organisations and groups, such as the Ancient Order of Foresters, Buffaloes, Masons, etc, etc? The Order of St John is the oldest sick care organisation in the world, it started during the Crusades in the 11th century.
Bruce Tuncks Posted March 17 Posted March 17 There was a guy trying to explain life insurance to a russian... "you bet you won't die" he said. To which the russian asked " what if you die young? The westerner replied " Then you win!" 1
facthunter Posted March 17 Posted March 17 Don't insure with those who don't payout above 80%. Medical specialist procedures are really expensive and you never really know when you'll need it, The Public Hospitals are OK but you only go there when there's an emergency or you are giving birth. Waiting in emergency is a Life Altering Experience. I don't recommend it. Nev 1
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