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Private Health Insurance Vs Public Care
1. Australians are lucky when it comes to health care. When
illness or injury strikes, there is no question regarding your
access to health care, whether or not you own private
health insurance.
2. The Australian government guarantees that everyone is
entitled to Medicare to help cover many medical needs;
but few people realize what the limits of their Medicare
coverage are, and where private health cover fits into the
equation.
3. When you don't have a solid understanding of the
difference between what Medicare covers and what your
health insurance covers, it's difficult to make the best
decisions for yourself and your family when it comes to
planning for the future and protecting your finances if an
unexpected illness or injury disrupts your lives. By
comparing health plans, you can get a better idea of how
much private health coverage actually costs, and what it
can do for you.
4. Who needs private health coverage? Doesn't Medicare
cover all of your health insurance needs? What if you're a
young couple or family with no reason to worry about
health issues?
5. It's important to start by understanding how Medicare
works, and what coverage it does and does not provide.
6. Medicare was introduced in Australia in 1984 as the
country's public health cover system, guaranteeing access
to free or low-cost medical and hospital care for every
Australian citizen and permanent resident.
7. The Medicare system offers access to a public hospital and
treatment by a hospital appointed physician. While
Australians receive excellent care through the Medicare
system, there are little to no options when it comes to
selecting the hospital in which you will be treated, or even
when you will be admitted.
8. Under Australia's Medicare program, any treatment that
does not fall into the "emergency" category is considered
to be elective, which places patients on a long public
hospital waiting list to be seen.
9. Australians can improve their health care situation by
purchasing private health cover to augment Medicare,
which you retain even when your private health plan takes
effect. When your health insurance strategy includes a
private policy in addition to Medicare benefits, you have
the option to choose treatment as either a private or
public patient in a private or public hospital. The decision
is up to you.
10. People with private health coverage earn choice and
flexibility when it comes to their own care. Your health
insurance allows you to choose the physician or specialist
responsible for your treatment, the schedule for
admission to the hospital for treatment, and quicker
access to any elective surgery you may be having.
11. Your insurance will cover most if not all of those costs that
Medicare does not pay, and you can avoid waiting on a
public hospital list for the treatment you need.
12. It's important to check with your insurer and read your
policy details before you schedule a hospital stay to be
sure your health insurance covers your particular
procedure.
13. When it comes to receiving treatment outside of a
hospital, Medicare will cover 100 percent of the cost to
visit a general practitioner, specialist, or medical center. In
fact, your private health plan cannot by law pay for costs
incurred when visiting a physician or specialist outside of a
hospital.
14. Still, there are plenty of medical services that Medicare
does not cover, but your health insurance can, including:
26. If you or your family needs or wants access to these
services, your private health plan can include coverage for
the specific treatments you will be seeking.
27. The best way to make realistic decisions regarding your
family's coverage is to first make sure you have a good
understanding of Medicare. Determine what coverage
your family needs according to your age, lifestyle, and
whether or not any preexisting conditions need to be
considered. Compare health insurance policies to find the
best coverage to fit your needs and your budget.
28. Speak to an insurance consultant and ask for a thorough
explanation of all the benefits available to you, both
through Medicare and your private health insurance. No
one can put a price on the health and financial well-being
of their family. Augmenting your Medicare benefits with
private health coverage in an excellent way to achieve
financial protection and peace of mind.