Health Insurance.

[Pushka]

So I am an Insurance kind of gal. Never leave home without it. But I hate Health Insurance. So now, at my age they no longer cover me for assisted reproduction and IVF - WT? They knew my age when I changed plans, and 'for my convenience' at July 1, I am no longer covered for knee and hip replacements, eye surgery and cataracts. But they've increased the price by $10 a month.

What kind of business gets to do that?

 

[Glider_]

"For your convenience" = the new "Enhancement"

 

[Must...Fly!]

Simple. Give them the finger and move. Not enough people do.

 

[Denali]

Our policy is grandfathered in from the old AHM days and I had similar when I phoned to discuss removing IVF/baby/pediatric removed (that ship passed long ago).

If I did remove coverage for these, we would have less benefits but pay more so we're keeping the grandfathered policy and every now and then I read the fine print and find things to claim (like Tens machine, yearly swimming pool pass, O2 refills for hubbys 1st aid bottle/scuba safety ect).

 

[Pushka]

Our policy is grandfathered in from the old AHM days and I had similar when I phoned to discuss removing IVF/baby/pediatric removed (that ship passed long ago).

If I did remove coverage for these, we would have less benefits but pay more so we're keeping the grandfathered policy and every now and then I read the fine print and find things to claim (like Tens machine, yearly swimming pool pass, O2 refills for hubbys 1st aid bottle/scuba safety ect).

I think you’ll find items removed anyway just as I did today. How can you take out one specifically worded policy, then that policy is degraded by removing benefits previously agreed to, plus up the price then expect people to stay!

And yes. They are getting the bird.

 

[mannej]

I hate this time of year - the process is always the same. I get the notice of increase (usually 2-3x the rate of inflation), beat my chest for a few minutes before not acting on my annoyance.

 

[Pushka]

I hate this time of year - the process is always the same. I get the notice of increase (usually 2-3x the rate of inflation), beat my chest for a few minutes before not acting on my annoyance.

Yes. Agree. However I’m acting this time as they’ve removed benefits (knee/hip surgery) that down the track we might need.

 

[mannej]

Yes. Agree. However I’m acting this time as they’ve removed benefits (knee/hip surgery) that down the track we might need.

Truth be told I am getting my other half to look into it, as I think this year may be the straw that has broken the camel's back.

 

[kamchatsky]

It is called "Simpler and Fairer".

 

[Pushka]

Truth be told I am getting my other half to look into it, as I think this year may be the straw that has broken the camel's back.

That’s exactly the way I feel too. Seems they’ve almost picked the one thing we might claim on and removed it.

 

[Denali]

I think you’ll find items removed anyway just as I did today. How can you take out one specifically worded policy, then that policy is degraded by removing benefits previously agreed to, plus up the price then expect people to stay!

And yes. They are getting the bird.

Cant find any benefit changes yet, other than price increase, when I compare and to confirm our AHM policy incs all joint replacements.

 

[DC3]

I've been looking around but it's pretty difficult to directly compare Heath Insurers, with all of the variable options (price v cover).

Edit: Comparing oranges with apples.

 

[RB]

Pretty happy with the cover we have (ex teacher left 25yrs ago (and have recovered my sanity) but kept the fund). We notice quite a difference between my mothers fund and the one my mother-in-law is in. Deciding whether to have a nil excess is an obvious gamble. I have had great health until 2 yrs ago-I wasn't well prepared to make the choice of private or public patient when I was admitted to the public hospital. As I understand it if I go as a private patient it helps the budget of the local hospital. The only difference was I got free TV & a free paper each day whereas I would have had to pay for those if I was a public patient.

 

[love_the_life]

We moved funds almost 12 months ago after lots of ‘should we/shouldn’t we’. It turns out MrLtL needed some procedures this week and they tried to tell the hospital it was pre-existing (finally agreed it wasn’t) but regardless it was a change of fund to the same level of cover so it shouldn’t have mattered anyway. We went into their office here and the woman did admit she had no idea why the person at the call centre would’ve given the hospital that information as it clearly was incorrect. Just extra stress we didn’t need.

 

[Pushka]

Pretty happy with the cover we have (ex teacher left 25yrs ago (and have recovered my sanity) but kept the fund). We notice quite a difference between my mothers fund and the one my mother-in-law is in. Deciding whether to have a nil excess is an obvious gamble. I have had great health until 2 yrs ago-I wasn't well prepared to make the choice of private or public patient when I was admitted to the public hospital. As I understand it if I go as a private patient it helps the budget of the local hospital. The only difference was I got free TV & a free paper each day whereas I would have had to pay for those if I was a public patient.

Yes. That’s the system in SA too. The public hospital bills back the private hospital for your stay and the number crunchers love it. Didn’t get me a private room though but a mixed ward of 6 people. But I did get a free TV and paper. But it was too noisy in the ward to hear the TV and I never bother with papers.

I’d never drop private completely but this latest move has me wanting to move. Last straw.

We moved funds almost 12 months ago after lots of ‘should we/shouldn’t we’. It turns out MrLtL needed some procedures this week and they tried to tell the hospital it was pre-existing (finally agreed it wasn’t) but regardless it was a change of fund to the same level of cover so it shouldn’t have mattered anyway. We went into their office here and the woman did admit she had no idea why the person at the call centre would’ve given the hospital that information as it clearly was incorrect. Just extra stress we didn’t need.

Indeed. Fingers crossed for that too.

If you are covered with one fund and then transfer then there are no waiting periods unless you’ve upgraded your cover. But that applies with the original fund anyway.

Sons friend with bowel cancer started chemo and radiotherapy this week. His mum had huge guilts because she’d been paying for his health insurance until late last year. But had cancelled it so he’s into the public system now. His only issue will be if he wants to choose his own surgeon when the tumour has shrunk sufficiently.

 

[DC3]

Isn't it more about getting cover for a private hospital bed, rather than in the public hospital system? Depends on whether the private hospitals in your area have the facilities to deal with your condition at the time I guess.

 

[Pushka]

Isn't it more about getting cover for a private hospital bed, rather than in the public hospital system? Depends on whether the private hospitals in your area have the facilities to deal with your condition at the time I guess.

I was an emergency admission so had to go Public. Once there and treated then I can opt to go private depending on what else is happening. So called elective surgeries are where the private system kicks in.

 

[love_the_life]

The private hospital available through private insurance is important for our son as it means he can access Hyson Green psychiatric hospital when/if he needs it. The public one is dreadful and he would be worse there than when he went in. For him private insurance has been a godsend.

 

[Pushka]

The private hospital available through private insurance is important for our son as it means he can access Hyson Green psychiatric hospital when/if he needs it. The public one is dreadful and he would be worse there than when he went in. For him private insurance has been a godsend.

And which is why I ensure the kids are always in private health insurance. The public health system for mental health issues is abysmal.

 

[RooFlyer]

I took the Qantas health insurance bait last year, as I was looking to compare new options. Clicked the box, and waited for a call.

Nothing happened.