Private Health Insurance in Australia

Having private health cover gives you the option of having the doctor of your choice at a time when you need him most and you have more say of where and when you are treated. The waiting lists are much shorter in private hospitals and you can be covered for many treatments not funded by Medicare. Although you may feel fit and healthy now, statistics show that one in five people aged 20 to 30 are hospitalised each year and by the time you are between 50 and 65 that figure in one in three.

Whilst we have one of the best public health systems in the world, there are many gaps in the system. What is deemed elective surgery and what is not may be viewed very differently but the medical profession and the individual who is in pain. Basically anything that is not life threatening or a serious injury is elective. For example non serious knee surgery is classed as elective, even though it causes you pain and discomfort. To have this corrected in a private hospital without private insurance would cost you over $10,000 or you could be added to a lengthy waiting list in the public hospital system. Dental is one area in Australia that is of concern. Dental costs in Australia are frightfully expensive and under the public health system free dental is only available to those holding a government concession card. Unfortunately that leaves a large proportion of the Australian public unable to afford proper dental care thus endangering their overall health. Private health cover can see these people receiving dental treatment. Other services not covered by Medicare include Chiropractic treatment, dietary advice, optical and physiotherapy and well as alternative therapies. In some cases when you have private insurance you can actually claim for your gym membership, massages and some sports equipment. Speaking of sports, there are always injuries of some kind associated with sports and in is wise to be well covered in case of these little eventualities.