Medicare extras????

[she1971]

Hiya

Can anyone please tell me how you just take out cover for extras? We have a 176 visa. Will that be ok and do 'extras' cover ambulances?
Keep doing searches and am getting confused.
Or any advise re: health cover please, we know that at least one of our boys will need orthodontic work in the near future.

Thanks in advance.

[andy and lindsey]

Hi there dont panic - extra's cover is easy just find the company which you think best serves your need look at what extra's you get, the limits and the cost involved - the companies that I know do extra's cover off the top of my head are health partners, medibank, mutual community and SGIC (I think). I think I am right i saying that extras probably wouldnt cover ambulances too. We got ours when we first arrived with SA Ambulance. It was about $120 for the family for a year. Extra's are approx $60 a month We pay $260 a month for full hospital and extra's cover. Hope this helps.

Lindsey

[Nick11]

If you get extras ambo cover - the small print says it only covers you in serious emergencies. Now say you broke your arm -is it a serious emergency as compared to a heart attack? A friend of mine was billed for the broken arm and had ambos extra cover.

[she1971]

Hi there dont panic - extra's cover is easy just find the company which you think best serves your need look at what extra's you get, the limits and the cost involved - the companies that I know do extra's cover off the top of my head are health partners, medibank, mutual community and SGIC (I think). I think I am right i saying that extras probably wouldnt cover ambulances too. We got ours when we first arrived with SA Ambulance. It was about $120 for the family for a year. Extra's are approx $60 a month We pay $260 a month for full hospital and extra's cover. Hope this helps.

Lindsey

Hi Lindsey
Does medicare not cover for hospital cover? If it doesnt then will def look for full cover especially having 2 sporty boys!!!
Can you recommend any particular company at all??? Dont worry if not its just I feel better if something has been recommended.
Just realised that all our stuff will be in the container in 4 weeks; now I'm panicking!!!

[she1971]

If you get extras ambo cover - the small print says it only covers you in serious emergencies. Now say you broke your arm -is it a serious emergency as compared to a heart attack? A friend of mine was billed for the broken arm and had ambos extra cover.

Hi Nick11
Don't suppose you know which company that was? If not doesn't matter will have to check all small print thoroughly!!!
Thanks.

[andy and lindsey]

Hi yes Medicare does cover you for hospital cover but we also have private cover too. I know a nurse that works in A & E and very soon after arriving in Australia he took private insurance out for his family as he say many people (who didnt have insurance) waiting in corridors on trolleys because there were no beds available. If you need admission to hospital from A & E and have private insurance then you are certainly moved very quickly. A few of the private hospitals have private A & E depts - but in all honesty I would go into a public A & E Dept if needed it.
You will pay a gap fee on certain care in public system - Medicare. You also will have a gap fee with private hospital cover so it still entails a fee. Bear in mind too that the cover does not cover you for outpatient appts but only for hospital admission. If you needed surgery (non emergency) and you had private hospital cover then you certainly would be seen quicker although in all honesty the waits here are nothing like the waits in the UK. Dental fees alone are astronomical yet with our extras cover we all get 2 free check ups and cleans a year. I think the bill for all of us had we not had cover was something like $600 and a white filling cost me $40 with cover. The extra's are definately worth it.

Hope that helps but no you dont have to have nor definately need hospital cover you will still get treated!

[Nick11]

Hi Nick11
Don't suppose you know which company that was? If not doesn't matter will have to check all small print thoroughly!!!
Thanks.

I think they are all the same..but could be wrong. Just take the ambo cover out separetly..money well spent. We are with mutual and it is emergencies only.