private health insurance for permanent residents

[Rabeah]

Hi everyone,

 

now I've settled in Adelaide and I was wondering joining a private health insurance just to give me peace of mind. I'm a permanent resident since February and checked different brochures and surfed on the internet for special offers. Which were your experiences with private health insurances? I read about HFC, Bupa, HIF, Medibank, nib...It makes it hard to decide. Recommandations are welcome.

 

Cheers, Rabeah

[Guest ali]

Hi everyone,

 

now I've settled in Adelaide and I was wondering joining a private health insurance just to give me peace of mind. I'm a permanent resident since February and checked different brochures and surfed on the internet for special offers. Which were your experiences with private health insurances? I read about HFC, Bupa, HIF, Medibank, nib...It makes it hard to decide. Recommandations are welcome.

 

Cheers, Rabeah

 

Good qestion Rabeah:smile: I'm don't have a PR, not now at least. So I need private insurance as well.

 

Cheers:smile:

[Guest Sachertorte]

I would strongly recommend joining private health cover at least for the extras. We had joined from the beginning (we were on a 475 then) and both me and husband had major dental etc. so it paid for itself. We used Medibank, but now we are on a full cover (eg also hospital cover) with Bupa because we were given a good deal. Customer service wise though we would rate Medibank better.

 

There is something called "medicare lifetime cover" I think that gives you 1 year from when you become permanent residents to join before the government makes you pay Lifetime Healthcare Loading. I discovered this by chance when I was enquiring about deals on hospital cover. If you join within that window you pay a lower premium:

http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/assets/lhcbrochures/lhcenglish.pdf

[Guest ali]

There is something called "medicare lifetime cover" I think that gives you 1 year from when you become permanent residents to join before the government makes you pay Lifetime Healthcare Loading. I discovered this by chance when I was enquiring about deals on hospital cover. If you join within that window you pay a lower premium:

http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/assets/lhcbrochures/lhcenglish.pdf

 

Wow thanks! This is good stuff. So I'll look Medibank and Bupa up and then a year prior to getting my PR I'll go for the 'medicare lifetime cover'. Now this is experience and thank you for letting us know.

[sinob]

Thanks Sachertorte for that info on Lifetime Healthcare Loading - very good to know!!

[Guest ladyarkles]

Wow thanks! This is good stuff. So I'll look Medibank and Bupa up and then a year prior to getting my PR I'll go for the 'medicare lifetime cover'. Now this is experience and thank you for letting us know.

 

Hi Ali,

you have to get it within a year of registering for full Medicare cover, not before you activate PR.

We are in the process of doing it now.

 

So, once you get full Medicare cover (as PR entitles you to be) you have a year to sign up to get the exemption.

See excerpt from leaflet:

 

If you are a new migrant to Australia, and are aged over

the LHC deadline (1 July following your 31st birthday),

special conditions apply.

As a new migrant to Australia you do not have to pay

a LHC loading if you take out hospital cover within 12

months of being registered for Medicare. After this time

you have to pay a LHC loading of 2% more for each year

you are aged over 30 when you take out hospital cover.

As a migrant it is a good idea to consider taking out

hospital cover in the first year after you register for

Medicare. If you wait and take out hospital cover after

this date you will pay more for your hospital cover as the

price will also include the LHC loading. So, the older you

are, the more it will cost.

 

Also see here for more info: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-privatehealth-lhc-providers-general.htm

 

~ Rachel xx

[Guest Guest5035]

Been here since 1991 and never had FULL cover only the extras, to us its a waste of money ($190 a month i believe)?? If its life and death the "normal"way is suffice, if its a op thats needed you can go semi private through the specialist using the public hospital. My oh a few years ago had a womans problem, she went as said above, from diagnosis to be the all clear cost me $500 and 17 days, easy....

 

stevo

[Guest ali]

Hi Ali,

you have to get it within a year of registering for full Medicare cover, not before you activate PR.

We are in the process of doing it now.

 

So, once you get full Medicare cover (as PR entitles you to be) you have a year to sign up to get the exemption.

See excerpt from leaflet:

 

 

 

Also see here for more info: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-privatehealth-lhc-providers-general.htm

 

~ Rachel xx

 

Thank you Rachel:smile:

 

So the way I understand it is even on a 475 ss visa I should register with Medicare the day I arrive regardless of the fact that I'm not eligible for the services until I get PR. And since I'm 34 if I don't register when I arrive I'll have to pay 8% more later on? Very good and informative post. Thank you again Rachel:smile:

 

Ali

[Guest ali]

Been here since 1991 and never had FULL cover only the extras, to us its a waste of money ($190 a month i believe)?? If its life and death the "normal"way is suffice, if its a op thats needed you can go semi private through the specialist using the public hospital. My oh a few years ago had a womans problem, she went as said above, from diagnosis to be the all clear cost me $500 and 17 days, easy....

 

stevo

 

Thank you Stevo:smile:

 

I will definitely have to look at the pros and cons of going for Medicare or private and then decide which one suits me.

 

Cheers,

 

Ali

[Guest ladyarkles]

Definitely get the Medicare registration done when you get here. That is a must!

 

I guess then, when you get PR and the Medicare cover changes slightly, you can decide what to do at that point.

 

For us, we feel we need the private cover. But we are a pair of knackered old duffers! lol

 

But get your Medicare sorted out as soon as you arrive, for sure! (and I hope you never have reason to use it! )

 

R xx

[Guest ali]

Definitely get the Medicare registration done when you get here. That is a must!

 

I guess then, when you get PR and the Medicare cover changes slightly, you can decide what to do at that point.

 

For us, we feel we need the private cover. But we are a pair of knackered old duffers! lol

 

But get your Medicare sorted out as soon as you arrive, for sure! (and I hope you never have reason to use it! )

 

R xx

 

Thank you Rachel. Such a nice comment there:smile: Now I will have to add another thing to my to-do list. I wish the same for you guys and hope that you enjoy a life without pain and illness.

 

Ali

[Rabeah]

Thanks for your replies! I tend to have the view like Stevo, Extras only. But wasn't sure. It all depends on good luck or bad luck in life (means accidents happen or not). I know about the life time cover. thank you folks charing this with others. Ambulance cover I think is a must, isn't it?

Cheers, Rabeah

[Guest aanitahir]

Hi everyone,

 

now I've settled in Adelaide and I was wondering joining a private health insurance just to give me peace of mind. I'm a permanent resident since February and checked different brochures and surfed on the internet for special offers. Which were your experiences with private health insurances? I read about HFC, Bupa, HIF, Medibank, nib...It makes it hard to decide. Recommandations are welcome.

 

Cheers, Rabeah

 

What about centrelink?