The Future of Private Health Insurance

[Gringotts Bank]

It makes me wonder why those responsible for health care do so little to reduce the lifestyle risks.

OK we have had a big anti smoking campaign (with great opposition by vested interests), but alcohol and obesity have been basically ignored.

They haven't been ignored at all. Governments do plenty to promote healthy lifestyle, but as explained, it's a dead end. People indulge unhealthy habits to self-medicate. You can't just take away 'medications' (read: coping mechanisms) and not expect major repurcussions. Why do kids risk their lives taking drugs at dance parties? It's the very same reason an adult might use alcohol or soft drinks.

The only short term solution I can think of is one which would never be permitted. That is, the education of wannabe parents that if they can't properly provide a loving environment for children, then they shouldn't have them. They need to understand they may have a very hard time with their offspring if they can't create the proper environment. Something like the 'dogs aren't just for xmas' slogan.

 

[SirRumpole]

They haven't been ignored at all. Governments do plenty to promote healthy lifestyle, but as explained, it's a dead end. People indulge unhealthy habits to self-medicate. You can't just take away 'medications' and not expect major repurcussions. Why do kids risk their lives taking drugs at dance parties? It's the very same reason an adult might drink excessively.

There has been a lot of talk and some money for mental health treatment but little talk about the causes of mental illness which seems to be increasing on a per capita basis.

Unrealistic expectations of life perhaps, the idea that in a modern technological society more things will be done for us. Maybe that's the problem, too much reliance on technology and too little on individual achievement.

Who knows, I'm no psychologist.

 

[qldfrog]

Medical science, with the exception of vaccines, has been over-rated as a source of human progress. Most of the gains in health and longevity (and quality of life) have come from public health measures such as clean water, clean(er) air, better food, and sewerage systems. I agree we are now addicted to (expensive) life-extending treatments of the normal symptoms of ageing - but as soon as we extend life-spans by a couple of years, we end up "suffering" from a new "epidemic" of age-related maladies like particular cancers, heart disease , arthritis or dementia. If you look at where the health dollar goes, it is overwhelming these diseases of age. The research dollar is similarly weighted to finding "cures" for these quite normal conditions of an ageing body (and I say this as someone with failing eye sight and hearing, numerous "pre-cancerous" skin lesions as well as dicky knees).

I'd love to see an unbiased cost-benefit analysis of both health care and medical research to see whether keeping us geriatrics alive for a few more years is a genuine benefit to society. Unfortunately for most posters here, old blokes would score rather badly I think but old women, because the social and economic benefits of grandmothers have been studied, would score better.

Nature has a good way to sort things up as us boys die significantly earlier than the ladies, and not only because we speed more

 

[Gringotts Bank]

Not sure that's entirely true

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5137920/

 

[sptrawler]

Private health is in the news a lot at the moment, apparently there is a mass exodus as the premiums keep going up, I can understand that we just changed ours over from annually to monthly, $5,000 is a lot to pay in one hit.
The other half wont drop it, what is the general feeling on here?

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02...vate-or-public-cancer-treatment-cost/11918342

 

[dyna]

Either pay the basic hospital cover or cop the tax penalty.It's as simple that,kids(Johnnie Howard's words,I think)Those youngsters under thirty,quitting in droves right now,aren't thinking far ahead are they? They'll all be sorry when they start earning a decent wage and then get hit with the extra 1% plus the killer, 10 year lifetime health cover loading.Oh well,nobody cares about smokers paying 60+ % tax and beer drinkers,40+% ...more coin for Treasury,I guess.

 

[willoneau]

I never joined it when it started years ago, but my folks did. when they stopped working and maybe needed it they couldn't afford it, lucky for them never needed it and they are now in their late 70's and healthy.

 

[Smurf1976]

what is the general feeling on here?

In my view PHS is the actual tax rort that Labor should have gone to the last election with a plan to scrap completely.

Stop the PHS handouts and put the money into public hospitals for everyone's benefit.

I'll admit to having PHS but I'll also acknowledge that the reason is simply tax avoidance. As a concept it's a silly one and I'm considering dropping it even though it'll cost me in tax to do so. Better to prop up Medicare, that's what funds most medical treatment anyway.

 

[willoneau]

I don't mind paying the tax penalty, I see it as a form of donating to charity.

 

[jbocker]

This is a great thread folks, I really appreciate the comments. I have a few to add but need a bit of time to compile. It was an area I had invested in (NHF). However I was not sure I was comfortable in profiting from the system as a shareholder. Got out in May last year with decent profit, and missed some further good upside. I just looked and it has had a decent slide from July Last year. Happy I went with my ethics.

 

[mullokintyre]

Figures like these may cause a few folk who do not have private insurance into rethinking.
Mick

 

[divs4ever]

every time a private health insurance sales person rings up i say two key phrases disability pension and myocardial infarction

and they hang up rapidly ... talk about picky

 

[Belli]

Figures like these may cause a few folk who do not have private insurance into rethinking.

Yep. I've had health insurance from the time I started to earning a living. Now, at 70+ years of age, it is an essential. I've known for a number of years the increase in waiting times for admission to a public hospital for elective surgery. My view is if you wish to take the risk, go ahead but you could end up like my neighbour who is around my age. Never had insurance as it's a waste of money ya know. Now he has issues with his hips, back and knees and has been on the waiting list for around three years. He now cannot afford health insurance (age pension.)

Also, don't forget the cost of the specialists, including the anaesthetist. Depending on the type of surgery it could cost you well upwards of $2k and neither Medicare, nor the health fund, will cover most of it.

Friend of mine had a seven hour op. I was told the health fund covered the hospital fee of $17k bar an $250 excess contribution. For the specialists, including the work up pre-op and the op itself, it was close to $14k and he got back some $5.5k - mostly from Medicare.

I remembered those numbers and, as a consequence, I have factored them, and some more, into my "When needed fund". As we age, some can live without having major issues or simply have to put up with the situation but a lot will need admission.

 

[Belli]

I've had health insurance

Received notification from the fund the insurance will increase by ..................0.9% this year. I can cope with that.

Only just now opened the snail mail I collected last Wednesday. Yup, I'm slack sometimes.

 

[farmerge]

Received notification from the fund the insurance will increase by ..................0.9% this year. I can cope with that.

Only just now opened the snail mail I collected last Wednesday. Yup, I'm slack sometimes.

Wouldn't be without Health insurance.
We are with the biggest one here in WA and also have gap-saver which costs a bit extra each quarter, but then the Govt covers one third of that cost.
Means our out of pocket expenses are nil.

 

[qldfrog]

Wouldn't be without Health insurance.
We are with the biggest one here in WA and also have gap-saver which costs a bit extra each quarter, but then the Govt covers one third of that cost.

Means our out of pocket expenses are nil.

Hate it as it is an expensive annual cost which has cost us a fortune over the last 30y..and when we had one major accident with micro surgery etc, the golden top cover left us with a $2.5k out of pocket bill 15y ago. Not small amount then... but would you be without it..our answer is no..
But it is worth checking providers: just moved back with Bupa this year as we saved another 4 figures amount switching instead of renewing.

 

[Prepper Pete]

It makes me wonder why those responsible for health care do so little to reduce the lifestyle risks.

OK we have had a big anti smoking campaign (with great opposition by vested interests), but alcohol and obesity have been basically ignored.

Alcopops tax was rejected by the LNP and a sugar/salt/fat tax (or other measures to reduce these) have not seen the light of day in this government.

Part of the ageing population syndrome have been higher health costs, surely a greater emphasis on a healthier lifestyle should be essential to reducing those costs.

private health insurance is like chasing this red DOT

 

[qldfrog]

private health insurance is like chasing this red DOT

When our governments can force you an mRNA experiment killing here between 10k and 20k people in Australia ...pure stats on extra deaths..does anyone really believe the governments care about our health?
So no holistic approach or whole of well being target:
eat ****, get sick, buy medicine and go to hospital..all good for GDP
Even worse in the US, not better in the EU
So get insurance for the repair work(surgery), and do your own maintenance work to lessen the bad odds

 

[SirRumpole]

When our governments can force you an mRNA experiment killing here between 10k and 20k people in Australia ...pure stats on extra

Can you link to those stats?

 

[farmerge]

I've had 3 visits to hospital since the bull attack 4 years ago. Overnight stays for knee and stomach ops. Didn't cost us a zac.
The initial stay at RPH was 7 days and not a cent did we pay for that either.
Had lots and x-rays and mir's