New Year Grudge Purchases

For the last 3 years my Private Health Cover has risen by 11.27%. I queried this with the Provider the explanation was that even though the Govt. approves the 6%+ rise that it is not how it is worked out with individual clients . Many things? decide how much our policy increases . I asked please explain my increase ,couldn't was the reply, was it my age , the reply was no comment. I was 76 i am sure it was this . Lynne WA 

I have had private health cover with the same fund since birth, 59 years. I have asked where is the loyalty discount, nothing offered. I cannot even get cover from My PH fund which does not include maternity...go figure... Talk about wierd. Certainly not geared up for the different fazes in life. My husband and I are pretty healthy, but are having to look at less or no PH cover due to financial restraints. I have looked and refined searches nothing comes close to rebates we get now. PH funds are certainly money hungry companies. 

I have had health insurance on and off over the years according to what we could afford. Unfortunately as you get older you need PH more. Your health is going to deteriorate and your income is going to decrease when you retire so it is less affordable. There is no compensation for people who have paid all their lives but simply can't afford it in later years. Also when I first joined PH as a teenager, it covered almost eerything. These days there is such a huge gap between what the fund covers and what the doctor charges it is almost worthless. There has to be a cap on doctors fees and a more realistic amount that's covered. If you insure your house or car you are covered for everything that is repaired not a percentage of what is charged. That is what gives insured people peace of mind. 

I am happy to hold private health insurance and do my bit. I pay to see my Dr as they don't bulk bill,but PH is gauging us every year way above the CPI. I wanted to get a surgical procedure and went to one surgeon who quoted me $5,500.00. My Medicare rebate offed $975.00. Mediocre pay 75% and PH pay $25% so I have to pay an exobotant Gap. I pay $5000.00 per year in PH cover for top hospital and extras and I would expect the PH would have covered some of this. This procedure was not elective but it would have given me a better quality of life. I can no longer go ahead with this surgery because of the outrageous Gap. The govt need to have more control on these Gap charges. I understand Drs train years but like solicitors they are almost untouchable to the average person. I paid $175.00 for the consultation and I have been to 3 Drs all have quoted about the same or more. The Drs receptionist will not devulge their fees until you have had your consultation so you are always going to be out of pocket . Just finding the right dr is an expensive exercise. The system is definitely broken and needs to be made a lot simpler for the consumer. I think there are far too many PH providers and they need to combine their services and really provide a state of the art service that is a valuable asset to the country to keep the population healthy. 

I am 61 years old and have being paying for health insurance since I was eighteen. The insurance costs and out of pocket expenses keep rising at a higher rate than the CPI, but actual "value for money spent" diminishes each year. Shopping around is of limited value as there are so many exclusions which have the effect of ensuring that the consumer feels they need to take out higher cover. It is difficult to compare apples with pears and oranges. We need a simpler system. One which empowers the consumer to make informed choices according to their needs. 

My husband and I are both over 60 and we have only basic hospital cover, as we could not afford to have anything more. Fortunately we are both very healthy and have not had to use our cover at all, so we would very much like a huge discount for looking after ourselves and staying healthy, so as not to be a burden on the health system. They should look at charging for outpatients at hospitals and see how many then go to a private GP, instead of taking up valuable resources at the hospitals. 

Judith from Qld. I've been in a private health fund for 16 yrs and not made a claim, I seem to be supporting those who don't live a healthy lifestyle, so how about a discount for the healthy. 

Could you look at phone providers please 

Time has come to opt out now I'm pay 2.5% Medicare levy and additional 4k single cover in basic hospital cover . I'm now paying an eye watering double digit for health insurance. I have never ever had one claim since the birth of my children 26 and 24 yrs ago respectively. I enjoy excellent health however the outrageous annual increases are nothing but gouging the rich to subsidise the poor infirm aged etc etc . I recently returned from Switzerland where I paid an annual fee of 11k francs ( 13kAUSd ) this also included the cover for my sons. I never paid a cent for hospital, drug dispense, X-ray, mammograms etc etc nothing. The Australian Private Health insurance is flawed . 

Health Insurance goes up every year and I'm to bloody health to make a claim. Dentist twice a year no charge to me just the health fund and I get my eyes checked once a year don't need nee glasses. I could buy glasses but it would just be a fashion statement. No discounts for living a health moderate life.