The Great Aussie Health Check

The symptoms include prolonged pains in the hip area,  pronounced  feelings of helplessness and a fear of surprises especially from doctors’ bills.

The diagnosis is of a private health insurance system with policies that increase in price by some 6% a year and where too many patients pay more than they might.

The medicine includes matching yourself to a better insurer  and a better plan more closely aligned with your needs to save money, restore sanity and regain control.

Your treatment options include speaking to your current  provider, seeking out a new one perhaps via a comparison site or joining the Great Aussie Health Check.

The more adventurous might be prescribed to try all three options and over the next four weeks take the steps to ensure they are getting more value from their health insurance.

So far nearly 30,000 FiftyUp members have joined our latest campaign to use their negotiating power to secure better offers in this confusing and complex market.

Part of the issue for the over 50s is their loyalty to existing insurers. It may be justified and due to satisfaction because 69% report they have stayed put with their fund for six plus years.

Only two per cent  in our recent survey thought their cover represented  ‘good value’!

It may be there’s a lack of appreciation of other offers out there, perhaps from new competitive funds, which could deliver similar cover at a lower cost.

Anyone can reduce their insurance bill by excluding certain treatments or agreeing to pay higher excesses (ie the amount you pay before the insurer kicks in) but this can be risky.

The irony is, and this has been reported in comments from those who’ve already joined the campaign, is FiftyUps have found they are paying for certain services, such as obstetrics, they are unlikely to need.

Likewise as you are getting on it’s a good idea to ensure vulnerable areas such as your heart and joints are also included in the private hospital cover.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be sharing some tips and information , such as how to understand out of pocket and gap payments better, to help you get the most out of your insurance.

In the meantime check out the Great Aussie Health Check campaign. There’s no cost or obligation and it might prompt you to give you insurance a real work out. Good luck.