Public or private and out of pocket costs

BlueKoala

Did you opt to be treated in the public system, or did you go private?

I have private health insurance, and have kept paying for it so that in the event of one of us getting sick, then we would have the option to have it treated faster and not have to wait. We can't afford (time-wise) to have a parent sick for too long because our kids are young .

I feel that if they and I were older I would just go with the public system and deal with any wait times, but that as it is now I am better off paying the out of pocket costs.

Am I crazy? Am I really just not realising how much it is all going to cost?

Tell me about your experience

gerrib

If you have private probably best to use it blue koala. I have it to reduce waiting time and to ensure doctor of my choice. Last time I went public with surgeon of choice and due to an anomaly didn't have to wait the 6 weeks that I was originally told. This time for surgery I went private. Will be $250 out of pocket for anaesthetist and $250 excess.

BlueKoala

I have had all my babies through the public system, but wasn't all that concerned about who I did or didn't see (as long as it wasn't the grumpy old man who told me I was fat - and I'm only a few kilos overweight!). It didn't bother me that I had to keep retelling my story of multiple miscarriages or that I got a different registrar every visit.
I just feel very different about this.
I have no doubt that the quality of care at the public hospital would be excellent - it is attached to a university - but I'm just worried about waits and delays and having to keep dealing with new people.

It seems that between Medicare and my PHI it is going to cover everything, anyway, unless I get a chemo that isn't under the PBS (and even $1000 of that will be under PHI). My aunt had bowel cancer last year, and she was out of pocket about $5000 going private.

My GP asked me if I had private health, and she said good, she said the doctor she would refer me to was one of the best.

It's just all so daunting!

gerrib

You're doing very well blue koala. I too have confidence in our public health system. Have you considered being admitted as a private patient to a public hospital? You will see surgeon of your choice then. The only problem could be longer waiting period and possibly shared room. See what the surgeon says. Good that you have the best