Switched to Westfund from Medibank ( Velocity points deal), works out to be cheapest when I did a Private Health comparison.
From the website:
Get an eGift card up to the value of $300 when you join Westfund to spend on what makes you feel good. Join on eligible combined Hospital and Extras cover or Hospital cover before 31 January and quote the promo code NY24. Then relax
You have to keep membership for 3 months for the eGift card.
Referrer and referee receive $100 eGift card.
Everyone has different needs. I need top hospital for the hip and knee replacement stuff as my sports injuries and catching up with me as I get older.
Joints do it in public hospital, my advise
I would advise the opposite. Most likely you will get an "off the shelf" near enough is close enough joint implant in the public system rather than custom 3d printed parts with robotics used in surgery (which is much more accurate in aligning the implant). Also the post op care in the public system for joint replacement is pretty average compared to staying in a private rehab facility
@Sammyboy: They actually use robotic more in the public than private.
Prosthesis are based on surgeon preference, doesnt make a difference is public system than in private. However the use of robot is also the surgeon preference too as it takes more time and the availability of the rep as they have to be present during the surgery.
The aftercare in public in terms of physio and nursing is better than private.
Having worked in both public and private system, i would choose the public over any private hospital except for simple same day operations that do not require any aftercare to avoid the waiting list. However, the waiting list has loopholes and its easy to slip in a closer date if you know the system.
@easternculture: However in public you can't choose who you are going to get so whether a surgeon may use robotics in public is not so relavant as you may end up with a trainee or some cowboy, unless said loophole is possibly used. would diffet and say private has been much better for post care. Not always guaranteed rehab straight after in public. You could be sent home and wait for a spot to turn up. Public fracture clinics are terrible too. They are so unorganised. No way you are getting state of the art implants in the public sector nor are you getting the best surgeons either when it come to orthopaedic. For heart and brain I'd go public hands down though. I've had to deal with both public and private sectors too
@Sammyboy: Trainees dont do much in orthopedics.
Its mainly the surgeon or fellow, but the surgeon is always in the room.
The Trainee if they have proved themselves, only really get to do the last stitches while fellow /surgeon is in the room writing the report on the pc so they are always supervised.
There is no such thing as state of the art prosthesis. There are a variety used depending on surgeon choice, but they cant really be 100% sure until they have opened up and cut through the bone but they do have some kind of idea from imaging done beforehand.
In public hospital you have a physio department with a well established team. In private, your are lucky to have one physio that only prioritises patients based on condition so even at day one, you are not guaranteed to be seen. In public hospital, you are out of bed and walking on day one, and by the time you are discharged from hospital (day 4 or 5), you have had more rehab that a private patients gets in 2 weeks .
@easternculture: In private you go to a private rehab hospital for up to 2 weeks and get physio twice a day. You stay the minimum period in the private hospital itself and straight to a rehab facility.
There are definitely state of the art 3d printed implants.
There no way I'm getting some surgeon who's being supervised to work on replacing my joint.
@Sammyboy: Fellows are basically surgeons thst have passed all exams are have done over 5 years of ortho training.
3D prosthesis are not commonly used. You would need a really good explanation from surgeon for PHI to approve a $40k joint.
Private rehab hopitals are hard to get into. You would be refered to medibank rehab in the home which your fund will pay for. Then you would wait 1 to 2 weeks before you are seen by a physio at home. And you would only get 6 visits over 6 weeks.
In public, you would have had at least 8 physio sessions before being discharged and complete the rehab by booked visits to physio outpatients before discharge.p
Anyways, your joint, you choice. I know how the system works and will always choose public for a joint. Luckily enough i have contacts in RPA IRO department where the best ortho surgeons are if i ever need joint work.
@easternculture: So far all the people I have met recently who have had knee surgery have had 3d printed replacements and the use of robotics. No special requirements used to explain to the insurance company to ask for 3d. All had a close to 2 weeks in rehab and transported straight from the hospital.
What state are you in? What you are describing certainly hasn't been what I have seen in Victoria.
@easternculture: By the sounds of it the Sydney public hospital system is waaaaaaaaaay better than the shambles of the Victorian public hospital system. At least Vic finally got a new heart hospital
@Sammyboy: Sorry didnt realise you are in VIC.
The rehab hospitals in sydney are always full as they accomodate stroke, elderly, neuro and ortho patients. Hence why its hard to get into one.
Why doesnt anyone use Frank for their health insurance?
I'm not sure why you think Frank is the cheapest around. Frank quoted $5/month less (less than 2% cheaper) for family hospital-only silver cover compared to my HCF policy. The Frank policy terms however shows it includes a good deal less services than what HCF includes (no cataracts, dialysis, sleep studies, pain management with device, amongst others), and also has an excess $250 more than the HCF policy.
Similar to what I'm seeing too. CBHS offers $230 for optical whereas Frank gives $100 and costs more for it. Ultimately the 'cheapest' cover with half decent inclusions will be the one with the best weeks free or $$ credits given deal
I think if you compare the included extras across the board the total values with Frank are a great deal more, i think from my last check the remedial massage/physio amounts were night and day between Frank and the others making it a much bigger bang for buck with much bigger percentages back per claim vs the 50 or 60% the mainstream providers dish out
Ultimately, Id rather spend that $4k or so somewhere else that Id like, not where the government tells me i need to spend my already heavily taxed dollars
@billdsl: The value someone gets from insurance definitely varies greatly from person to person.
The best approach I've found is to narrow it down to 2/3 options and also compile your claims from the previous year. Then just throw open each option's policy on https://privatehealth.gov.au/dynamic/search/start
and tally up the total you would have gotten from claims.
The just take the best option where (annual cost - claim benefit) = the lowest number
For some people, they won't need an optometrist and instead may need a psychologist or a physio like you mentioned. In those cases, the generally recommended insurers may not be the perfect choice
Interesting, i guess if you have health insurance for hospital cover Frank is probably not as good, but I only have it because of the tax rort and choose to maximise the included extras amount
You really want to be churning funds that gives you either free weeks or gift cards after 4 to 6 weeks. This way you loose on one churn in the year already
@easternculture first timer doing this. Got 6 weeks free after 3 months. Do I churn right on the 3 months mark or after the additional 6 free weeks?
Medibank seem to have a better deal with 4weeks free plus $200/400 single/couple worth of insurance discount (redeemable with their points sys) which depending on the cover type could be another 6-8 weeks free
Agreed, I was already with them. Waiting for decent deals from qantas health insurance to move.
Random question: Churning cover, can I delay transfer certificate when they waive those 2 and 6 months extra? That way I can buy some contact lens and then send in transfer certificate?
I am with medibank atm and its chepeast i could find in the market.
What is the cheapest junk cover that saves me from paying the Medicare charge
Didn't neg you, I'm on the same boat but actually looking for the cheapest NOT JUNK cover that ALSO saves me from paying Medicare surcharge.
Are any of these deals profitable? ie. Would the gift card cover more than the premium over 90 days? Or are these only deals if you want private health insurance?
You can come out ahead if they waive waiting periods and you get glasses and dental done in that time frame.
Thanks, I have contacted my existing provider and they offered me 6 weeks free.
That’s genius, didn’t know you could do this. Can I ask what provider?
BUPA
HCF $450 ATM
Has anyone ever split a couple policy into individual policy? Any issues with this?
Plenty of people do. You can then pick your extras. Sometimes it can actually work out cheaper if separate but exactly the same plan for each person
Can i ask a not really related question from the group
Why doesnt anyone use Frank for their health insurance? Doesnt seem like its a large user base
We have private health beacuse we're essentially forced to and we wouldnt have it otherwise
So for us we go with Frank because they have by far the best return on extra's for the premium we pay, and I have seen no other provider get close
Do you all need fancy hospital cover based policies that have barely no actual value day to day from or just not know about Frank?
Geniunely interested to know