My New Strategy for Dentist Checkups and Private Health Cover

watwatwat on 01/07/2025 - 16:36

I had previously thought I would never go to another Australian dentist again because so many are scammy. Thus I had been getting a checkup whenever I travel to Asia.

However, I now have a strategy to get checkup and cleans done under private health. I only have hospital cover for tax purposes, but there are many "6 weeks free" or similar offers for churning providers. So I sign up to hospital and extras, pay full price for the first month or so, then get the free period. And at the end, get a no gap checkup and clean at any supported local dentist. Pay $0 cash.

Then immediately go and downgrade the cover to hospital only again. If you can find a free signup bonus at least 1-2 times per year, then can get free dental covered perpetually.

Then for any other treatment like implants etc, just get it done in Asia where the dentists are more skilled and the prices are lower.

Am I a genius?

Financial Dental Health Insurance Insurance

Comments

  • Megatron on 01/07/2025 - 16:40
    +30

    No, that is a Scam disguised under a "Genius Idea".

    With BUPA, we pay about $340 a year for an extras cover that provides 2 free checks and clean per year for the whole family + $1000 worth of other benefits.. I know this is OzBargain but $340 a year is not expensive by any means and there shouldnt be a reason for someone to try and scam the system.

    • S2 on 01/07/2025 - 16:49
      +5

      Well put. Teeth are really important. It's worth spending the money on (without relying on travel to Asia).

      • Nutrino on 01/07/2025 - 17:10
        +20

        I Pay for car insurance i never use too… stupid me.

          • Megatron on 01/07/2025 - 17:31
            +13

            @watwatwat: But your post suggests you didnt take Health insurance for health purposes but rather to save tax.. so you are saving tax and have an insurance that is either entirely free or heavily subsidised by tax savings and you are trying to find how to scam the system? that is just not right by me

          • ol mate on 01/07/2025 - 19:52
            +5

            @watwatwat: Why not just pay the MLS and actually contribute to the system then?

              • ol mate on 01/07/2025 - 20:45
                +5

                @watwatwat: The cheapest junk insurance is only marginally more than the MLS. If you don't plan on paying the excess and using it for skipping the waiting list for elective procedures, then why bother having it.

                Might as well contribute to the health system you're using, rather than the bottom line of some corporate health insurer (which is also subsidised).

              • Joey2scoops on 02/07/2025 - 07:42
                +3

                @watwatwat: That's not a bargain, that's just gaming the system. This is why the US has the shitshow they currently have.

          • Muppet Detector on 02/07/2025 - 11:18

            @watwatwat:

            will literally never use private health inclusions. If i get admitted to hospital, I will tell them I don't have private health cover/do it under medicare

            What happens when a public hospital does not/can not provide you with the care or services that require you to be hospitalised for?

            What happens when the medical care you do need from a public hospital is not considered an emergency/emergent condition and the waiting list for what you need is one or more years if you are eligible to access it?

          • tomfool on 03/07/2025 - 09:12

            @watwatwat: That is until you need some elective surgery and the wait list is forever.

        • AustriaBargain on 01/07/2025 - 17:48
          +2

          Comprehensive insurance seems expensive, until you need it then it feels like winning the lottery.

      • Ocker on 01/07/2025 - 18:14
        +4

        To be able to say that you will never use PHI hospital cover would suggest you have one helluva crystal ball.
        I wish you all the best

        • watwatwat on 01/07/2025 - 18:18

          you have one helluva crystal ball.

          Yeah I do, it's called medicare. It gives us all hospital care for free.

          • Ocker on 01/07/2025 - 18:25
            +7

            @watwatwat: Yep, provided you are prepared to wait a year or so for treatment

            • watwatwat on 01/07/2025 - 18:30
              -7

              @Ocker: If that ever happened, I could go to Asia if I didn't want to wait or re-join insurance if I wanted.

              In the mean time, I will use the savings to buy stocks.

          • donga100 on 01/07/2025 - 18:46
            +7

            @watwatwat: But you scam Medicare out of the tax you should be paying for it by taking out a junk PHI policy that you don't intend to use when necessary.

            • Protractor on 01/07/2025 - 20:07
              +1

              @donga100: I think they ask if you have private health insurance pre treatment. I don't think saying no when you do, is a smart move. It sounds like a potential back end biting sleeping dragon.

            • tenpercent on 01/07/2025 - 20:55
              +1

              @donga100: OP probably scams Medicare by not even using any bulk billed Medicare funded services too. And probably has some secret way to get out of paying the Medicare levy. /s

              • Muppet Detector on 02/07/2025 - 11:38

                @tenpercent: Whilst not a secret, OP is literally getting out of paying Medicare levy by opting to buy insurance from PHI instead.

          • Protractor on 01/07/2025 - 20:05
            +4

            @watwatwat: Free? You mean sponsored by everyone else. much like your genius hack.

            • watwatwat on 01/07/2025 - 21:05
              -4

              @Protractor:

              Free? You mean sponsored by everyone else

              Yes, you personally contributed to this and I am going to use your money to eat Korean Barbecue. Thanks!

              • Protractor on 01/07/2025 - 21:08
                +3

                @watwatwat: Mind you don't chip a tooth,or choke on a spare rib then. I'd hate you to have to access that PHI bounty

            • tenpercent on 01/07/2025 - 21:09
              +1

              @Protractor: If OP can avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge by getting basic hospital cover (which is perfectly legal and allowed) then he is already paying a significant amount of tax, of which a substantial portion will already be going towards funding Medicare.

              • Muppet Detector on 02/07/2025 - 11:43

                @tenpercent: Are you the same poster opposing GST because it benefits the rich and oppresses the poor?

                All tax payers pay Medicare levy.

                Only high income earners pay extra Medicare surcharge.

                Sounds like you're only in favour of making the rich pay more when YOU benefit from it.

                • Mad Max on 02/07/2025 - 17:59

                  @Muppet Detector:

                  Only high income earners pay extra Medicare surcharge.

                  $97,000 = high income earners
                  🤣😅😂

                • tenpercent on 02/07/2025 - 20:33

                  @Muppet Detector: Sounds like you're drawing incorrect conclusion.

                  I have posted on several occasions that I oppose GST because it directly harms poorer people, not because it benefits the rich. GST, given that many basics are NOT actually exempt from it, is a regressive tax that disproportionately penalises poor people (i.e. they pay a higher proportion of their after tax income on GST than do people who earn more). It's like parking fines.

                  I have not posted anywhere in favour of 'progressive' taxes such as the Medicare Levy Surcharge, or for multiple income tax brackets with increasing rates. Those taxes disproportionately oppress people who earn more regardless if they are sacrificing all their time and working 3 jobs to bring in the additional income. A flat income tax rate with a suitable tax free threshold (at approx. the poverty level with upward adjustments depending on family composition) would be a much fairer system of taxing human people. Higher income earners would still pay more and lower income earners would still pay less (that's how percentages work).

                  • Muppet Detector on 02/07/2025 - 20:38
                    +1

                    @tenpercent: If I have, please accept my apologies.

                    I do agree with your suggestions for a flat rate taxation system.

                    It would be good if we could work out how to make something like that possible.

                    I do think there needs to be a social safety net, but I don't think someone should be penalised just because they work out a legal way to earn more money than somebody else.

                    • tenpercent on 02/07/2025 - 20:57
                      +1

                      @Muppet Detector:

                      It would be good if we could work out how to make something like that possible.

                      Agreed. But it would be a hard sell and I don't think any of the major or minor parties have any ambition to approach tax reform as 'radical' as that.

                      Even better would be shifting to a government revenue model more similar to Saudi Arabia. Our country extracts around a third of the terajoules of energy per head of population per year as Saudi Arabia, but we also have shit tonnes of other natural resources, so it's not like we don't have the wealth to move to a system of no personal income taxes.

                      I don't think someone should be penalised just because they work out a legal way to earn more money than somebody else

                      Absolutely. Which is why I oppose the Medicare Levy Surcharge and have no qualms with people who get junk hospital cover to avoid it.

          • Lucille Bluth on 01/07/2025 - 21:27

            @watwatwat:

            Yeah I do, it's called medicare. It gives us all hospital care for free

            I was on the waiting list (well still am) for something ear related for over 4 years now. Every year they sent me letters asking me to answer whether I was happy to still be on the list. Then they just stopped sending those to me

            PHI is only marginally more than the MLS, so still cheaper than not taking out PHI and needing to go to Asia.

          • Muppet Detector on 02/07/2025 - 10:41

            @watwatwat: Hate to tell you this, but not everything is covered by Medicare and not all medical procedures are provided in public hospitals, even life threatening ones.

      • simplystu on 01/07/2025 - 22:18

        you have yet to say which PHI you are with … or even how much you are paying.

        with mine … I pay $52/fortnight (which is the most basic to also allow for the MLS tax break).
        yet even that plan includes some dental - checkups +++ scale/clean +++ some fillings … included for free.

        so @OP please do tell us … which PHI you are with + which extract plan.

        • watwatwat on 01/07/2025 - 22:23
          -1

          I have churned between nib to frank to medibank. https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/896824

          • Muppet Detector on 02/07/2025 - 11:35
            -1

            @watwatwat:

            Simply paying for PHI provides you with goods and/or services => it's called INSURANCE.

            Adding to previous post.

            You are not only being provided with insurance, you are also being provided with reduced taxation benefits.

            THAT's what you're effectively paying for, not something that you will never use. YOU ARE using it AND receiving benefit from it every single day.

            But you keep putting that lipstick on a pig.

      • Muppet Detector on 02/07/2025 - 11:11

        You seem to be using PHI because you receive financial benefits for having it.

        Simply paying for PHI provides you with goods and/or services => it's called INSURANCE.

        Obtaining that PHI is not compulsory, it is a choice that you have made.

        Refraining from using that PHI is another choice that you make.

        You are not giving the PHI free money just because you voluntarily choose not to use the insurance which you asked them to provide you with.

        I even believe that some PHI allow you to purchase extras cover without the hospital cover.

        Your abuse of the system is effectively double dipping which indirectly costs EVERY Australian money and resources.

        You aren't just "punishing" the PHI for providing a service that YOU asked them to provide, but also, you are punishing every person who also pays PHI as well as reducing the funds, services and resources of everybody with access to the Medicare system.

        You prefer to receive personal benefit to the detriment of other Australians.

        I understand that what you're doing is probably legal, but your actions aren't just "sticking it to the man", they're "sticking it to all of us".

        You may think that's genius, but a lot of people probably think that it's just scummy.

        But sure, continue to game the system until it causes another insurance crisis resulting in no health insurance for anybody because even if it is still available, nobody will be able to afford it.

        It's great that you're taking care of your dental health but may one hundred ant colonies infest your pubic region.

        • Protractor on 02/07/2025 - 11:20

          And it's not like all forms of insurance need an extra excuse to raise premiums.The law of averages would suggest that somebody within the PHI industry is an Ozbargainer. So this genius is probably a water cooler topic, and a future closed loophole for all PHI participants.And the more pressure on PHI pricing, the more ppl fall away, putting more pressure on a bloated health care system. So just imagine if thousands of ppl caught this genius virus over a short period of time.
          That said, I think OP represents the fastest growing cohort in Australia, in the last 10 years.

          • Muppet Detector on 02/07/2025 - 11:29
            -1

            @Protractor: I agree. Everything you predict nearly happened before in about 2008 when the whole insurance industry almost collapsed which led to a complete overhaul of the negligence laws (in Australia, at least) and a major factor for why the NDIS was created and continues to expand so rapidly.

            If providing insurance becomes unattractive again, as seen in 2008 during the insurance crisis, the insurers will just walk away from the table and provide no products for anybody.

            This results in complete reliance on whatever medical services the govt can provide for every person with access to Medicare.

            As we've seen with the recent price rises for accessing a GP, there will come a time when the Gov just won't be able to keep up with demand if everybody is completely reliant on the public sector.

            That's why the gov tries to encourage a private health care system in the first place.

    • mboy on 01/07/2025 - 16:54
      +9

      I agree it's scummy and not something I'd ever personally do, but to call it a scam makes it sound fraudulent, which it isn't. The purpose of waiting periods is to prevent from this kind of thing happening, so if the PHI fund chooses to waive those waiting periods as an incentive, then they risk some people pulling a fast one on them, like this OP has. The funds almost certainly take this onto account.

      Am I a genius?

      No. Particularly because extras coverage isn't very expensive and having all year round extras has many other benefits, which you forfeit with your scheme. For one, if I start experiencing sudden tooth pain or need an urgent filling, I don't need to book a trip to Asia.

      just get it done in Asia where the dentists are more skilled and the prices are lower

      I agree that one of those things is true.

      • Crow K on 02/07/2025 - 13:09
        +1

        Worst case scenario, if the cheap treatment in Asia ends up having defects or problems with it and it causes a medical issue, he can just fix it by flying to Asia and having it fixed on the cheap.

    • Dr Phil on 02/07/2025 - 13:22
      -3

      YEP.

      OP is pretending they dont need extras cover which is the cover most likely to be used…

      Dental, Optical, Chiro, Physio and many more.

      And for tax purposes Op gets the rebate on the extras as well.

      So NO OP! You are not a genious at all.

      You just managed to make a huge fool of yourself in front of the entire OB community

    • Doboman on 02/07/2025 - 20:08

      Is this like a special deal ? I have not seen extras for family for $340.

      • Megatron on 02/07/2025 - 21:08

        Look for freedom 50 extras on Bupa's website.. it only covers dental ($500) and Physio/Chiro ($500).. and the whole family gets 2x Dental checks and clean each year. I have just checked, It was 356 last year and have increased to about $385 this year.. depends on your loading, income range and location but you can get a quote from Bupa's website.

    • meong on 03/07/2025 - 13:25

      This is pretty much the equivalent of "using the park's bbq" equivalent of health insurance

    • MrBillions on 03/07/2025 - 14:45

      What is your monthly payment for how many family members?

  • wannagrababargain on 01/07/2025 - 17:09
    +1

    It can be a pain to churn private health - my impression is that it's very 'mandraulic', the new insurer needs to request certification from the previous insurer wrt waiting periods, lifetime loading etc and the paper pushers handle all of this with various levels of efficiency or accuracy. Definitely more difficult than switching electricity or NBN.

    Insurance policies and premium are set on an annual basis (pay by the month only splits the payments for convenience - it's not as month to month contract) so I am pretty sure that if you claim extras then quit/downgrade in the next month you'll still need to pay out the rest of the year because you've made a 'claim' on the policy. Only if you quit without making a claim you'll get a pro-rata refund if you pay annually or the monthly payments will stop immediately if you pay monthly. This is probably buried in the fine print somewhere.

    • mboy on 01/07/2025 - 17:20
      +1

      I'm definitely not on the side of the OP here, but just to correct a few things in what you've said:

      the new insurer needs to request certification from the previous insurer wrt waiting periods

      They don't need to do that. You can opt to start a new policy without specifying your last fund, in which case no transfer certificate is ever requested. The downside of that is that your waiting periods won't carry over, but that's not a problem for OP because they specifically mention they seek promotions where those waiting periods are waived anyway.

      Insurance policies and premium are set on an annual basis (pay by the month only splits the payments for convenience - it's not as month to month contract)

      Definitely not true. Most PHI funds offer month-to-month. Waiting periods exist to curb the 'claim and leave' scheme that the OP is talking about, but often PHI funds will waive those waiting periods to incentivise people joining, therefore opening the possibility of the 'scheme' the OP is pulling.

      • surfingedge on 01/07/2025 - 21:26

        You can opt to start a new policy without specifying your last fund, in which case no transfer certificate is ever requested.

        How does that work with those lifetime limits for example on orthodontics

    • watwatwat on 01/07/2025 - 18:22
      -7

      wannagrababargain
      my impression

      I think just about everything you said is wrong.

    • Saitake12 on 03/07/2025 - 19:55
      +1

      I recently switched from Medibank/Gmhba to a family plan with Bupa. Honestly I found it pretty easy, basically you just give them your membership numbers with your old insurers and then they go and sort out the cancellations for you.

  • Bargainitis on 01/07/2025 - 17:19
    +4

    OP,

    Sometimes the effort to do so for the savings just isn't worth it.

    The other obvious one is signing up for car insurance (you usually get 21 days cooling off period), and swapping every 21 days for another provider to get a "free" coverage. Sure, you might save a bit of money but 1) painful to manage and 2) might get banned at some point.

  • Protractor on 01/07/2025 - 17:25
    +6

    You were a genius up until you dropped your master plan online. Then you became a closed loophole target for health insurers. Let's see how long the honeymoon lasts, shall we?

    Also,unless you know the answer, never ask a forum if they think you're a genius.

    Also,also, read the "Coles ban" tale of woe.

    • Craze on 01/07/2025 - 18:21

      Genuinely curious- what's the Coles ban, can you share?

      • Protractor on 01/07/2025 - 18:24

        https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/913120

        Push too far, and they push back.

        • Craze on 01/07/2025 - 18:27
          +1

          Interesting read, thanks! But yes, if you have so much time on your hands to hack the system, eventually they'll catch on, and have plenty of reasons to decline you as a customer.

  • joka on 01/07/2025 - 17:36
    +3

    You must be really bored

  • Gunnar on 01/07/2025 - 18:15
    +12

    This is honestly one of the dumbest things I’ve read on here.

    • Protractor on 01/07/2025 - 18:25
      +9

      There's always the next one. Don't peak early.

      • Gunnar on 01/07/2025 - 18:35
        +7

        I suppose the “I’ve been banned from private health insurance” tale of woe post is imminent

        • Protractor on 01/07/2025 - 18:36
          +2

          'I was robbed!, by health Insurance bullies.'

          • Gunnar on 01/07/2025 - 19:02
            +1

            @Protractor: Who’d ever thought you’d side with an insurance agency?

            • Protractor on 01/07/2025 - 19:42
              +1

              @Gunnar: I'm more siding with all the ppl who will now have worse opportunities going fwd, because of a 'momentary lapse of genius'. But hey, they aren't a charity. Just a necessary evil. We could have a truly universal health system if we were smarter. Unreachable star.

  • bargaino on 01/07/2025 - 19:22
    +5

    Australian dentist again because so many are scammy.

    "scammy" eh?

  • Hardlyworkin on 01/07/2025 - 20:03
    +6

    Let me guess, singles cover?

  • tenpercent on 01/07/2025 - 20:50

    I've been doing this for years. Once a year is all you need unless your teeth and general hygiene are f***d.
    Please delete this post. There could be health insurance company spies in here. Don't want them to put a stop to this. /s

  • p1 ama on 01/07/2025 - 21:00
    +7

    Am I a genius?

    No, you're about as dim as this moron I knew from uni who would buy 30 x $2 SIMs at a time in order to scam UberEats sign-up vouchers.

    Last I heard of him, Optus blacklisted him from registering any further prepaid SIMs, and after a few months, the police visited him probably thinking he was involved in some sort of money laundering or racketeering scheme with all of those phones SIMs. Ended up having to spend a few hours across several sessions being interviewed by the police, but wasn't charged in the end.

    Not sure if it was worth the few hundred dollars in UberEats vouchers he managed to scam.

    We all thought of these whacky schemes to save money once, but at some point, we got a life and found more productive uses for our time. If you have so much spare time that you're willing sign up and cancel private health insurance schemes to save on a dental check-up and clean (which is around $100 anyway, e.g. see https://dentistsclinic.com.au/locations/melbourne-cbd/clean-…), then you should spend the time doing something more productive - start a side hustle, pursue some hobbies, develop a personality, get a girlfriend, do some charity work, make yourself useful to someone / something.

    Then for any other treatment like implants etc, just get it done in Asia where the dentists are more skilled and the prices are lower.

    Brush your teeth properly and you won't have to get implants.

      • p1 ama on 01/07/2025 - 22:27

        Says the guy with 7392 comments on a bargain website.

        Posting on a forum is a service that helps others.

        The average is over $200 and with xrays is even higher.

        Perhaps brushing your teeth is a more productive use of your time (and people around you will thank you for it as well).

  • tabitha731 on 02/07/2025 - 07:28

    A joint record is kept of all the Claims you have made with any health insurer.., so once you use your benefits, it still gets carried across to your new provider, regardless of waiting times.. new benefit only kick in when its end of financial year or the calendar year depending on which health fund you are with. If you cant afford to pay for the dental in Australia, but can afford to go to Asia to get other dental work done.. you're missing the whole point of Ozbargain!!! you're just outing yourself as tight with money.

    • hazzad on 02/07/2025 - 07:59
      -1

      You realize this is ozbargains, the place where people intentionally try and save money yeah? I'd say most people on here are right. If not then what are you doing here?

    • watwatwat on 02/07/2025 - 10:40
      -1

      gets carried across to your new provider

      Yes it does, which does not impact my strategy. I am not exceeding the yearly limit of 2 checkups per year.

  • hazzad on 02/07/2025 - 08:05

    I'm quite surprised by the backlash the op is getting. It's encouraged by the powers that be that you shop around for a better deal. He and many like him do exactly that. Plenty of people jump from utility provider to utility provider that offer sign up incentives. What's the difference. Most PHI require you to server at least one month if not two before the free offer kicks in. It's not like your getting the coverage for free. The only danger in all this for those who hop frequently is continuation of coverage as your new provider needs to obtain 12 months of clearance certs from all previous providers to confirm your ongoing periods have been served. I've been doing exactly the same thing for a few years now, though not as frequently as the Op. I typically hang about for 4-5 months and then move on. I'm quite sure the insurers are aware of people using the system this way and many have caveats on their Terms to ensure people can't abuse it more than every 6-12 months. Same with many utilities. If your not out to save some money then not sure what your doing here?

    • Protractor on 02/07/2025 - 10:32
      +2

      and if the PHI decide to clamp down, and create a co-operative black list of ppl gaming the system, we'll probably end up with less offers, or more restrictive tiers.
      For every action there's and equal and opposite reaction, is more applicable in marketing than it is in physics.

      • hazzad on 04/07/2025 - 10:52
        +1

        There is nothing illegal about moving from provider to provider. Show me something that suggests there is? They offer a deal, you sign up, satisfy the requirement for said deal and move on to next deal. Where exactly is the illegal aspect of all this? It's a consumer right to shop around for a better deal. They have no legal right to Blacklist customers. If they don't like people moving about then stop doing sign up deals.

        • Protractor on 04/07/2025 - 10:58

          OK.
          It's not illegal for the PHI to close loopholes like this,either. And as we know, they will use any excuse to raise rates every year. I can only recall (maybe) 1 or 2 years where the rates were frozen. I think in some circumstances businesses do blacklist.But more often they just shift the goal posts.
          I suspect if the sign up shuffling became a big enough trend, they'd do just that. BTW I have heard of businesses banning customers for using their services. So there's that.

        • Muppet Detector on 04/07/2025 - 21:07

          I'd reckon that most private businesses get to refuse their goods/services to anybody they wanted to.

          I'm not sure I can even think of a private entity that can be forced to do business with somebody they don't want to.

          • YesPleaseThankYou on 04/07/2025 - 21:15

            @Muppet Detector: You can't be declined health insurance in Australia except in defined circumstances. See each fund's Fund Rules.

            When a consumer takes advantage of a promotion, the consumer is doing exactly what the promoter wanted and incentivised.

            Taking advantage of a promotion (once or even repeatedly) is not a reason to ban a customer. Note, eg, the following from the Bupa Fund Rules:

            C.4.3 We must not refuse to insure you:
            (a) for any Discriminatory reasons; or
            (b) if you meet the eligibility requirements described in Rule C and otherwise comply with these Rules.

            And

            C.8 Termination of Membership
            C.8.1 Subject to these Rules, we may, by written notice, terminate part or all of your Policy, giving you our reason(s) for the termination, if, in our reasonable opinion:
            (a) you have been involved in any fraudulent, negligent and/or criminal act in relation to our business or company; or
            (b) you have acted in a way that could be construed as threatening to one of our employees or as negatively affecting the working environment of our employees.

            Source: https://www.bupa.com.au/-/media/dotcom/files/pdfs/bupa-fund-…

  • star-ggg on 02/07/2025 - 09:36

    You haven't saved much if the insurer only covers scale and clean for $0. It's like $150 if you paid cash to the dentist.

    • watwatwat on 02/07/2025 - 10:28

      Even if you find a cheap one like that, is still $150 x 2, then for my partner, which is a total of $600 per year.

      Not unlike the sign up bonuses on credit cards.

      • 91rs on 03/07/2025 - 12:21
        -1

        Oh how embarrassing for you both, I thought it was just you to begin with but now you've claimed you've got a partner willing to be just as terrible as you are.
        I can only imagine the arguments over money being spent!

        • hazzad on 04/07/2025 - 10:55

          Embarrassing? What exactly is embarrassing about saving some money. No wonder there is a whole generation whinging about not being able to buy a house. Clearly have no idea of what a saving is. Some people's comments on here amaze me.

        • watwatwat on 04/07/2025 - 14:40

          just as terrible as you are.

          Your argument doesn't really make sense. You are on a website dedicated to buying things frugally.

          Would you say people are terrible for buying things at half price at woolworths and not paying full price like other people? After all, the poor employees and other stakeholders will suffer because you are giving them less margin/profit.

          I can only imagine the arguments over money being spent!

          Do you acknowledge that it's possible that someone who would save money like this, could have personality traits that result in wealth acquisition?

  • ddhar on 02/07/2025 - 10:11

    I had some major dental works done recently so I know how expensive it is in Australia.

    I also considered doing as OP suggested but once airfare, accommodation costs, annual leave (or loss of income, if casual) and risks of a botched job are factored in, it doesn't look so sweet.

    But who am I to say. That's just my armchair expertise talking, not real-life experience (and I suspect that's the same as OP).

    • watwatwat on 02/07/2025 - 10:32
      -3

      it doesn't look so sweet.

      Depends on how much work you're getting done. The more work, the more economies of scale.

      I know a great place in bangkok so it's a return airfare of $500 and hotels $30 per night.

      risks of a botched job

      Haha. Throughout my lived experiences, it's more likely to get botched at an average dentist in Australia versus an excellent thai dentist.

      • ddhar on 02/07/2025 - 12:56
        +1

        Yea nah, not going to stay in a shared dorm (or a mini-box room) after a major dental procedure. That's just self-inflicted hell. Unfortunately for me too, I can't wfh overseas so I spend my precious annual leaves too.

        Besides, having had family members admitted to hospital due to sudden, unforeseen circumstances, a PHI is not something I will question.

        • Muppet Detector on 02/07/2025 - 13:01
          +1

          Whilst the private room is certainly a bonus, I can't stand sharing a shower and toilet with other people, far less sick people with their blood, pus, vomit, phlegm, poo and pee all over the place.

          Who wants to share stuff when they're sick and who wants to be surrounded by other sick people when you're feeling like crap?

          One of my kids got sent public once and was in a ward with eight other seriously ill children. Some turd(s?) kept stealing her stuff off her.

          The kids were bed ridden, so it wasn't any of them. Likely whoever was coming to visit those other children.

          • Protractor on 02/07/2025 - 13:18

            @Muppet Detector: Or an employee.

          • watwatwat on 02/07/2025 - 13:38
            -2

            @Muppet Detector:

            Whilst the private room is certainly a bonus, I can't stand sharing a shower

            I'm talking about a regular hotel room but I like how you two manifested out of thin air that I must be talking about a hostel or shared toilet scenario when I never said that. I even specifically said "hotel".

            • Muppet Detector on 02/07/2025 - 13:43
              +1

              @watwatwat: I'm talking about sharing a room in a hospital. Thought this thread was about health insurance and using public hospitals instead.

              will literally never use private health inclusions. If i get admitted to hospital, I will tell them I don't have private health cover/do it under medicare.

              I never saw where you referred to a hotel.

          • Muppet Detector on 02/07/2025 - 14:09
            +1

            @Muppet Detector: Thinking about this further, if I'm crook enough to be in hospital, I don't want to share a room either.

            If I'm sick, I don't want to deal with other people farting, snoring, their visitors, CPAP machines, their misery and associated sick noises.

            And people die in hospital. I am positive that I don't want a front row seat to experience other people doing that!

  • Mad Max on 02/07/2025 - 10:46

    The whole PHI is a scam anyway. And the government made it effectively compulsory for many people to be scammed.
    So you are scamming the scammers, which I think is acceptable. It is a lot of work though.

    • Protractor on 02/07/2025 - 13:17

      It's what happens when demand outstrips supply. We all expect to have a population level with infinite growth, fit for purpose everything, cheap and instant, and then feign surprise when it impacts every corner of our life.
      It's like the default stupidity in cities where we just keep adding lanes to freeways and the carpark just gets wider, flowing at the same(non) rate.

    • Muppet Detector on 02/07/2025 - 15:16

      Why is PHI a scam?

      How does the govt make it effectively compulsory for many people to be scammed?

      • Randolph Duke on 03/07/2025 - 10:09
        +3

        How does the govt make it effectively compulsory for many people to be scammed?

        Lobbying. Private health should be an option for anyone to take up. There shouldn't be punitive taxation punishment imposed by government forcing people to take it out, otherwise you end up in the situation where people take out useless policies solely to avoid the surcharge, depriving Medicare of funding (which is the goal).

        • Mad Max on 03/07/2025 - 10:16

          If you follow the money you ALWAYS find the truth.

  • sauce2k on 03/07/2025 - 11:52

    ffs health cover churner..ive seen it all..come on lad lol

    • watwatwat on 03/07/2025 - 15:54

      This made me laugh.

      I didn't do this until I got the idea from someone else. When you think about it, it's very similar to credit card churning.

  • porsche26c on 03/07/2025 - 13:02
    +2

    Dentists are scammers? I find this offensive as a dentist. Like any industry, there are a few in the professional that are not above board and generally weeded out through complaints etc.

    The best thing to do, is find a dentist you love and trust and stick to them. The best way to find the scammers, is jump around dentist to dentist to find them.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join