i used to agree with you, but when i thought i needed knee surgery the 18 month waiting list in the public system pretty much convinced me otherwise. Teachers Federation Health FTW!
And it works out to about $2500 with basic cover instead of $10,000 to get it done straight up!
A friend of mine had a 3km ambulance ride that cost $800 and that was nearly ten years ago.
Yeah, my girlfriend fainted at work and she had a 4km ambulance ride that cost her about $800. This was a couple of years ago. That’s why I thought it was that much.
That’s the regret I’m thinking off. I got my knee done when I was 22. But thankfully I was still covered by my folks’ insurance as I was a student under 25. Perhaps I should look into it, I suppose they do deals for people under 30? then I’ve got 12 months to sign up.
At 30 you start paying the medicare levy thing as part of your tax. It still works out a bit cheaper than private health cover, depending on your salary, but I prefer to pay a bit more for the bonuses (ambo cover, most will subsidise gyms a bit, pimping private room should I decide to have a holiday in hospital aka “holspiday”)
The medicare levy is 1.5% of your taxable income. You pay a surcharge of 1% on top if you don’t have private health care and you earn $140K+.
What does get more expensive is joining private health care fund once you hit 30.
Apparently NSW is balls and I have to get private health care to get ambulance cover :x But really I should just make with the cash and stop being so tight.
Ha, the day I earn 140k John Howard will grow a heart.
i have it. when i lived in cape york, you’d be looking at 10k+ as the closest hospital was a 2 hour flight away.
I got a RTA (NSW equivalent to TAC) claim number and haven’t had to pull my wallet out for Hospital stay, Neuro, Radio, Physio or GP. I guess it’s the same in Vic.
I’ve been in an ambo twice now, with bills totalling about $5k (or 83 years @ $60/year) - both times had ambo cover - well worth it.
Sorry, but I think this is stupid. No one needs insurance until something goes wrong. You do know that you can’t get insurance ‘ex post’, right? Public is so shit it’s not funny. If you can afford to go private, do it. If you can’t afford to go private, reevaluate your priorities.
For the 2008/09 taxation year the MLS threshold for singles was $70,000 and for couples and families, the threshold was $140,000.
For the 2009/10 taxation year the MLS threshold for singles is $73,000 and for couples and families, the threshold is $146,000.
My private insurance is about $700 per year, so if you are earning over $70k and you don’t have private cover, not only are you not getting private cover, but it would be cheaper if you did.
You don’t have to get private health care for ambo cover in NSW. You can just become a member of Ambo NSW.
SanEsteban that is a pretty comprehensive response !! By the sounds of it you must be an Accounting/Economics/Business major…me too!!
ps. you got my msg didn’t you?
Very comprehensive response. Your right, aside from my stupid ideals Ive realised for a while I need Private Cover just keep putting it off.
Been meaning to get this for so long but never do. So i got off my ass and bought a membership for me and my gf.
Previously i’ve been covered for 2 ambulance rides in the past, dont wanna have to deal with a possible “next time”.
Next… heath insurance…damn it.
Mate stacked badly recently and got hit up for $1200
I relied on my membership within the first 6th months I’d signed up (not in a bike crash but signed up 'cause as a daily cyclist I figure I’m in a high-risk category)
Just paid my health insurance bill for the quarter.
I hate being 25 and off my parents health insurance.