[DamiansMama]

I'm one of those silly people who pay Private Health Insurance and have done since I started working. A couple of years ago I had to have a procedure but would have been out of pocket for approx $1,500. I elected to go public, and did not pay a cent, with the same doctor and funnily enough didn't wait that long.

End of last year my DS was told by a Paediatric Dentist that he need to have day surgery for 3 fillings. Again out of pocket would be approx $1,500. Today I went public and will now pay nothing.

Seriously, given the above, I'm not sure why I pay? Unfortunately I am one of those that would have to pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge should I opt out.....can't win really.

[Tobias'smum]

i had a waiting list of 18 months for my surgury and because i was young and no children at the time i would have been bumped for older paitents no way was i going to wait to have my neck fixed to feel better

[Rachel70]

I am a nurse and I have seen some dodgy doctors and so I like the idea that I can choose my own doctor if I need one.
I also know that if myself or my family need a procedure that we can get it much faster than waiting for public waiting lists.
Plus for tax reasons it makes sense to have it.
We can afford to pay and it might mean we are not jumping on the list of someone who can't and has no option but to wait.

[Carmen02]

we pay for it basically because my DD and DS had to wait 14mths for grommets and its basically buggered DDs hearing...she now needs a new set and we have only have to wait a couple weeks..does seem useless alot but we really need it

[Carmen02]

DP

This post has been edited by Carmen02: 11/02/2013, 01:57 PM

[MrsLexiK]

It depends on what operations you have. For something that has a "need to be seen within 1 month or 3 months time frame" I would def considered public (especially the 1 month) if it was anything else I would look at how much it would cost me to go private. There is no way I would be granted a hyst in the public system without a long wait, they would try and manage my issues with hormones until they couldn't. I watched a sibling wait months for her tonsils to be removed, I know I only had to wait 2 weeks.

[Bluenomi]

Why I have it:
Got to pay huge levy if I don't
Wanted my choice of OB when I had DD and a private room
Like to have a choice between going private or public if I/DH/DD needs to go to hospital. There are a lot of painful but not urgent things than can leave you on public waiting list that I'd pay to get done sooner.

[cad0]

Because I've stayed (unfortunately) in both public and private hospitals and know which one I vastly prefer!

[Julie3Girls]

I'm one of those silly people who pay Private Health Insurance and have done since I started working. A couple of years ago I had to have a procedure but would have been out of pocket for approx $1,500. I elected to go public, and did not pay a cent, with the same doctor and funnily enough didn't wait that long.

Not silly, I would simply consider you lucky. Lucky that you didn't have a long wait to be able to use the public system.
Lucky to not have expenses that aren't covered in public system, like glasses.

[SemiRuralGirl]

I'm in the same boat as you OP and just last month decided to drop the insurance and keep extras. We figure if the kids need anything we automatically go to the Children's Hospital and hubby and I have always gone public even though we had insurance in the past.

I kept it until I was done having bubbas though so I could choose my ob and go to private hospital.

Here's hoping we don't need any "semi urgent" stuff soon lol.