What Are Doctors Fees?

[lyall]

Thanks so much..that is one of the most interesting things i have read for a long time, Bob...and very helpful..now just to become a member of Medicare..

when we applied here,

we were told that although the other states allow you to join on a 457 they dont allow it in Tasmania, am having a bit of a tussle with them right now...

we have been to the doctor, it wasnt too bad, if your appointment is quick you pay a lesser amount..so you just hop in and out and save $25.00..

[polly]

In Victoria you don't get Medicare on a 457...

[Mara]

Hi Polly

Actually, to my knowledge, yes you do, BUT ONLY once you can prove that you have submitted your application for PR.

[kangaroo]

http://www.medibank.com.au/Health-Covers/A...ras-Covers.aspx

There are other private health funds around Australia, but Medibank Private is the national health fund covering all of Australia, so no matter where you live in Australia, or end up, this fund should be a benchmark for you to judge up against the local health funds, if not using Medibank Private.

Thank you, Bob - I will definitely have a look at Medibank Private when I get to Australia.

OK, I went delving a bit and came across a situation where you can claim dental care under Medicare....I have used the option that they describe, but not for dental, I used it to access the services of a podiatrist....worked well! Here is the fact sheet.

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/pub...dental-patients

For children I know there is cover for dental for them under Medicare, I am not sure up to what age though, but it is just for simple things like check ups and fillings or extractions, not for braces or implants or crowns..... So yes, you may have to take out a mortgage to pay for braces, should they ever need them.

Another little fact sheet: My husband had to get titanium implants in his bottom jaw, four of them, he was quoted around $25,000-00 in Australia.... he ended up having it done in Auckland NZ for $5500-00....quite a difference I would say. Both of these were private, no Medicare in either country, just a different way of doing it. Also in his instance the NZ way of fitting the implants was less intrusive and 100% better in the long term. So it pays to shop around.

Thank you Mara – it’s incredibly helpful to have all this info.

[polly]

Yeah I know Unfortunately we can't submit until we have written the IELTS and the first date we got was end March...so a longish wait for us.

[Mara]

Here is another bit of interest along these lines....enjoy the reading....

http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/public.../what-cover.jsp

I am going to pin this topic, so that it is easily accessible to others!

[zorba]

As previously outlined, there is no private Medical insurance in Australia for doctor's visits . . . . . only Hospital insurance for hospital stays.

Bob, our Overseas Visitors Cover from MBF does cover doctor's visits. We are on a 457 and it was compulsory to take comprehensive cover.

zorba

[Bob]

Bob, our Overseas Visitors Cover from MBF does cover doctor's visits. We are on a 457 and it was compulsory to take comprehensive cover.

zorba

. . . . and when you stop being an "Overseas Visitor"??

[Bob]

For children I know there is cover for dental for them under Medicare, I am not sure up to what age though, but it is just for simple things like check ups and fillings or extractions, not for braces or implants or crowns..... So yes, you may have to take out a mortgage to pay for braces, should they ever need them.

I don't know about Medicare covering kid's teeth whilst they are still at school, but I know my three kids were covered by my home State of South Australia with its School Dental Service.

http://www.sadental.sa.gov.au/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=34

As Mara said, it's only for fillings and easy check ups.

While my kids were at primary school, it was free each year, with a nominal $35 a year fee for each kid when they reached High school age.

Any big jobs, requiring bulk work, would be beyond the scope of the Sth Australian School Dental Service, and you'd have to arrange it with a dentist, which involves $$$$$$.

Obviously, this School Dental Service is only run for South Australian school kids, but other States within Australia may run a similar scheme for the kids at school within their respective State, so check up to see if the State you're intending to dwell in has a system similar to what South Australia offers.

[Mara]

Bob, the school cover is probably what I was talking about, I just remembered a conversation at some stage, where it was mentioned that children get free dental....well for simple things....like a check up etc.

[zorba]

. . . . and when you stop being an "Overseas Visitor"??

The OVC is valid for the whole term of the visa, ie 4 years, under the Corporate plan.

Hopefully PR won't take as long as that to come thru' and we can be on medicare pretty soon...hold thumbs!

All VERY confusing, best stay healthy!

zorba

[CharmaineH]

Private medical insurance is not the same as the medical aid in South Africa. We are permanent residents, so we qualify for Medicare. We have taken out private medical insurance and it covers more than just hospital cover. We also have coverage for the following:

General Dental

Endodontic Services

Optical items

Physiotherapy

Pharmaceutical Prescriptions (non-PBS)

Medically Necessary Ambulance Transport (except in Qld and Tas)

Major Dental (eg orthodontic treatment)

Alternative therapies such as chiropractic and naturopathy

Other therapies such as podiatry and speech therapy

Health appliances such as hearing aids, nebulisers and blood glucose monitors

Clinical psychology consultations

School Accident (not sure how this is actually a benefit?)

Hope this helps.

Charmaine

[Mara]

Hi Charmaine

It was not our intention to indicate that private health cover in Australia only covers hospitalisation, it was to inform people that it does not cover doctors or specialists.

In our instance, we do not have children in the home, so it made sense for us to only take out 100% hospital cover, the rest I am happy to pay for, the part of course that is not covered by Medicare.

[Eva]

Private medical insurance is not the same as the medical aid in South Africa. We are permanent residents, so we qualify for Medicare. We have taken out private medical insurance and it covers more than just hospital cover. We also have coverage for the following:

Hope this helps.

Charmaine

Thanks Charmaine. Would you mind sharing how much this cover costs a month?

[Bob]

Private medical insurance is not the same as the medical aid in South Africa. We are permanent residents, so we qualify for Medicare. We have taken out private medical insurance and it covers more than just hospital cover. We also have coverage for the following:

General Dental

Endodontic Services

Optical items

Physiotherapy

Pharmaceutical Prescriptions (non-PBS)

Medically Necessary Ambulance Transport (except in Qld and Tas)

Major Dental (eg orthodontic treatment)

Alternative therapies such as chiropractic and naturopathy

Other therapies such as podiatry and speech therapy

Health appliances such as hearing aids, nebulisers and blood glucose monitors

Clinical psychology consultations

School Accident (not sure how this is actually a benefit?)

Hope this helps.

Charmaine

Like I said, all these items listed above, are covered by "Extras" insurance, which you can tack on to your main Hospital private health insurance.

It makes sense to get "Extras' insurance because it covers just about all the other little odds & sods that your local GP and/or specialist don't do for you . . . . . dental fillings, physio, ambulance cover, glasses, etc.

Since you get the 30% Australian gov't rebate on the health insurance premiums . . . . . even for Extras health insurance . . . . . it's affordable, and you get covered for a bucket load of things in Life that you'll probably come across in the future.

We've all got teeth and eyes, etc. . . . . haven't we? . . . . which aren't covered by your basic "no frills" Medicare cover.

[zorba]

We've all got teeth and eyes, etc. . . . . haven't we? . . . . which aren't covered by your basic "no frills" Medicare cover.

Bob, that sounds so funny! But spot on...

If you are still in S/Africa, get your teeth and eyes sorted! Wish I'd made the time...

zorba

[lyall]

apologies if asking the same dumb question just in another guise, but for example, if you are in a car accident, and need to be taken by ambulance to hospital....is it like in south africa where you need to pay up front, or do they bill you afterwards....and is it a flat fee, or per km?

i drive alot during my work, and although i have only seen one accident in four months,

I still worry..anything is possible!

i have asked around here, but nobody seems to have ever had to have an emergency ambulance trip!!

[zorba]

Hi Lyall, I don't have a definitive answer for you, but remember that this is a 1st world country - there is no way they will leave you lying in the road while waiting for your cheque to clear...after all, if a person is unconscious they are not able to pay upfront!

The son of a friend of mine was injured (fell after a party) and went to hospital and was treated immediately. OK, so no ambulance involved, but they were happy to treat him and wait for the parents to arrive later and settle the gap payment.

Maybe you can ring your health insurer and find out, then you can stop worrying and relax ! Oh, and tell us what they say!

zorba

[Mara]

Here is a link on ambulance cover for the various states, however, I have a sneaky suspicion that if you are on a 457 that it does not apply to you, the best way to find out is to ask the ambulance service in your state or to check with your private medical cover. I know that in Victoria we can buy annual ambulance cover for a minimal amount, but I do not know if it is only for citizens and PR or if anyone can buy it.

http://www.lets-getaway.com/ambulance.htm

[Bob]

apologies if asking the same dumb question just in another guise, but for example, if you are in a car accident, and need to be taken by ambulance to hospital....is it like in south africa where you need to pay up front, or do they bill you afterwards....and is it a flat fee, or per km?

i drive alot during my work, and although i have only seen one accident in four months,

I still worry..anything is possible!

i have asked around here, but nobody seems to have ever had to have an emergency ambulance trip!!

Ahhh!

. . . . . now you're asking???

If you are at work, driving from one work point to another, or to and from work, you are covered by Worker's Compensation, which the company takes out to insure all its workers.

It will be a worker's compo claim for all your injuries, rehabilitation, etc. if you're injured at work or to and from work.

Otherwise, if you're just out for a private Sunday afternoon drive or driving to the supermarket and you get cleaned up, your motor vehicle accident insurance which you pay for in your car's registration each time you register the vehicle, will cover you.

In that case, if you're not at work or driving to and from work, you're covered by your rego. You lodge a claim thro the Motor Vehicle Accident Insurance people and they will sort all the bills out for ambulance, hospital, rehab, etc.

In Tasmania, years ago, it used to have a fairly good cover and the Tasmanian motor accident insurance was the envy of people around Australia.

If you're injured out of your car and are not at work, so can't claim thro one of the two accident schemes, then Medicare will cover your hospital bills and rehab.

Ambulance is free in a couple of States in Australia, with Tasmania being one of them.

If your local council happens to have signed up for the State government's free ambulance scheme, then you are covered for free anywhere in Tasmania for ambulance.

Just check if your local council is one of the many local councils which cover its residents thro the Tasmanian Ambulance Service for free. You pay a bit extra on your yearly rates each year, but at least you know you're covered!

If you happen to dwell in one of the few local council districts which have opted out of the Tasmanian Ambulance cover, then your rates each year will be cheaper but you're in for a hefty bill if you ever need an ambulance.

Check at your local council offices and make sure you are a "resident" . . . . i.e. having dwelt there for at least three months.

[AndreaL]

Would I be right in thinking that I pay an amount of ambulance cover on my electricity bill with Ergon?

I don't think it would cover me as I am on 457 and therefore have private health Insurance with Medibank Private.

[Alibaba]

Make sure your private health insurance on a 457 has ambulance cover as you need to have this.

We are on a 457 and with IMAN, went to the doctor twice as both my daughter and I had flu. Got appointments easily. We both got antibiotics (contrary to everyone telling us they won't prescribe antibiotics for us, but the difference is we were really ill, not getting better and not going to the doctor after sneezing for 2 days only). The other time my daughter was stung by a bee and she also got antibiotics and some other medicine, and we had to go back for a follow-up visit the next day. IMAN paid for all the GP visits, including immunisations for my daughter (which the doctor at daycare did for her) and all the prescribed medicines. The cheque arrived in the post after only a few days, no hassles.

My husband had to go to the dentist, but we do not have extras cover, so we paid for that out of pocket, $200. I'll have to have my eyes tested later in this year, extra cover pays for only the lenses of glasses, not the frame. I think I will have to pay for contact lenses out of pocket too, not 100% sure.

Just make sure you tell the people at the GP's office and the pharmacy you are on private healthcare and ask for a receipt/invoice. You pay first and then claim it back by sending the receipts with the form you complete to the health insurance.

I know Medibank has offices where you can go to claim back and below a certain amount they give you the cash back there and then, for more they send you a cheque.

For private health either on a 457 or PR you have choices as to what type of cover you want, i.e. only hospitalisations, GPs (457) or extras. Depending on your needs and the amount you need to pay you can decide what your family needs.

You also get "family" cover, not dependent on the number oif children you have. So, you pay the same whether you have one kid or 4, which I think is great.

Edited January 6, 2009 by Alibaba