Getting health insurance when returning to SA

[netorius77]

Does anyone have any ideas of how best to manage getting health insurance when we return to SA later this year. We have been away from SA for 8 years and are now Australian citizens. We are fully covered with private health here in Australia.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to the best way to manage this - could we use the fact that we have coverage here to give us some benefit when applying back in SA? We were with Discovery when we left. Having been away for some while, I suspect things have changed a bit as well. Appreciate you sharing your thoughts and experience and suggestions of who we should consider. There always seems to be someone out there who comes up with a really constructive solution based on experience or knowledge of someone else!

Thanks

[AfriAus]

Are you returning for good? If so, just apply to Discovery Health and show your Australian Membership certificate, they should recognaise this.

[netorius77]

Thanks. It will be for good yes. Some while back I read somewhere that if you have been out of SA for more than 5 years (I think that was the duration), you would have to pay some significant premium. I guess as you say, best to get hold of the likes of Discovery and ask them.

[Springjock]

You are going to paying a significant premium regardless of where you have been for the past 8 years.

[AfriAus]

You might want to check if your Australian provider is registered with The International Federation of Health Plans (http://www.ifhp.com/members.html). Discovery is a member of this and they usually recognaise time served with other members in terms of waiting periods etc.

[netorius77]

Thanks - luckily it seems that my health fund is registered in the list above - will check out directly with Discovery. There may be some other comparible as well that are out there.

Thanks for the help.