This depends a lot on where one is. The public health system in Australia is still OK but suffering from years of neglect from several years of coalition governments. We have private hospitals that provide services to the public system. The health insurance providers used to all not for profit and owned by their members. They are nearly all listed on the stock exchange and their prices go up every year, Health insurance is expensive but you have to have especially as one gets older.

Health funds are Pty ltd companies as such need to make a profit for thier shareholders I too am a pensioner but due to surcumstanced had to drop my coverage after 35yesrs no I have found out if you are over 50////0. 20items have been removed from the Medicare system and if you require these procedures you pay for them fully out of pocket. I had to have RMI on my knee back in February. ND found out when I arrived at the x-ray centre so no we are not being looked after but seen as nuisances .

If you think medical insurance is expensive, try not having it and suddenly needing three operations in quick succession when the public system is so stuffed you will certainly die on the waiting list. Never been so relieved I talked herself out of cancelling our policy.My suggestion to you is negotiate an excess for operations... don't agree to paying the first 20% of the operations, better to set a $ amount that doesn't go up., then put aside a bunch of $$s in a deposit account. It creates certainty. Sure the monthly premiums cost you, but could you seriously find $250,000 quickly? That's what I would have been faced with, or death.

corporate greed

Too expensive.

I have private health insurance but I have never been in hospital since I was in my childhood.

Shareholders are more important

Going private has always been a con. Australians pay 2% of their salary towards medicare, and private is not an add on, it is seperate, dipping into the kitty twice, which is what the gov does best. Australia is copying the USA disaster of supposed medical care. it is all crap, and a waste of money. unless of course you are chronically ill

Totally. The government must be going to look into it along with retirement village prices. They have to. Its ridiculous.

I don't know who is responsible but health funds get ripped off up over twice the costs for whatever is going on that you need to claim. My late husband when he was last in hospital, had according to the claims I saw, every doctor who had ever been on his case visit him in that last week and everyone billed highly. That is not fair to the funds and forces them to up their premiums. When I had my hip replacement the cost was more than twice what a public hospital would have paid for the same item. Once again this forces the funds to put up their premiums. Until transparency is forced to be shown and funds are not overcharged then nothing will be done to make premiums lower which would mean more people would sign up to the funds and the whole system would be more manageable by both private and public sectors.

Same here Helen , hubby had to have minor surgery on his nose in a doctors office but with bupa $365 5 minutes work I showed her our pension card . She spoke to the doctor who said nah bulk bill it ???????

Unfortunately as we age we require more medical assistance and more expensive treatments such as artificial knees and hips. Older people also require more checkups and tests, just like an old car I guess. We need more visits to the physiotherapist, podiatrist, optometrist and dentist. I dislike seeing any of them because they always manage to find something that requires treatment. I find health insurance a necessary evil because if I do require any form of treatment I want it NOW and don't want to have to wait. I don't smoke and I don't drink alcohol so I see using the money I would otherwise spend on them an investment on my health and wellbeing as I use it to pay the annual health insurance premium. It's all about priorities.

At 69, I cannot afford to have full hospital cover.

I think they are working in conjunction with funeral parlours. Would we all be buried in a pauper’s grave if we don’t have insurance?

Financial vampires the lot of them

The whole system is wrong. It got taken over by the medical insurance group and boy do they do well at our expense. These days we go public as we can't afford the cost of the insurance. Luckily we're in our 80s and still got our legs to walk out of the up front costs demanded by some of the private doctor outfits. So eat right and keep walking!

Medical insurance cost when you are young and adventures. Young and having babies, So why not when you older when you also need them. the medical profession is a very costly profession to work on.

What sods me off, you have extras, but if you dont go to the funds preferred ..say..eye specialist, then you get less refund. ..we r in the same boat as most of you here..so long in the fund, no loyalty from them at all and every 3 months, up go the fees and we never claim...and then if we do have a hoso visit..rarely inall our years..there is sn upfront fee of 400....just sh.tty

Agree with you Helen& hospital/medical insurance is costly here in NZ

I have been a member of a health fund for most of my 74 years and think that I've wasted all the money without a benefit. It's too late for me but if I was younger I'd bank the premium and reap the benefits later on.

Beware my Dad has had tp cover all his life was in the a public hospital in May diagnosed with a terminal illness and paid extra for palitive care and his local Private Hospital would not take him too complexed so he endured the digusting treatment of the public system did'nt get a refund say away from the Mid Coast .Put the money away in a seperate account They gives loans for Boob jobs .

Health insurance is completely out of the question for us. It is so ridiculously expensive that it is nothing short of a luxury. We rely on the public health system.

The Health Insurance funds in Australia, have moved their products out of the of many people, as I had a number of visits to public hospitals in Perth and been more than satisfied with the. The Medicare system as far as I am concerned does a great job, and especially my G P bulk bills and there is out of pocket costs

I don't have private health insurance and don't think I will take it out in the future. I will just rely on the public health system.

My insurance just went up more than 35.00 again per month, already paying 500.00 a month. I am not sure how I can continue to pay for insurance costing me this much from a small amount i get each month.

I am paying over 500.00 and retired, is certainly not easy, and places count that as income, i call it outcome.

Can't afford it now, let alone in the future. Which is why I sit here for pennies

dont have any, reason, cant afford it.

I agree wholeheartedly with you Helen. I still have 2 years before I can get a pension so have had to get an allocated pension through my super. I'm not entitled to any benefits so have been using up what savings my late husband left me. I've also had to cut back on my medication because I can't really afford that either. Edited 08-Nov-22 15:42pm

l agree

Private Robotic prostate cancer operation in NZ costs = NZ$40,000 or alternative is two years on the public list where during that time the cancer will spread and all over rover.

The problem with these sorts of funds is that people are leaving them and taking the risk to not get I’ll or need hospitalisation and most are the younger couples .we have been members since 21 years of age and now at 86 we are still paying monthly fees.

Sad how much cost a fortune paying for insurance when not working at job anymore.

I am in NZ and have full medical insurance. I’m lucky as dad took it out years ago and then not long later I got diabetes. Without it I would never get coverage again if I let my policy lapse. It has been a god send as for other conditions and needed procedures and specialist appointments that would of Cost the earth. It goes up bout $4 every birthday so currently I’m 43 and paying $56 a week for full coverage, it’s not cheap but I need it. It is unfair how much it increases a year my parents had to stop their ones as was over $400 a month

I think that because you have been an IDIOT for over 25 years paying them money for no cover to speak of they are just continuing with their standard practice of trying to bankrupt you as quickly as possible. There is a very good reason why Health Insurance is called JUNK INSURANCE.

Save the money and invest it in a term deposit then if you need it it’s there for medical expenses if your not sick use it to have a holiday

That's a great question! I am in that age group also. Luckily, I am a retired state employee with good benefits. However, I do see the copays going up year after year with no increase in my pension. I had cataract surgery which was a very complicated one. You could say it was the surgery from hell! I've gone to my surgeon, obviously, many times for aftercare. I was surprised when I started getting a bill for $30 copay for every visit. That is adding up, and I thought anything postop would be covered! These charges are really hurting my wallet! I remember when I never had to pay anything! What happened to Obamacare? It was a start, but I was shocked when they had no idea how to make the system work because of computer problems! Really??? Our government can't make a plan work because of a computer program!!! Then they seemed to just give up on it. Maybe I'm not informed, but it sure seems like someone didn't want it to work! I agree with you. When we were young, they loved us because we didn't need to use our insurance. Now, they don't like us because we are needing them! What about all the years, we paid in and didn't take anything out. It's like paying car insurance for years without an accident. Then you have an accident, and they don't want to pay because you're a bad risk! We are humans just trying to get through life the best way we can!

I wish they would reveal where our premiums are spent..is to fund greedy rich CEO's? I think if you have been in a private health fund pretty much for most of your life (and I was one of these people) your loyalty and contributions should earn you benefits. As I am getting older I am trying to hang on to my private health, but being on welfare I can only have extras at the moment. People think they can rely on the public system but after what I saw with the mismanagement and subsequent death of my father I really don't want to go to a public hospital. If you have been proactive in paying money forward for your health because you consider it very important, yes you should be looked after in order to keep it going.

never had medical insurance, if something serious happens we are taken to the general hospital anyway!

Have never had private health insurance, haven't needed any operation or major expense yet. Hearing from others the cost of insurance as you age, I am pleased I to wait for the public health system in NZ id operation required-even tho our health system is in chaos and crisis as successive governments have done nothing for it. Where I live the population has doubled over the last 10 years the hospital has not changed due to lack of government fore sight/common sense

Helen S We are in the same position our Health Insurance has gone up but we are not closing it because my husband and I are getting older and we have develop more health issue and we have not reach our pension age yet.

Everything is expensive

Indeed! Even my bank stopped charging me fees after I'd been with them 30 years! (Westpac), so insurance certainly should reward loyalty. But, as usual, greedy big business and politicians get all the benefits and the rest of us get gipped.

I think , it is across the board with other insurance companies. They see us, as commodities {livestock} to make money for them. I had been with one Insurance, no names {Life insurance} for ten years. Lost my job during covid shut down. I rung the insurance company to hold off my premium payments of $50 a fortnight. They said to me, I will lose my coverage if payment is stopped. 5 months later I completely lost my job. Rang the insurance company again, still the same answer. I emailed them, that i can only afford to pay half of the amount, and started doing that for two month, then recieved an email, that they have decided to cancel my life insurance policy, because I have not pay my premium for two months. this matter is with my layer, so you see, we are been treated as commodities . they dont have compassion

To me it should be compulsory for all to pay. Just the minimum and if you want more you pay.

This is unfair.

yes doesn't pay to get old!

Unfortunately there is no longer freedom to chose your hospital or medical company. The Government is making sure that everyone ends up on the free benefits so they can again tick the box that they have your complete record of birth education employment health and DNA through vaccination. Soon each child born will be given a number stamped on their foot (like in China) and that will identify them out their life. No need for expensive insurance funds superannuation etc because with the Basic Income system everyone will be the same. Everyone will be a number not a name. My friend had the highest medical and hospital cover possible and she still was put into a ward with four other people and left in the corridor after one of her procedures without lunch because they need the bed for a public patient. She was not allowed a private room when she was not quite on her deathbed because only people with an infectious disease or actually dying (she died six weeks later) could have a private room. I have no cover and no vaccination so catch me if you can dear Government.

Simply not worth it, I have needed 2 operations so far in my life and we paid for both up front about 8 grand an op. Yes a bit of money and I went where ever I was sent. We did manage to get some back from Medicare so we were'nt as much out of pocket. We would have paid a lot more in premiums than what we spent. Hubby on the other hand had a sarcoma a few years back on his shoulder that got to the size of an orange and the only hospital in QLD that deal with them is the PA hospital in Brisbane. We can't praise them enough for doing such a great job and they truely are amazing. The doctor said I do believe you have had a hard time getting here and that was the understatement of the year. Just glad we are on the other side of that one. Still has check ups, it was for 10 years but he is 3 years into it so 7 years to go. I guess we will have to wait and see what pops up next and hopefully nothing too serious.Fingers crossed.

...and Helen S - during those early 50+ years how much did you claim? I am willing to bet that for, at least the first 35-40 years of paying in you made very few claims on Hospital Cover and only the odd yearly Optical and twice yearly Dental checks were what you claimed on your Extras Cover. This factors the Private Health Insurance people seem to overlook. With regard to the seemingly automatic yearly increases of at least 3 times the CPI in premiums all started when the Federal Government at the time decided to sell off Medibank Private to Private Investors - many of whom probably don't even live in Australia - It became Medibank Ltd and it was entirely thanks to Medibank Ltd that Premiums skyrocketed and they reduced or scrapped cover for many items. Greed has become the new god for those running Medibank Ltd and the others just jumped on to the Gravy Train. They should stop this nonsense of Pet Insurance, House, Contents and Car Insurance and claims for airy-fairy faddist treatments which few actually use but for which the Insurers have to budget for.

Nothing that comes to mind

It’s all about risk. The more you are likely to need the more you pay. It’s the young fit ones who are not getting value

Just another scam,

It is a necessary evil and the Health Companies know this and don't care. I change companies quite of then to get the best price. Usually you will get a good discount for the first year when you join online. I do this with all Insurance, saves me a lot of money on the pension.

Yes totally agree. I can't afford it so on a wait list for public or pay for it. At least my Dr bulk bills pensioner. It is crazy even for younger people wanting health insurance. Rents are a killer but we won't go there now??

Same. I have just used a comparison company and reduced my monthly premium from $500 a month to $368 by changing health funds and personalizing my cover. Loyalty doesn't pay. It is worth a phone call to see what your options are. eg are you still covered for pregnancy and IVF. We were but that's gone.

I agree. If we didn't have health insurance we tax more. I real don't get nothings out of its. And pay extra on top. If the government want us all go health insurance they should make cheap or be 10% of income. How many will go on health insurance with this. Edited 08-Nov-22 08:42am

The whole system is crazy the cost of private health as a pensioner is beyond reasonable.

NZ has pretty good free coverage (unless you are on a waiting list). I've never paid for health insurance and don't intend to.

Hi Helen. I must say the $400 per month is cheap. We pay a lot more than that. I know it is a big part of our income however both my husband and I have used it extensively over the last 4 years. We would never save this amount of money I feel. However, the cost is high but we have never paid a cent for any procedures from the specialists or hospitals. Have been lucky and it is for our own peace of mind.Edited 08-Nov-22 08:12am

So glad that I live in Canada-we have a great health system with pretty good free coverage.

I agree, apply to your state and see if there are any benefit that can help you with Medicare and Medicaid might help, but if not, something else might look at all options and see what can be done

ldont know how anyone can afford insurance. My rent doubled this year so I have very little left from my pension.

I am in Australia and we have Free Hospital, Thank goodness. In the last 12 Months I have had 2 surgeries with a 5 day stay each and another 3 weeks after my wound became infected. I also recently had another Day Procedure. All of these were all done within about 8 weeks of my GP lodging the form for a Specialist Appointment. I have also had several other appointment including tests on my heart and other specialised Doctor Appointments. All costs were covered and I don't believe I could have got any better care. Even the food in Hospital was way better than expected. I feel in Australia we are very lucky to have this care and I wish everyone could have the same Hospital care we have.

I have totalcare as my hospital/healthcare insurance in which I don't have to pay nothing.

Hey guys We live in the US and there are issues. I am glad to have health care even if it is not perfect... I am glad to have a guy that is helpful.

The problem is it's the cost involved in the procedures we have done, the fees Drs, Hospitals charge. The cost of the technology involved in diagnosing procedures. We are having procedures that were never thought possible, We expect the best care and it has to be paid for.

I have AARP United Healthcare combined with Medicare, and I get a $50 credit off of the $170 a month charge for Part B. Some plans pay it all, but not in my zip code, but I'll take what I can get. I am blessed to also have CHAMPVA secondary to Medicare that covers everything Medicare doesn't. I get to keep $628 from my Social Security, have Section 8 housing, an EBT (food stamp) card, $50 toward Internet from Xfinity, and help through the Opportunity Council for electricity. I'll be 75 on November 30! Take advantage of what you can. We earned it, and we deserve it! ;-D

In NZ, we have a public health system which provides hospital care if required without insurance. Sure, it can be slow at times, but I'd still prefer it to the system in the US.Edited 08-Nov-22 14:05pm

$400 a month ?? That is cheap. Cannot be NZ as Southern Cross Medical would be in excess of $600 a month with an excess and that is just for basic specialist and hospital care and would not cover general doctor, eyewear etc practices. Of course they don't want the elderly as they are the biggest claimers and drain the funds. The other side is the public system which heads more to third world as the years go on.

Not sure how it works for ya'll but that sounds pretty crazy.

What doesn't make sense is you have insurance and you still have to pay. My sister was given better care in a public hospital than when she was in private. They want people to have health insurance but it goes up every year. why don't they cap it so it doesn't go up each year.

Hospital insurance cost are constantly rising and with no end in sight - PERIOD (definitely not in my lifetime and I am already OLD)! We co-exist on a capitalist planet (profits over people). This is HOW capitalism WORKS in every human endeavor (the rich get richer and damn anyone WHO is not rich)! You are not reward for intangible assets (example: loyalty) but you will pay for that MISTAKE (intangible assets) - when you get OLD (aka LIFE is not FAIR)!

They do not care, if they did they would try to find cures instead of handing us pills that don’t do anything but mask our symptoms

hi, Helen, I thoroughly agree. Why do the funds spend hundreds of thousand dollars nightly on TV advertising when they would gain an awful lot of cred just by looking after the members who have been loyal to them for decades. You're right. They want the young, fit and health trendy members because statistically they are making smaller and more infrequent claims. We need to feel the same re Medicare as the UK c residents feel about their NHS. Medicare is on its knees!

Ive always found Insurance to be one hell of a rip off. For you Helen your quite right you should get a discount or concession and personally I dont know how one can justify paying what you do. If I were you I would write to your insurer voicing your plight. Maybe Current Affair would be interested in your concerns as well.

It's hard to pay them high payments

I'm with you Mike. Thank God I'm Canadian when it comes to my health care needs!

They used to be there for the members as there was never this pick and choose what you want to be insured for etc. It is going down the road of the American system where we will have to choose the doctor, hospital, dentist, etc. on the funds list not who you want to see. It does not work in America so why do they bring it into Australia. They raise the fees every July and more people opt out of it. Pensioners cannot afford a dentist or they have to go to the government one which has waitings lists for years in many places. Pensioners have to wait for hip replacements, all sorts of operations for years and many die in pain due to this extended wait. Our health system has been screwed with and it is in tatters but we do not have the option of paying into a high premium health fund and not just pensioners. Low income families are in a worse situation that the pensioners. At the moment we do get bulk billing but low income families in many cases do not and have to pay high fees to see a doctor. I think the economy of the country needs to undergo a review and all the dead wood politicians and public servants in political positions need to be culled. Monies spent needs to be looked at and also much of it stopped or limited. Perhaps the savings from this alone would fund a top notch health system here in Oz

sorry for USA but in Canada it is covered well over 90%

Christine, you are correct. They are in the business of making money.......and that they do! Loyalty means nothing to any company anymore. You are just a number. The government needs to step in and contain costs. We need Universal healhcare.

They are in the business of making money. The older you are, the more likely you are to need care and make a claim so they will be happy to just take your money til you can’t afford to pay it anymore.