| Sound health is an indispensable feature of | | | | $50k and married couples with or without |
| every individual's life. No targets and | | | | children earning more than $100k will pay an |
| success can be achieved if we are physically | | | | extra 1% Medicare surcharge in addition to |
| unwell. In order to safeguard this central | | | | 1.5% Medicare levy most people pay. But this |
| aspect of our life, health insurance is the | | | | extra annual expenditure of $500 to $1000 can |
| need of the hour. | | | | be avoided by opting for hospital insurance. |
| | | | |
| Health insurance as we all know is the best | | | | Premium plays a key role in choosing the kind |
| way to secure your health against all | | | | of policy you want. Money can be saved on |
| expected and unexpected problems. Due to this | | | | premium in various ways such as purchasing a |
| almost every individual seeks to acquire a | | | | policy with 'excess' or the money that an |
| health insurance policy. | | | | individual is required to pay for stay in a |
| | | | hospital before benefits are payable. You can |
| At present there are many companies offering | | | | also buy a policy that asks for a co-payment. |
| health insurance. While going for a health | | | | In case of co-payment if you don't go into |
| insurance policy you will confront a choice | | | | hospital, the member decides to pay usually a |
| between private and government insurance. | | | | fixed amount of money each time he avails the |
| Prior to opting for either policy, you should | | | | service. Choosing a policy that doesn't |
| know that with a private health insurance you | | | | include several treatment facilities is also |
| would have an access to luxurious private | | | | an option to lower your premium rates. |
| hospitals, wide range of private doctors to | | | | Besides this you can also buy a policy that |
| choose from and mostly immediate treatment. | | | | only covers you as a private patient in a |
| While in a government health insurance scheme | | | | public hospital. However it is better and in |
| the lifetime health cover penalizes people | | | | the long run beneficial to take a policy that |
| who take out health insurance later in life | | | | offers a high 'excess' in comparison to those |
| with higher premiums. If you take the policy | | | | that exclude several treatment conditions. |
| after your 31st birthday you will be required | | | | Some commonly barred treatments are- cosmetic |
| to pay a 2% surcharge annually up to 70%. So | | | | surgery, cataract surgery, rehabilitation, |
| for instance if you acquire the policy at the | | | | hip, knee and other joint replacements, |
| age of 50 you will have to pay 30% more than | | | | obstetrics and birth related care, assisted |
| a person who joined at the age of 30. | | | | reproduction and psychiatric care. In case |
| | | | you want coverage for any of these |
| Government health insurance policy also comes | | | | treatments, prior to purchasing make sure |
| up with a Medicare levy surcharge according | | | | your policy includes it. |
| to which unmarried people earning more than | | | | |