[Spanrz]

I have been long against private health. Only for the matter of reason, you want me to pay 2-3g's and still get asked for extra $$ because "we don't cover that".

There's a level where I say "pay for what you get". Which goes for anything today (pay peanuts, get monkey's).

If I choose a level worth say a grand or so, I'd expect to have to pay when the issue arises.
That being said, 3G's and over is getting to a ridiculous stage where "why should I have to pay a gap, when I pay squillions upfront??"

The problem with the Private Health system, is that people have gotten smart over the years, and wisened up to the point of "If I'm paying through the roof, I'm going to get my monies worth".
That is, go to use all services they can to get value out fo their dollar, even sometimes when you don't really need it.
That is why I am calling it a false economy.

How many people use naturopaths "because they have to" and not because they want value for their money?

In a business sense, people are using services more, which businesses have to upgrade and then we have to pay more for the upgrades, because too many people are using a service they "didn't really need".

Having said that, after many debates with my wife, we have now private health cover. Said to her, you want it, you pay.

I see the benefit of having it, only in instances where you "need" surgery now now, not "want to" have surgery now.

About a year or so ago, my wife's knee gave out, kneecap dislodged and wouldn't return. Extreme pain. Took a week to get sorted, but ended up paying for a private hospital / surgery. Kneecap was a mess. All fixed up in 1 hr, after 3-4g's paid all good.
Surgery's like this can't wait, but why are they shelved on a public system. How can anyone move around, let alone work when a kneecap is dislodged and in extreme pain, enough to show a red face from a get up or sit down on a couch?????

I have one eye, my false eye socket is in need of a repair. I lost my eye to a pellet rifle incident when I was 11.
I have been to a few doc's that have had a look at the eye/socket and told me "there is nothing wrong with it". I've been saying for 5 odd years "yes there is".
My socket has a false eye (acrylic) and a plastic orbit that is hidden beneath the skin (device that attaches the muscles too). I need to have that removed and renewed to the new tech of a piece of coral inserted.

The problem with this years ago, that the Government (Howard years) seen this as "Cosmetic" and said they didn't cover it at all. Like I had a choice of "comestic" surgery when I was 11.
A guy could go around with one arm and get the other arm covered under prosthetic work (even though the arm didn't work), where as my eye wasn't covered. Yes we need arms, but he has 2 perfect working legs and a perfect working arm. He can still work. This was my quarm.

Now the surgery is covered. So after a while, I'll get it done. But I am expecting to have to pay a gap.

After all that, even though I hate it and fully believe that the system is a rort and a false economy, it only works in instances where the "what if's" happen. And that's what we pay for.