hmm, personal stories? well in 2006 I got a DVT and was admitted to hospital twice, firstly for four days and then for a week. My care both times was absolutely free. My subsequent clinic followups were also free, and my medication cost either $30 for my month (or two months; I can't actually remember) of needles, or when I had a healthcare card briefly, $5 for the same amount.
When I started seeing a private specialist instead, I paid something like $150-$200 for my appointment, but I got at least half of that back from the public health system rebate.
At the end of the day, if I'd been hospitalised in the US, my hospital bills would have run up into the thousands of dollars, and I probably would have been paying a lot more for my medication that I needed to live. That I still need, every time I want to get on an aeroplane. ANYWAY I WILL STOP WHINING. This is basically why I don't travel without medical travel insurance.
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Re: Australian
Date: 2009-08-21 03:41 pm (UTC)When I started seeing a private specialist instead, I paid something like $150-$200 for my appointment, but I got at least half of that back from the public health system rebate.
At the end of the day, if I'd been hospitalised in the US, my hospital bills would have run up into the thousands of dollars, and I probably would have been paying a lot more for my medication that I needed to live. That I still need, every time I want to get on an aeroplane. ANYWAY I WILL STOP WHINING. This is basically why I don't travel without medical travel insurance.