When you are looking to get health insurance in Australia, you have two options; you can either get public health insurance or opt for a private one. While most people go for public health insurance, private health insurance has its own benefits. Public health insurance does not cover all things. But with private health insurance, you can even get the coverage that Medicare does not offer. Let’s have a look at a few of the benefits private health insurance provides.
Private Rooms in Hospital
A major difference between private and public health insurance is that when you are admitted to a public hospital, you will be sharing a room with several other people, while in a private hospital, you can get your own room. This is one of the main benefits of having Private health insurance in Australia. You can request your own private room in advance, and if the room is available, you will be able to get it. It also depends on what type of treatment you are going to have. If you are pregnant and you are going for delivery, you are more likely to get a private room.
It Will Cover Dental As Well
With public health insurance, you would not be able to get even basic dental care. But with a private health plan, you can add dental in your plan as well. Remember, if you do not have dental covered in your plan, you will have to go to a private clinic, which is usually expensive. Sure, you can opt for the cheaper option by going to a public dental clinic but the waiting list is usually long and you would have to wait for a lengthy time. That is why it is better to get private health insurance with a dental plan which will cover both basic and major dental treatments.
You Can Select Your Surgeon
A lot of private health insurance packages come with added advantages. If you are going for surgery in the hospital, you will be allowed to pick your surgeon as well. That is something you would not be able to get with Medicare. When you are going under public insurance, your surgery will be done by the surgeon who is available on that day. If you want to get treated by the best surgeon available, you can ask for it if you have private health insurance. However, even with private health insurance, the surgeon will only take your case if they are available for it.
Short Waiting Times
When you are seeking treatment via public health insurance, you might have to wait for a good amount of time. Especially the surgeries that cannot be performed in an emergency and has to be planned ahead of time can take up to weeks or even a month. And if a priority case comes along, you will be pushed even further. With private insurance coverage, you have the luxury to avoid long waiting periods. In fact, in some cases, you might even get to decide on which day you will be admitted to the hospital.
