like electricity retail, pvt health insurance companies all offer differing coverage, benefits and costs. a very confusing disparity between companies makes comparison very difficult.
do you get you money's worth? do you find it easy to compare companies? are these companies delivering what you pay for?
I'm a believer in public health, so I'm quite biased on this issue. I doin't see the benefit. and contrary to the selling points that John Howard used to argue the benefits we still see long waits for necessary surgery in the public system, costs haven't fallen but increased in pvt health facilities (I mean eg. $5,000 per eye for lens replacement)....
meanwhile the public health system continues to struggle and now the federal govt demanding state health ministers "reduce access" to people queueing in hospital EDs because the access to ED has never been improved because pvt hospitals don't provide ED services (generally).
ABC LINK. ..... reports on the confusion facing pvt health insurance customers and the reduced and confusing benefits.....
note: this isn't a left v. right problem as both parties in govt have contributed to the problems.
