I've long held the belief that a business model for profit, should not exist in service models such as healthcare. It is inequitable crippling low to middle income earners and the knock on effect to public health care. Means testing and increasing Medicare levy for all, evens out the playing field and boosts the much needed public health funds and Medicare. A model that allows increased levies could afford people their choices as well. Do away with for profit private health care agencies. We would still enjoy a free enterprise market in other sectors and industries.

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This article was remarkably disingenuous, as it failed to mention key aspects affecting the value proposition of private health insurance. It was more of an 'infomercial' by private health insurance than an assessment of the parameters for judging the of such insurance.

- Most insurers complicate the government's tiers with at least a 'Silver Plus' tier. The waiting periods for types of procedures vary between insurers, further complicating the comparison of tiers.

- Hospital insurance does not cover out-of-hospital attendances such as GP and specialist appointments in their rooms.

- No comparison of the premium cost versus the benefits paid, especially in the case studies advocating extras insurance.

- Many private hospitals do not have an accident department. Large public hospitals are the best trauma centres. What does 'accident-only' private health cover then?

- The article's table of the cheapest insurance in each state only included 'accident-only' policies. So most of the justifications presented in the article (choice, waiting times, elective surgery) for private health insurance are irrelevant.

- The immoral rip-off of new subscribers: waiting times - charging the full premium from day one for no cover, or only partial cover, for up to a year!

- Choice of a healthcare provider is constrained by many insurers, with preferential limits or gap fees with the insurer's contracted providers.

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You are right Private Hospitals often don't have EDs or ICUs, and if they do, they're rarely used or only opened in a state emergency.

I've had a look at the accident only cover with Frank Health, and it gives you the option of going into a public hospital as a private patient if you have had an accident.

It covers emergency ambulance too, but this only applies to States that don't have a state-based subscription service or scheme to cover ambulance transport. NSW is one state that has no subscription services or schemes for ambulance, and I think the other state is WA.

It covers Rehabilitation, Psychiatric Services and Palliative Care, but only on a restricted level, which means you are not fully covered and the benefits the Fund pays on your behalf are low, it covers you for nothing else.

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What this article doesn't cover unfortunately is the fact that private health - as expensive as it has become - is even MORE ridiculously expensive if you actually make a claim !

Let's be clear - private health covers the hospital stay (though these days they kick you out the same day for many procedures or overnight at worst) plus you still have to pay the excess.

But by far and away is the GAP fee where most doctors will try to roger you sideways. The gap will often be in the thousands for most procedures AND you need to factor in the Anesthetist as well. This is one truly despicable group of doctors who have no problem in ripping you off especially if required at short notice or in an emergency where you have to pay whatever they're charging and they damn well know it and that's why they charge what they charge. There is also usually NO CHOICE of doctor when it comes to Anesthetist's as you simply get the doctor on call at that hospital at the time and is usually not known well ahead of time so there is little chance to "shop around" for the best / cheapest one.

So using private health insurance to make a claim ain't all its cracked up to be after you pay thousands and thousands each year as a premium, then pay an excess, then pay the GAP for your doctor and then pay another GAP for the Anesthetist !

Unless something is done to regulate this industry in a massive way to stop the power of the AMA from ripping off patients - then everyone is doomed as there simply won't be a private health industry into the future. And all those greedy doctors and the AMA will suddenly wish they hadn't been driving up prices for decades as they will price themselves right out of a job and be forced to work for the low paying / high pressure public system !

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Paying in ignorance for 20+ years no claims or need to use it, no medical conditions or health problems ever, just peace of mind.

The one time I need ER, I am sent from the GP to the ER for a sudden onset of pneumonia so never being sick before, but very sick now, I go to a private hospital to be told I must pay $600 to see a doctor and the hospital is full so there is no guarantee of a bed and I would be transferred to a public hospital to wait for a bed there.

I opted to go to the public hospital and not pay $600 if there was the same outcome and waited 4 days in the ER cubicles until a bed became available.

I ask is it worth paying silver hospital cover at $160 per person per week for this.

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