Aussie Expats Be Warned

[Pink Mist]

probably find medicare is gonna be used more heavily soon, the health insurance leeches are putting up the premiums again

[Mighty Mouse]

probably find medicare is gonna be used more heavily soon, the health insurance leeches are putting up the premiums again 

100% correct. The average person is thinking 'why pay higher and higher premiums when I can get free medical under Medicare.'

If they opt to drop out of health insurance, the waiting list for free hospitals gets longer and longer. It's already in a hellova mess.

The Libs know what should be done (scrap Medicare) but they also know that it would be political suicide. In the meantime tax payers continue to pay for hypochondriacs.

Anyway, this is getting off topic.

I can't understand why expat Aussies would want to retain their Medicare cards if you are living full time in Thailand. If you had a major operation planned, would you put your name on the hospital waiting list in Oz, then return home to Oz when a bed is available, or would you walk straight into a hospital bed in Thailand where your ailment can be immediately attended to?

To me the answer to that question is simple.

[Nignoy]

probably find medicare is gonna be used more heavily soon, the health insurance leeches are putting up the premiums again 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

100% correct. The average person is thinking 'why pay higher and higher premiums when I can get free medical under Medicare.'

If they opt to drop out of health insurance, the waiting list for free hospitals gets longer and longer. It's already in a hellova mess.

The Libs know what should be done (scrap Medicare) but they also know that it would be political suicide. In the meantime tax payers continue to pay for hypochondriacs.

Anyway, this is getting off topic.

I can't understand why expat Aussies would want to retain their Medicare cards if you are living full time in Thailand. If you had a major operation planned, would you put your name on the hospital waiting list in Oz, then return home to Oz when a bed is available, or would you walk straight into a hospital bed in Thailand where your ailment can be immediately attended to?

To me the answer to that question is simple.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes but when you are being treated in a thai clinic , and the 2 treating surgeons refer you to a surgeon in australia, this happened to my wife 4 months ago, thank you medicare nignoy

[david96]

Hoping to move to thailand in may, but have been told in no uncerttain terms by Centre link Caboolture and Medicare, unless we return for 2 weeks every 6 months we will lose our aged pensions and medicare benefits Nignoy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That really sucks.

We pay our taxes and medicare levy all our working lives, then they do sh1t like this?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For payments which are payable indefinitely (such as Age pension, Widow B pension), you will not receive these add-ons at all if you leave Australia permanently, or for no more than the first 26 weeks of a temporary absence. If you are still overseas after 26 weeks, your normal rate may change, and will generally be calculated as a proportion dependent on the amount of time you have spent in Australia between the ages of 16 and age pension age. Centrelink will let you know what proportion is to be used when you advise of your departure. To give you a rough idea, you need to have lived in Australia for 25 years between these ages in order to receive your full rate.

[udon]

On that info above, it looks like I will dip out of a full pension @ 65.

At least I'm getting a small invalidity pension now.......

[snoophound]

It would seem a smart thing for Medicare to pay for operations in Thailand.

A lot cheaper for them.

However I think many people dont bear in mind the hidden costs of getting ill when retired in thailand on a small income.

Certainly something to plan for.

probably find medicare is gonna be used more heavily soon, the health insurance leeches are putting up the premiums again 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

100% correct. The average person is thinking 'why pay higher and higher premiums when I can get free medical under Medicare.'

If they opt to drop out of health insurance, the waiting list for free hospitals gets longer and longer. It's already in a hellova mess.

The Libs know what should be done (scrap Medicare) but they also know that it would be political suicide. In the meantime tax payers continue to pay for hypochondriacs.

Anyway, this is getting off topic.

I can't understand why expat Aussies would want to retain their Medicare cards if you are living full time in Thailand. If you had a major operation planned, would you put your name on the hospital waiting list in Oz, then return home to Oz when a bed is available, or would you walk straight into a hospital bed in Thailand where your ailment can be immediately attended to?

To me the answer to that question is simple.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Mighty Mouse]

It would seem a smart thing for Medicare to pay for operations in Thailand.

A lot cheaper for them.

However I think many people dont bear in mind the hidden costs of getting ill when retired in thailand on a small income.

Certainly something to plan for.

There are hidden costs in most major medical procedures, but such hidden costs would be a lot less in Thailand than in Australia.

There are now moves afoot for Australian surgeons to disclose all costs to a patient before going into surgery. If they don't, the surgeon will face fines.

One of the reasons that you ex-pats moved to Thailand was because the cost of living is a whole lot cheaper, but you still expect the Aussie Government to pay your medical expenses. This may be acceptable if you are a war veteran or receiving a Govt. pension, but it is a bit rich if you are a self funded retiree.

Most retirees these days are baby boomers, and that list is growing larger as I type this post. The increasing cost to the Govt. for free medical is unsustainable.

People who can afford to pay for private health insurance, should.

Private health insurance in Thailand, is cheaper than Australia. You may need to sacrifice a few beers every week to put towards your premiums, but if your health is of major importance to you, a few beers less each week will be of benefit to your liver.

The hospital waiting list for non-essential surgery in Australia is in excess of 12 months. Essential surgery is also in big trouble. Not enough surgeons, not enough money to keep surgeries open, postponements galore, people dying before a bed can be found etc. etc.

Why???

Because of free medicare.

You cannot maintain quality if you give that product away for free.

Yes but when you are being treated in a thai clinic , and the 2 treating surgeons refer you to a surgeon in australia, this happened to my wife 4 months ago, thank you medicare cool.gif nignoy

Was your wife referred because the Thai surgeon were unable to perform the procedure she wanted or because it would be cheaper for you to have the operation performed in Australia?

[Rooo]

Mighty Mouse,with private health insurance in Thailand , is the set up different? Or is there some sort of gap payment like in OZ?

[Rooo]

That might be of interest.

http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/inte...rseas/index.htm

[Mighty Mouse]

Mighty Mouse,with private health insurance in Thailand , is the set up different? Or is there some sort of gap payment like in OZ?

I'm an Australian resident so I can't answer your question.

Maybe some of the ex-pats can.

[Nignoy]

It would seem a smart thing for Medicare to pay for operations in Thailand.

A lot cheaper for them.

However I think many people dont bear in mind the hidden costs of getting ill when retired in thailand on a small income.

Certainly something to plan for.

There are hidden costs in most major medical procedures, but such hidden costs would be a lot less in Thailand than in Australia.

There are now moves afoot for Australian surgeons to disclose all costs to a patient before going into surgery. If they don't, the surgeon will face fines.

One of the reasons that you ex-pats moved to Thailand was because the cost of living is a whole lot cheaper, but you still expect the Aussie Government to pay your medical expenses. This may be acceptable if you are a war veteran or receiving a Govt. pension, but it is a bit rich if you are a self funded retiree.

Most retirees these days are baby boomers, and that list is growing larger as I type this post. The increasing cost to the Govt. for free medical is unsustainable.

People who can afford to pay for private health insurance, should.

Private health insurance in Thailand, is cheaper than Australia. You may need to sacrifice a few beers every week to put towards your premiums, but if your health is of major importance to you, a few beers less each week will be of benefit to your liver.

The hospital waiting list for non-essential surgery in Australia is in excess of 12 months. Essential surgery is also in big trouble. Not enough surgeons, not enough money to keep surgeries open, postponements galore, people dying before a bed can be found etc. etc.

Why???

Because of free medicare.

You cannot maintain quality if you give that product away for free.

Yes but when you are being treated in a thai clinic , and the 2 treating surgeons refer you to a surgeon in australia, this happened to my wife 4 months ago, thank you medicare cool.gif nignoy

Was your wife referred because the Thai surgeon were unable to perform the procedure she wanted or because it would be cheaper for you to have the operation performed in Australia?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

they were unable to perform the procedure, so they medivacced her back to brisbane, as far as waiting lists for non essential surgery are concerned, if you specify a hospital or a clinic then you may have to wait 3 months , but here at the prince charles in Brisbane for example, essential surgery waiting lists are about 4 weeks,and if your are prepared to take 2nd choice, hospitals like Redcliffe or caboolture have only a week or 10 days waiting.nignoy

[Mighty Mouse]

they were unable to perform the procedure, so they medivacced her back to brisbane, as far as waiting lists for non essential surgery are concerned, if you specify a hospital or a clinic then you may have to wait 3 months , but here at the prince charles in Brisbane for example, essential surgery waiting lists are about 4 weeks,and if your are prepared to take 2nd choice, hospitals like Redcliffe or caboolture have only a week or 10 days waiting.nignoy

Wow, we New South Wales residents should move to QLD for our surgery. That's an impressive short waiting period and performed under Medicare too.

You have made your point well.

[ando]

Does anyone have any updates on this Aussie Medicare issue?

Some info here dated a couple of years back says you lose Medicare cover if you are out of the country 5 years and some other posts suggest you lose it if you dont spend 2x4 week blocks in OZ each year.

Just wondering if anyone has any updated info on the subject?

[LPCustom69]

This suxx. why do they penalize people living out of country

Does the US do anything like this?

To the best of my knowledge, if you live out of the country and don't pay premiums to keep the insurance up, you lose it. I don't understand how they could do anything with the pension though.

[samran]

still 5 years last I heard (Jan 07).

[pgs]

When I left Oz about a billion years ago to work overseas, (maybe a little exageration) my accountant suggested one of the things that I should do to establish myself as a "non resident for taxation purposes" was to return my medi-care card.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When I left Aus , there was no such thing as Medicare, Centrelink or Tax numbers!

My last driving licence was number 9493AA Go figure .....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that licence is only current for a burke and wills stage coach

Bit rugged - mine is 9107xx circa '81. They were Cobb & Co.

[pgs]

probably find medicare is gonna be used more heavily soon, the health insurance leeches are putting up the premiums again

Dropping non-essential expensive things like IVF & similar would be a great starting point.