Many purchase private health insurance to avoid long government hospital waiting times and to access services such as dental care, or do so for other reasons such as tax advantages.
With private health, one can access elective surgery in a private hospital with a relatively very short waiting time.
Private health insurance also gives you the option of being treated by a doctor of your choice.
Medicare policy has re-emerged as an election key issue. Source: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas
In addition to premiums for personal insurance, there may be self-explanatory costs, also known as excesses, which are payments you make each time you access medical care at a private hospital.
You can choose to lower your insurance premium by choosing a higher excess.
Another cost is the gap fee. This gap fee is paid if the surgeon or doctor who treats you charges more than you pay.
