Our surgical data shows benefits of private hospital insurance beyond the tax breaks
Data showing the top surgical procedures completed at our private hospitals shows the most common reasons Australians are admitted to private hospitals.
9 Jul 2018
9 July 2018
Our top surgical data for people aged 25 to 75 plus highlights the importance of considering what hospital care people might need throughout their life and encourages them to look beyond tax breaks when selecting private health cover.
St John of God Health Care Group Chief Executive Officer Dr Shane Kelly said the data showed the most pressing reason for accessing private hospitals for 25 to 34 year olds was for maternity care.
“The common reasons you come to private hospitals changes dramatically as soon as you are outside of the 25 to 34 year old age bracket with procedures such as colonoscopies and endoscopies, which helps doctors diagnose your health concerns, becoming much more common,” he said.
“Getting rapid access to these important diagnostic tests is essential to getting treatment as early as possible which can save lives.
“As we age, more and more people seek out our private hospitals for weight loss and orthopaedic surgeries including knee and shoulder surgery as they can choose their surgeon and get quick access to the care they need.
“For older adults, aged over 65, cataract surgery becomes more common and as this is a procedure that can make a real difference to your quality of life it is important that you can access it quickly and without delay.”
Dr Kelly said at tax time the costs of health insurance were often put in the spotlight but encouraged people to think about their long-term health and wellbeing when considering the value of their insurance.
“There are benefits of taking out private hospital insurance for many people including avoiding the Medicare surcharge levy and accessing the private health insurance rebate. For young people, they can also avoid the lifetime loading charges if they get private hospital insurance before they turn 30,” he said.
“However, our data shows people should consider what health issues might prompt them to come to hospitals throughout their life – whether that is for diagnostic tests, complex procedures, urgent medical care, or surgeries to improve quality of life as you age.
“Getting to choose your own surgeon and the convenience of having surgery at time that suits you, without a significant wait, are just some of the benefits you should consider beyond the tax breaks when choosing private hospital insurance.”
St John of God Health Care most common surgeries
25 to 34 year olds:
35 to 44 year olds:
45 to 54 year olds:
55 to 64 year olds:
65 year olds and over:
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