When you are insuring under private health care you need to do a little bit of research into what is included on your policy and what doctors will accept your particular insurance. Not all doctors accept private health insurance. Some will only accept certain providers while others will not accept private health insurance at all. Before you book your next speciality appointment or doctors' visit, make sure your private health insurance is actually accepted to avoid a large out of pocket expense and save money with health insurance.
There are several ways you can check to see what doctors and what specialists will accept your private health insurance. Your provider of choice will have a list of doctors in your area that you can print off their website. There are also other web resources available to help you search private doctors in your area.
Private Health Insurance Doctors
When you are using your private health insurance you will need to visit a GP before you can see a specialist. They will recommend you to someone that can help you with the problem, whether this is an obstetrician, dermatologist, podiatrist, surgeon or dentist. You can contact your provider and see what options you have and whether or not you are covered for the procedure. It is a good idea to do this before you go to the specialist so you know if you can make a claim or not.
All providers will provide their customers with a booklet outlining what is included, what is not and additional resources. However, if you are still unsure you can contact the claims hotline and speak to a representative about your specific requests. If you are able to make a claim, your provider will send you the claim forms and you will be reimbursed for the money you have spent on the treatment, consultation and other expenses.
Finding Private Specialists
Finding a provider that works with several different specialists and doctors in your area is of utmost importance. After all, you don't want to drive halfway across town just to see someone that will accept your private health care card. It can also be discouraging insuring under private health insurance and finding out later that what you need done is not covered. To avoid this, make sure you read through the key facts before purchasing any policy. Speak to someone that can help you get the right cover for your specific needs.
You may wish to make a list of things you may want down the road (dentist, dermatologists, pregnancy assistance) and what special cover options could benefit you (road injuries, sports injuries, HSM insurance). That way you are able to compare what you need with what is on offer through the various policies. You can also ring up the various specialists clinics in your area to see what private health insurance providers they work with.
Private health insurance is all about choice for the insurer. You get the choice of specialists and the choice of care facilities. You get to choose what you are covered against and you can expect only the best in terms of treatment. While not all doctors accept private health insurance, many will and most specialists do. What this means is that you have the luxury of choosing who you want to work with based on personal experience and testimonials rather than who your GP tells you to see. At the end of the day, it is your body and your health which is why private health insurance strives to give you as much choice as possible.
