Always Be Insured

If you are ever diagnosed with a mental illness, and you don’t have health insurance make getting it your top priority. Australia’s public mental health care is woeful; it exists mainly to stop repeated emergency room presentations. One good thing Medicare has introduced in recent years is the cover of 12 psychology appointments per year, it’s not enough, but it’s something. When I was discharged from hospital I was given a pile of forms and receipts, I learnt that this year my insurance has paid out close to $50 000. My first admission was $15 000, my second $24 000 and there have been a lot of outpatient sessions and psychiatrist fees on top of that. That $50 000 is just for my mental health, there have also been tests, scans and chiropractic fees, oh and dental! I just got off the phone with my insurer I have increased my level of cover. I had a $500 excess per year and I had to pay extra to the hospital for a private room, I’m now fully covered for a private room and have no excess, even with the extra fees it will save me a lot for future admissions – sadly I expect there will be more.

In the recent health reforms mental health was completely overlooked and it affects so much of the population. I am fortunate to be insured. By myself I wouldn’t be able to afford it, but my parents are generous enough to continue supporting me despite being nearly 26. To be poor and mentally ill would be devastating, the worst of the worst get admitted to public hospitals, the rest suffer with minimal treatment, or in the case of men, go to prison. I haven’t been reading it recently, but there is an excellent health blog called Croakey, it is hosted on the Crikey website. During the health reforms they had posts almost daily about public mental health care (or lack of it). Have a read if you’re interested, at the moment they are talking about Medicare locals and how all that will work, I can’t be bothered reading it, go back a couple of months for the mental health stuff.

Well. It’s 1:12pm I’m still in my pyjamas and I stink from not showering in days; I might go and do something about that. I have to brave the big wide world today (visiting a friend and going to small group).