Related Stories
- Natural ways to keep mature skin looking radiant and fresh in the Summer heat
- Lean on me
- Common kitchen ingredients for a healthy heart
- The cancers that everyone forgot
- Tango offers Parkinson’s sufferers relief
Most Popular
Notice (8): Undefined variable: most_viewed_stories [APP/views/stories/probus-display.ctp, line 49]Code | Context<?phpecho View::element('probus-stories-list', array('stories'=>$most_viewed_stories, 'mode'=>'most-popular','limit'=>4));$___viewFn = "/home/probus/domains/stagingblueplains/app-public/views/stories/probus-display.ctp" $___dataForView = array( "nextstoryurl" => "/ec099523", "publication" => array( "Story" => array(), "Publication" => array(), "Tag" => array(), "Tags" => array() ), "story_tagline" => "", "story" => array( "Story" => array(), "Publication" => array(), "Tag" => array(), "Tags" => array() ), "related_stories" => array( array(), array(), array(), array(), array() ) ) $loadHelpers = true $cached = false $cache = CacheHelper CacheHelper::$__replace = array CacheHelper::$__match = array CacheHelper::$cacheAction = NULL CacheHelper::$helpers = NULL CacheHelper::$base = "" CacheHelper::$webroot = "/" CacheHelper::$theme = NULL CacheHelper::$here = "/12c23d5a/Debunking_the_April_Fools_Day_health_insurance_myth" CacheHelper::$params = array CacheHelper::$action = "display" CacheHelper::$plugin = NULL CacheHelper::$data = NULL CacheHelper::$namedArgs = NULL CacheHelper::$argSeparator = NULL CacheHelper::$validationErrors = NULL CacheHelper::$tags = array CacheHelper::$__tainted = NULL CacheHelper::$__cleaned = NULL $authentication = AuthenticationHelper AuthenticationHelper::$sessionKey = NULL AuthenticationHelper::$helpers = array AuthenticationHelper::$view = View object AuthenticationHelper::$base = "" AuthenticationHelper::$webroot = "/" AuthenticationHelper::$theme = NULL AuthenticationHelper::$here = "/12c23d5a/Debunking_the_April_Fools_Day_health_insurance_myth" AuthenticationHelper::$params = array AuthenticationHelper::$action = "display" AuthenticationHelper::$plugin = NULL AuthenticationHelper::$data = NULL AuthenticationHelper::$namedArgs = NULL AuthenticationHelper::$argSeparator = NULL AuthenticationHelper::$validationErrors = NULL AuthenticationHelper::$tags = array AuthenticationHelper::$__tainted = NULL AuthenticationHelper::$__cleaned = NULL AuthenticationHelper::$Session = SessionHelper object $javascript = JavascriptHelper JavascriptHelper::$useNative = true JavascriptHelper::$enabled = true JavascriptHelper::$safe = false JavascriptHelper::$tags = array JavascriptHelper::$_blockOptions = array JavascriptHelper::$_cachedEvents = array JavascriptHelper::$_cacheEvents = false JavascriptHelper::$_cacheToFile = false JavascriptHelper::$_cacheAll = false JavascriptHelper::$_rules = array JavascriptHelper::$__scriptBuffer = NULL JavascriptHelper::$helpers = NULL JavascriptHelper::$base = "" JavascriptHelper::$webroot = "/" JavascriptHelper::$theme = NULL JavascriptHelper::$here = "/12c23d5a/Debunking_the_April_Fools_Day_health_insurance_myth" JavascriptHelper::$params = array JavascriptHelper::$action = "display" JavascriptHelper::$plugin = NULL JavascriptHelper::$data = NULL JavascriptHelper::$namedArgs = NULL JavascriptHelper::$argSeparator = NULL JavascriptHelper::$validationErrors = NULL JavascriptHelper::$__tainted = NULL JavascriptHelper::$__cleaned = NULL $eHtml = eHtmlHelper eHtmlHelper::$helpers = array eHtmlHelper::$viewVars = array eHtmlHelper::$tags = array eHtmlHelper::$_crumbs = array eHtmlHelper::$__includedScripts = array eHtmlHelper::$_scriptBlockOptions = array eHtmlHelper::$__docTypes = array eHtmlHelper::$base = "" eHtmlHelper::$webroot = "/" eHtmlHelper::$theme = NULL eHtmlHelper::$here = "/12c23d5a/Debunking_the_April_Fools_Day_health_insurance_myth" eHtmlHelper::$params = array eHtmlHelper::$action = "display" eHtmlHelper::$plugin = NULL eHtmlHelper::$data = NULL eHtmlHelper::$namedArgs = NULL eHtmlHelper::$argSeparator = NULL eHtmlHelper::$validationErrors = NULL eHtmlHelper::$__tainted = NULL eHtmlHelper::$__cleaned = NULL eHtmlHelper::$eForm = eFormHelper object eHtmlHelper::$javascript = JavascriptHelper object eHtmlHelper::$Authentication = AuthenticationHelper object $eJavascript = eJavascriptHelper eJavascriptHelper::$helpers = array eJavascriptHelper::$useNative = true eJavascriptHelper::$enabled = true eJavascriptHelper::$safe = false eJavascriptHelper::$tags = array eJavascriptHelper::$_blockOptions = array eJavascriptHelper::$_cachedEvents = array eJavascriptHelper::$_cacheEvents = false eJavascriptHelper::$_cacheToFile = false eJavascriptHelper::$_cacheAll = false eJavascriptHelper::$_rules = array eJavascriptHelper::$__scriptBuffer = NULL eJavascriptHelper::$base = "" eJavascriptHelper::$webroot = "/" eJavascriptHelper::$theme = NULL eJavascriptHelper::$here = "/12c23d5a/Debunking_the_April_Fools_Day_health_insurance_myth" eJavascriptHelper::$params = array eJavascriptHelper::$action = "display" eJavascriptHelper::$plugin = NULL eJavascriptHelper::$data = NULL eJavascriptHelper::$namedArgs = NULL eJavascriptHelper::$argSeparator = NULL eJavascriptHelper::$validationErrors = NULL eJavascriptHelper::$__tainted = NULL eJavascriptHelper::$__cleaned = NULL eJavascriptHelper::$eHtml = eHtmlHelper object $eForm = eFormHelper eFormHelper::$helpers = array eFormHelper::$fieldset = array eFormHelper::$__options = array eFormHelper::$fields = array eFormHelper::$requestType = NULL eFormHelper::$defaultModel = NULL eFormHelper::$_inputDefaults = array eFormHelper::$base = "" eFormHelper::$webroot = "/" eFormHelper::$theme = NULL eFormHelper::$here = "/12c23d5a/Debunking_the_April_Fools_Day_health_insurance_myth" eFormHelper::$params = array eFormHelper::$action = "display" eFormHelper::$plugin = NULL eFormHelper::$data = NULL eFormHelper::$namedArgs = NULL eFormHelper::$argSeparator = NULL eFormHelper::$validationErrors = NULL eFormHelper::$tags = array eFormHelper::$__tainted = NULL eFormHelper::$__cleaned = NULL eFormHelper::$Html = HtmlHelper object $tagCloud = TagCloudHelper TagCloudHelper::$helpers = array TagCloudHelper::$base = "" TagCloudHelper::$webroot = "/" TagCloudHelper::$theme = NULL TagCloudHelper::$here = "/12c23d5a/Debunking_the_April_Fools_Day_health_insurance_myth" TagCloudHelper::$params = array TagCloudHelper::$action = "display" TagCloudHelper::$plugin = NULL TagCloudHelper::$data = NULL TagCloudHelper::$namedArgs = NULL TagCloudHelper::$argSeparator = NULL TagCloudHelper::$validationErrors = NULL TagCloudHelper::$tags = array TagCloudHelper::$__tainted = NULL TagCloudHelper::$__cleaned = NULL TagCloudHelper::$Html = HtmlHelper object $html = HtmlHelper HtmlHelper::$tags = array HtmlHelper::$_crumbs = array HtmlHelper::$__includedScripts = array HtmlHelper::$_scriptBlockOptions = array HtmlHelper::$__docTypes = array HtmlHelper::$helpers = NULL HtmlHelper::$base = "" HtmlHelper::$webroot = "/" HtmlHelper::$theme = NULL HtmlHelper::$here = "/12c23d5a/Debunking_the_April_Fools_Day_health_insurance_myth" HtmlHelper::$params = array HtmlHelper::$action = "display" HtmlHelper::$plugin = NULL HtmlHelper::$data = NULL HtmlHelper::$namedArgs = NULL HtmlHelper::$argSeparator = NULL HtmlHelper::$validationErrors = NULL HtmlHelper::$__tainted = NULL HtmlHelper::$__cleaned = NULL $form = FormHelper FormHelper::$helpers = array FormHelper::$fieldset = array FormHelper::$__options = array FormHelper::$fields = array FormHelper::$requestType = NULL FormHelper::$defaultModel = NULL FormHelper::$_inputDefaults = array FormHelper::$base = "" FormHelper::$webroot = "/" FormHelper::$theme = NULL FormHelper::$here = "/12c23d5a/Debunking_the_April_Fools_Day_health_insurance_myth" FormHelper::$params = array FormHelper::$action = "display" FormHelper::$plugin = NULL FormHelper::$data = NULL FormHelper::$namedArgs = NULL FormHelper::$argSeparator = NULL FormHelper::$validationErrors = NULL FormHelper::$tags = array FormHelper::$__tainted = NULL FormHelper::$__cleaned = NULL FormHelper::$Html = HtmlHelper object $session = SessionHelper SessionHelper::$helpers = array SessionHelper::$__active = true SessionHelper::$valid = false SessionHelper::$error = false SessionHelper::$_userAgent = "8611eabdb1aa7cc20f419da71363daa3" SessionHelper::$path = "/" SessionHelper::$lastError = NULL SessionHelper::$security = "medium" SessionHelper::$time = 1749835805 SessionHelper::$sessionTime = 1749847805 SessionHelper::$cookieLifeTime = false SessionHelper::$watchKeys = array SessionHelper::$id = NULL SessionHelper::$host = NULL SessionHelper::$timeout = NULL SessionHelper::$base = "" SessionHelper::$webroot = "/" SessionHelper::$here = "/12c23d5a/Debunking_the_April_Fools_Day_health_insurance_myth" SessionHelper::$params = array SessionHelper::$action = "display" SessionHelper::$data = NULL SessionHelper::$theme = NULL SessionHelper::$plugin = NULL $nextstoryurl = "/ec099523" $publication = array( "Story" => array( "id" => "3173", "publication_id" => "2", "tag_id" => "57", "headline" => "Debunking the April Fool's Day health insurance myth", "headline_home" => "Debunking the April Fool's Day health insurance myth", "headline_index" => "Debunking the April Fool's Day health insurance myth", "meta_keywords" => "", "home_spotlight" => "/probus/files/insurance_2lifestyle.jpg", "home_spotlight_mini" => "/probus/files/insurance_2homepage.jpg", "home_feature" => "/probus/files/insurance_2index.jpg", "home_tag" => "/probus/files/insurance_2index.jpg", "index_mini" => "/probus/files/insurance_2index.jpg", "index_result" => "/probus/files/insurance_2index.jpg", "gallery" => null, "gallery_captions" => null, "gallery_hide" => "0", "embed_spotlight" => "0", "status" => "0", "published" => "2015-03-23 00:00:00", "byline" => "", "tagline" => null, "intro_short" => "<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9c9ff227-43ab-d143-f929-2c8d02f72223"><span>You could be forgiven for wondering why everyone seems to be running around like Chicken Little about health cover cost increases from 1 April onwards.</span></span></p>", "intro_long" => "<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9c9ff227-43ab-d143-f929-2c8d02f72223"><span>You could be forgiven for wondering why everyone seems to be running around like Chicken Little about health cover cost increases from 1 April onwards.</span></span></p>", "body" => "<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9c9ff227-43ae-b0a3-88dd-80f37c0011ff"> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Sponsored article by Covad</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="http://probussouthpacific.org/probus/files/Covad_Logo-blue_edit.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="150" /></p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr"><span>You could be forgiven for wondering why everyone seems to be running around like Chicken Little about health cover cost increases from 1 April onwards.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>While health insurance will have increased in cost, changing health cover before 1 April changes nothing. Unless you are able to afford paying a year in advance, life will continue as it is.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>The bottom line for consumers is they need to be making a considered assessment about their health cover and, rather than happily paying for cover just because they've had it for years, they should be analysing what they've got and ensuring they're getting the best value and not paying for things they just don't need. Product composition is crucial and that’s what we look closely at.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>People shouldn't panic about simply changing their health cover because they're under the impression they'll save money. If it’s going up, well, it's going up and whether you change cover or not, it will happen.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>The fact is, changing your health cover before 1 April offers no guarantee whatsoever of a cost outcome, unless you pay for a full year upfront.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>Why the Government chooses to increase rates on April Fool’s Day each year is anyone’s guess. That they also choose it as the day on which to introduce the previous Government’s means testing of the rebate is a double whammy.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>We caution people to stop, breathe, think and make a really carefully considered assessment and to do so based on all factors, not just the cost increases from 1 April. </span>Besides, not all funds are increasing by the same amount - the 6.18 per cent often quoted is just an average.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>As the vast majority of health insurance consumers are insured by one of two health insurers, being the two largest, we're finding at least more than 85 per cent of consumers are paying too much. In most instances, the savings people can make can meet if not exceed the cost of this year’s increase.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>This article is brought to you by Covad.</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p> <div><span><br /></span></div> <p> </p> <p><img src="http://probussouthpacific.org/probus/files/insurance_2lifestyle.jpg" alt="" width="612" height="350" /></p>", "newsletter_name" => "", "printed" => null, "created" => "2015-03-23 09:46:11", "modified" => "2015-03-23 09:46:11", "url" => "12c23d5a", "short_id" => "12c23d5a", "url_part_2" => "Debunking_the_April_Fools_Day_health_insurance_myth", "total_views" => "793", "intro" => "<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9c9ff227-43ae-b0a3-88dd-80f37c0011ff"> </span></p>", "publish_sort_date" => "2015-03-23", "_status" => "Offline" ), "Publication" => array( "id" => "2", "name" => "Probus Web", "folder" => "probus", "url" => "staging.probussouthpacific.org", "microsite_cms_url" => "stagingmicrosite.probussouthpacific.org", "meta_keywords" => "", "meta_description" => "", "tag_type_id" => "3", "home_spotlight_count" => "5", "home_spotlight_delay" => "5", "home_feature_count" => "0", "index_spotlight_count" => "3", "search_spotlight_count" => "3", "most_viewed_duration" => "14", "most_tagged_duration" => "14", "list_page_size" => "25", "home_ad1" => "88", "home_ad2" => "89", "home_ad3" => "", "home_ad4" => "", "story_ad1" => "", "story_ad2" => "", "story_ad3" => "", "story_ad4" => "", "button_ad1" => "66", "button_ad2" => "67", "button_ad3" => "", "button_ad4" => "", "button_ad5" => "", "leader_ad" => "", "smtp_port" => "465", "smtp_host" => "smtp.gmail.com", "smtp_username" => "[email protected]", "smtp_password" => "Qwert123$#", "smtp_type" => "ssl", "secure_widget" => "<h3>Quick Links</h3> <p> </p> <p>See <a title="PSPL Mail Outs" href="http://www.probussouthpacific.org/pages/pspl_correspondence">PSPL Mail Outs</a> for copies of letters sent by PSPL for the information of all Probus Club members. </p> <p> </p> <p>Club Management Committees can obtain contact details of Probus clubs by visiting this page. <a href="http://www.probussouthpacific.org/pages/club_directory_lookup">Directory of Probus Clubs</a></p> <p> </p> <p>Access a range of material which can assist you with membership development for your club. <a href="http://www.probussouthpacific.org/pages/club_administration_membership_development">Membership Development Tools</a></p> <p> </p> <p>See PSPL’s latest annual report <a title="Click here." href="http://www.probussouthpacific.org/pages/about_pspl_annual_report">Click here.</a></p> <p> </p> <p>To access exclusive offers, visit the Probus <a href="http://www.probussouthpacific.org/pages/club_administration_member_benefits_scheme">Member Benefits Scheme</a> page.</p> <p> </p> <p><span>If you want copies of reports, accounts templates or nomination forms for office bearers, you’ll find them here. </span><a href="http://www.probussouthpacific.org/pages/club_administration_forms">Forms and Templates</a></p> <p> </p> <p><span>You'll find all your merchandise needs by visiting the </span><a href="http://www.probussouthpacific.org/products/display/">Online Shop</a></p>", "created" => "2012-10-05 22:15:24", "modified" => "2012-10-06 15:18:14" ), "Tag" => array( "id" => "57", "tag_type_id" => "3", "publication_id" => "2", "name" => "Health", "meta_keywords" => "", "meta_description" => "", "tag_head_image" => "/probus/files/HealthEditBlue.jpg", "tag_ad1" => "92", "tag_ad2" => "93", "parent_id" => null, "private" => "0", "priority" => null, "created" => "2012-10-05 22:15:24", "modified" => "2012-11-21 16:21:27" ), "Tags" => array( array() ) ) $story_tagline = "" $story = array( "Story" => array( "id" => "3173", "publication_id" => "2", "tag_id" => "57", "headline" => "Debunking the April Fool's Day health insurance myth", "headline_home" => "Debunking the April Fool's Day health insurance myth", "headline_index" => "Debunking the April Fool's Day health insurance myth", "meta_keywords" => "", "home_spotlight" => "/probus/files/insurance_2lifestyle.jpg", "home_spotlight_mini" => "/probus/files/insurance_2homepage.jpg", "home_feature" => "/probus/files/insurance_2index.jpg", "home_tag" => "/probus/files/insurance_2index.jpg", "index_mini" => "/probus/files/insurance_2index.jpg", "index_result" => "/probus/files/insurance_2index.jpg", "gallery" => null, "gallery_captions" => null, "gallery_hide" => "0", "embed_spotlight" => "0", "status" => "0", "published" => "2015-03-23 00:00:00", "byline" => "", "tagline" => null, "intro_short" => "<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9c9ff227-43ab-d143-f929-2c8d02f72223"><span>You could be forgiven for wondering why everyone seems to be running around like Chicken Little about health cover cost increases from 1 April onwards.</span></span></p>", "intro_long" => "<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9c9ff227-43ab-d143-f929-2c8d02f72223"><span>You could be forgiven for wondering why everyone seems to be running around like Chicken Little about health cover cost increases from 1 April onwards.</span></span></p>", "body" => "<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9c9ff227-43ae-b0a3-88dd-80f37c0011ff"> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Sponsored article by Covad</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="http://probussouthpacific.org/probus/files/Covad_Logo-blue_edit.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="150" /></p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr"><span>You could be forgiven for wondering why everyone seems to be running around like Chicken Little about health cover cost increases from 1 April onwards.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>While health insurance will have increased in cost, changing health cover before 1 April changes nothing. Unless you are able to afford paying a year in advance, life will continue as it is.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>The bottom line for consumers is they need to be making a considered assessment about their health cover and, rather than happily paying for cover just because they've had it for years, they should be analysing what they've got and ensuring they're getting the best value and not paying for things they just don't need. Product composition is crucial and that’s what we look closely at.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>People shouldn't panic about simply changing their health cover because they're under the impression they'll save money. If it’s going up, well, it's going up and whether you change cover or not, it will happen.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>The fact is, changing your health cover before 1 April offers no guarantee whatsoever of a cost outcome, unless you pay for a full year upfront.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>Why the Government chooses to increase rates on April Fool’s Day each year is anyone’s guess. That they also choose it as the day on which to introduce the previous Government’s means testing of the rebate is a double whammy.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>We caution people to stop, breathe, think and make a really carefully considered assessment and to do so based on all factors, not just the cost increases from 1 April. </span>Besides, not all funds are increasing by the same amount - the 6.18 per cent often quoted is just an average.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>As the vast majority of health insurance consumers are insured by one of two health insurers, being the two largest, we're finding at least more than 85 per cent of consumers are paying too much. In most instances, the savings people can make can meet if not exceed the cost of this year’s increase.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>This article is brought to you by Covad.</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p> <div><span><br /></span></div> <p> </p> <p><img src="http://probussouthpacific.org/probus/files/insurance_2lifestyle.jpg" alt="" width="612" height="350" /></p>", "newsletter_name" => "", "printed" => null, "created" => "2015-03-23 09:46:11", "modified" => "2015-03-23 09:46:11", "url" => "12c23d5a", "short_id" => "12c23d5a", "url_part_2" => "Debunking_the_April_Fools_Day_health_insurance_myth", "total_views" => "793", "intro" => "<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9c9ff227-43ae-b0a3-88dd-80f37c0011ff"> </span></p>", "publish_sort_date" => "2015-03-23", "_status" => "Offline" ), "Publication" => array( "id" => "2", "name" => "Probus Web", "folder" => "probus", "url" => "staging.probussouthpacific.org", "microsite_cms_url" => "stagingmicrosite.probussouthpacific.org", "meta_keywords" => "", "meta_description" => "", "tag_type_id" => "3", "home_spotlight_count" => "5", "home_spotlight_delay" => "5", "home_feature_count" => "0", "index_spotlight_count" => "3", "search_spotlight_count" => "3", "most_viewed_duration" => "14", "most_tagged_duration" => "14", "list_page_size" => "25", "home_ad1" => "88", "home_ad2" => "89", "home_ad3" => "", "home_ad4" => "", "story_ad1" => "", "story_ad2" => "", "story_ad3" => "", "story_ad4" => "", "button_ad1" => "66", "button_ad2" => "67", "button_ad3" => "", "button_ad4" => "", "button_ad5" => "", "leader_ad" => "", "smtp_port" => "465", "smtp_host" => "smtp.gmail.com", "smtp_username" => "[email protected]", "smtp_password" => "Qwert123$#", "smtp_type" => "ssl", "secure_widget" => "<h3>Quick Links</h3> <p> </p> <p>See <a title="PSPL Mail Outs" href="http://www.probussouthpacific.org/pages/pspl_correspondence">PSPL Mail Outs</a> for copies of letters sent by PSPL for the information of all Probus Club members. </p> <p> </p> <p>Club Management Committees can obtain contact details of Probus clubs by visiting this page. <a href="http://www.probussouthpacific.org/pages/club_directory_lookup">Directory of Probus Clubs</a></p> <p> </p> <p>Access a range of material which can assist you with membership development for your club. <a href="http://www.probussouthpacific.org/pages/club_administration_membership_development">Membership Development Tools</a></p> <p> </p> <p>See PSPL’s latest annual report <a title="Click here." href="http://www.probussouthpacific.org/pages/about_pspl_annual_report">Click here.</a></p> <p> </p> <p>To access exclusive offers, visit the Probus <a href="http://www.probussouthpacific.org/pages/club_administration_member_benefits_scheme">Member Benefits Scheme</a> page.</p> <p> </p> <p><span>If you want copies of reports, accounts templates or nomination forms for office bearers, you’ll find them here. </span><a href="http://www.probussouthpacific.org/pages/club_administration_forms">Forms and Templates</a></p> <p> </p> <p><span>You'll find all your merchandise needs by visiting the </span><a href="http://www.probussouthpacific.org/products/display/">Online Shop</a></p>", "created" => "2012-10-05 22:15:24", "modified" => "2012-10-06 15:18:14" ), "Tag" => array( "id" => "57", "tag_type_id" => "3", "publication_id" => "2", "name" => "Health", "meta_keywords" => "", "meta_description" => "", "tag_head_image" => "/probus/files/HealthEditBlue.jpg", "tag_ad1" => "92", "tag_ad2" => "93", "parent_id" => null, "private" => "0", "priority" => null, "created" => "2012-10-05 22:15:24", "modified" => "2012-11-21 16:21:27" ), "Tags" => array( array() ) ) $related_stories = array( array( "Story" => array() ), array( "Story" => array() ), array( "Story" => array() ), array( "Story" => array() ), array( "Story" => array() ) )include - APP/views/stories/probus-display.ctp, line 49 View::_render() - CORE/cake/libs/view/view.php, line 731 View::render() - CORE/cake/libs/view/view.php, line 426 Controller::render() - CORE/cake/libs/controller/controller.php, line 909 AppController::render() - APP/app_controller.php, line 64 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/cake/dispatcher.php, line 207 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/cake/dispatcher.php, line 171 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 83
No stories were found.
Debunking the April Fool's Day health insurance myth
23 Mar 2015
Sponsored article by Covad
You could be forgiven for wondering why everyone seems to be running around like Chicken Little about health cover cost increases from 1 April onwards.
While health insurance will have increased in cost, changing health cover before 1 April changes nothing. Unless you are able to afford paying a year in advance, life will continue as it is.
The bottom line for consumers is they need to be making a considered assessment about their health cover and, rather than happily paying for cover just because they've had it for years, they should be analysing what they've got and ensuring they're getting the best value and not paying for things they just don't need. Product composition is crucial and that’s what we look closely at.
People shouldn't panic about simply changing their health cover because they're under the impression they'll save money. If it’s going up, well, it's going up and whether you change cover or not, it will happen.
The fact is, changing your health cover before 1 April offers no guarantee whatsoever of a cost outcome, unless you pay for a full year upfront.
Why the Government chooses to increase rates on April Fool’s Day each year is anyone’s guess. That they also choose it as the day on which to introduce the previous Government’s means testing of the rebate is a double whammy.
We caution people to stop, breathe, think and make a really carefully considered assessment and to do so based on all factors, not just the cost increases from 1 April. Besides, not all funds are increasing by the same amount - the 6.18 per cent often quoted is just an average.
As the vast majority of health insurance consumers are insured by one of two health insurers, being the two largest, we're finding at least more than 85 per cent of consumers are paying too much. In most instances, the savings people can make can meet if not exceed the cost of this year’s increase.
This article is brought to you by Covad.
®