Experiences in the Philippines and Au are different. Will share my story. In Au, there is Medicare, which means that if in an emergency, you can go to the public hospitals here and be treated for free. This is why a lot of people choose not get private health insurance. There is no need for it. However, in certain situations, they apply triage, meaning they prioritize people who will need it more.
For my story, within a year of my arrival here, I got private insurance simply because I wanted to avoid healthcare loading. I only got the basic ambulance and hospital coverage. Since single, I paid less than a hundred per month.
Fast forward 2 years, I felt a pain in my tummy. It was persistent but didn't impede my daily activities. I went to the doctor, and after several tests, it was determined that I had a cyst in my ovary that was huge. It definitely needed to be removed. My doctor asked if I wanted to go private or wait for the hospital. Since I already had insurance, I took the private option. I was operated on the next day (next availability of the doc), and was fine within 2 weeks.
To sum it up:
Private Health Insurance
Pros:
Cons:
- pay excess fees (depending on what you chose when you got your insurance)
- monthly or annual fee
Medicare or public hospital
Cons
- shared room
- wait for availability
So, you need to choose what is best for you. Look at the pros and cons I mentioned and determine for yourself if the additional cost is worth it.