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Date Published : Friday, April 25, 2008
Searching for health insurance can be a hard task. While many people go without taking out an insurance policy, new research found that those who do get more hospital care than those who do not.
A recent study by the Melbourne Institute of Applied Social and Economic Research found that in many cases, just having a Medicare policy could seriously affect the amount of hospital care patients receive.
Those with health insurance fill hospital beds and have more visits to hospitals than those who do not, the research found - despite such action being against the federal government's promise of universal access to medical treatment.
The state of the nation's hospitals and access to their services have come under increasing scrutiny as the commonwealth, states and territories look to replace the current five-year healthcare pact. The federal government has warned it will take over financial control of hospitals under state management if services do not improve, the Australian reported.
Until changes happen, consumers may be best advised to take out a health insurance policy to cover any potential future illness or injury.
Currently, health insurance from GMHBA - which has won many 'best buy' awards - comes with a 60-day money back guarantee if consumers can find a better value for money deal from another insurer.
Savings of up to $800 a year can be made on some treatments when consumers take out GMHBA's gold hospital and gold extra covers, when compared with some other funds on the market.
Compare insurance providers.
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