Author: Trudie McConnochie

If you, or someone you love, is living with arthritis, you’re far from alone. Arthritis is the third most common chronic condition in Australia, according to the ABS, and reportedly affects 3.7 million of us.  Arthritis is a term encompassing many different forms of conditions that affect the joints and cause inflammation, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid…

If you, or someone you love, has been diagnosed with cancer, we hope you have lots of support around you. The word ‘cancer’ is news that no one wants to hear, yet 452 Australians are diagnosed with this illness every day. You might be feeling a bit overwhelmed, so we’re here to give you the…

If you’ve ever had to call an ambulance and then received a bill a few days later, you’ll know all too well that ambulance treatment in Australia is not funded by Medicare. In 2 states, ambulance call-outs are funded by their state governments, but for most of Australia, calling an ambulance will set you back…

Maybe you’ve just finished studying or you’re moving out of home. Maybe you’ve entered your 30s or got married. Whatever your reasons for getting your own health insurance in your 20s instead of relying on your parents’ health cover, it’s a good feeling to be taking control of your finances and becoming independent. It can,…

If you have Private Health Insurance and you’re being admitted to hospital for a procedure or treatment, don’t assume your insurer will cover all your Hospital Cover costs. Whether you’re going in as a private patient in a private hospital, or a private patient in a public hospital, you may need to pay some costs…

Knee replacements are one of the most common elective surgeries in Australia, with around 53,000 performed a year for osteoarthritis. For those people, and those with knee injuries, knee replacement surgery can be life-changing, giving back mobility and flexibility… but they often have to wait several months for it. For that reason, having Hospital Cover…

If you’re among the many Australians awaiting a hip replacement, you’re in good company. Around 35,500 total hip replacements are done every year in Australia, and for those who go through a public hospital, the average wait is around 175 days. That’s a long time to be in pain and having trouble walking – so…

When you look at your bank statement, health insurance is probably one of the higher costs appearing in the ‘money out’ column. Private Health Insurance can certainly comprise a large chunk of most Aussie household budgets, especially when you consider premiums usually increase every year. Here are some of the reasons health insurance costs so…

So, you just got married. Congratulations! We hope married life is treating you well.  If you’ve been living together for a while, you might already have a joint bank account, but have you thought about a joint health insurance policy? Sure, it’s probably not your first priority after the wedding, but Health Insurance when you’re…

We asked chartered accountant and tax expert Marianna Agostino, director of Conscious Wealth Creation, for advice on how Private Health Insurance could affect how much you pay (or get back from) the ATO.  How the Medicare Levy Surcharge affects your tax return  According to Marianna, the biggest mistake people make is taking out health insurance…