Is private health insurance still worth it?

I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately.

We’re constantly told to keep our private health insurance.

“If you don’t, you’ll pay more tax.”

“If you don’t, you might not get a hospital bed when you need one.”

“If you don’t, good luck in the public system.”

It’s fear-based — and for a long time, I accepted it. I pay the premiums. I trusted the promise: better care when it really matters.

Are we really getting value for the private health cover we pay for?

But when it really mattered for my dad, the private system didn’t come through.

There weren’t enough nurses.

The safety nets weren’t there.

The tech didn’t trigger — a basic bed sensor that should have alerted staff after a fall.

It didn’t.

And no one came for hours — not because they didn’t care, but because they were likely busy with other patients.

And despite paying tens of thousands over the years, we were left with nothing but questions and silence.

The truth is, with Australia’s ageing population, this isn’t just a personal issue — it’s a national one. We’re heading into a time where more and more people will need care… and fewer and fewer systems are equipped to deliver it well.

And yet — we have to keep paying. Because if everyone jumped ship from private and flooded the public system, it would collapse. It's already under strain.

The government is also stretched — pouring money into both public and private systems just to keep them afloat. But even with all that funding, care is patchy. Staff are burnt out. Patients fall through the cracks.

So we’re trapped in a loop:

We pay private premiums out of fear.

We avoid the public system to reduce pressure.

And when we do need care, the private system might not deliver anyway.

It’s not sustainable. And it’s not good enough.

We need a new model — one that doesn't just wait for illness or prescribe pills and procedures as default solutions.

We need a system that supports wellbeing, prevention, and dignity — especially as we age.

It might sound idealistic.

But I believe it’s possible.

And I know I’m not the only one thinking this way.

B x

Just a note: Everything I’ve shared here is based on my personal experience and views. I’m not naming names or pointing fingers — just being honest about what I saw and felt. It’s not about blame. It’s about trying to do better. This is shared in the hope of encouraging conversation, not conflict.