Private vs Public Health Insurance: A tale of two medical emergencies

At nib, we’re often asked what the difference is between using the public health system and having private health insurance.

In Australia, we’re lucky enough to have the Medicare system, which is available to Aussie citizens and most permanent residents, and subsidises some health care services. However, when it comes to some medical situations, not only can private health insurance fill in some of Medicare's gaps, but it can also provide more comfort in what could be a stressful situation.

To help highlight some of the differences, we’ve put together the story of Phil and Stu – two people diagnosed with similar conditions, but with very different hospital experiences.