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Frank - No Waiting Period on ALL Extras

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Frank - No Waiting Period on ALL Extras
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LLincolnLenny on 12/02/2013 - 17:16 frankhealthinsurance.com.au (1155 clicks)

Hey guys, came across this today while I have been desperately looking for a good health insurance extras cover for my girlfriend who needs $3,000 of dental work done ASAP.

If you don't have health insurance or were planning on changing insurer this is a good promotion.

All you have to do is sign up for combined cover on hospital and extras and it will cancel out ALL waiting periods on ALL extras. So not even a 12 month waiting period on major dental or anything else.

I signed up my girlfriend for $22 a week for basic hospital and "Lots of extras" with 80% back. This means in the next week or so we will be saving $2,000 which is the max we could claim on Dental this year.

Offer end February 28th.

Been on Ozbargain a long time so it feels good to finally contribute :)

First post so any criticism will be taken on board.

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  • [Deactivated] on 12/02/2013 - 17:18

    Interesting, mwah ha ha

  • dr_ rusko on 12/02/2013 - 17:34

    their family limits are not great if you have a big family

    eg $2000 limit for dental, $4000 for the whole family / $250 optical per person and $500 per membership

    • but the point you make re no waiting is great for some…
  • montorola on 12/02/2013 - 17:35

    Hmmm, this looks good, but how is it compared to nib? They have waived the waiting periods on extras that generally require 2mths.

    • LincolnLenny on 12/02/2013 - 17:38
      +3

      Not exactly sure how they compare to Nib, but I have never heard of an insurance company waiving 12 month waiting periods, which includes major dental. 2 and 6 month waiting periods seem to be getting waived pretty regularly at the moment through ahm, nib, etc. But since in my case I needed major dental covered (Usual 12 month wait) This is an awesome deal for me.

      • everyone on 12/02/2013 - 18:09

        are wisdom teeth removal considered/covered as major dental?

        • Risser on 12/02/2013 - 19:19

          They are major.

  • Saturday on 12/02/2013 - 17:35
    +2

    I doubt you can get $2000 back. Usually with private health insurance, each category in extra cover is capped, e.g. $300 maximum for a crown, something like that.

  • Saturday on 12/02/2013 - 17:38
    +1

    Anyway, if it works, that would be great. I have several thousands worth of dental to be done, although i have a high-end extra cover with BUPA, it doesn't seem to cover much of that.

  • lisss on 12/02/2013 - 17:38
    +3

    Yeah I agree, have a look at the caps on the particular work she needs done as she might not get much back at all. They're not stupid, they wouldn't let everyone sign up for $22 (x how every many weeks you're locked in for, I'm assuming a year) to immediately claim back $2000 without any strings attached. The overall dental limit is $2000, so that's the max you can get back, but it's also subject to sub limits (and the 80-20 split).

    Eg:

    Crown and bridgework sub-limit: $300 per crown / bridge to a max $600 per person

    Indirect restorations sub-limit: $400

    Implants sub-limit: $400

    You might already know all this but a lot of people don't bother to read the basic t&cs so putting it here incase :)

    If she needs extensive dental work and can't afford it I'd consider travelling to Asia…

    • LincolnLenny on 12/02/2013 - 17:49

      I honestly don't completely understand health insurance companies, being 19 and this being the first time I've dealt with them but looking at their extras policy pdf, all that I can find is

      <5 years membership:
      Complex Dental: $1,000
      Major Dental: $1,100

      Root canal costing approx $1,500 claim 80% back - $1,200 which would be capped at $1,100.

      Not sure what complex means but since there is nothing on any other type of dental I assume it is things like fillings which she needs a fair preventative ones done.

      I'm probably missing something but that's how I worked it out.

      • krouton24 on 12/02/2013 - 17:54
        +3

        Just get the item numbers from the dentist and then give you health insurance a call and they will be able to tell you which and how much of each item is covered. Saves getting to the dentist and not knowing what the bill will be.

        • lisss on 12/02/2013 - 18:11
          +1

          I agree this is a good idea, and you will need multiple item nos over multiple sessions if she needs root canal etc. There are likely to be additional costs for each visit (eg consultation fee, aneasthetic fees) which may not be covered, so if you want to know how much $$ you'll be up for I'd definitely recommend getting the info from your dentist and then confirming with Frank.

      • lisss on 12/02/2013 - 18:00
        +1

        This might help.

        Their overall dental limit according to http://www.frankhealthinsurance.com.au/franks-covers/extras-… is $2000.

        From the Glossary:

        Major Dental
        Major Dental includes treatment for things like more complicated fillings, extractions, crowns, bridgework, dental implants, root canal treatment, indirect restorations, occlusal therapy and orthodontic treatment.

        A few Major Dental treatments have sub limits. These sub limits are included within the overall dental limit.

        Root canal
        There are rules about which root canal treatment can be done on the same tooth on the same day as it’s usually done in different stages. You can contact Frank to check this.

        Root canal treatment does not have a sub limit.

        I can't find a definition of complex dental anywhere, so you'll need to check the pdf. I wouldn't be surprised if complex dental is a subset of major dental, so the max she'll be able to claim on a <5 year membership is $1,100 on any root canal and fillings (I'm not sure what type of fillings would fall under general dental as opposed to major dental, you'd have to check).

    • Crownanchor on 12/02/2013 - 17:50
      +1

      Its interesting to see on Franks blog that 60% of claims are for dental, so the OP may be correct, and there was no single limit that was on the website that i could see with a quick look at the site.

      The individual dollar claim amounts are relativly small though at about $250 per claim for dental.

  • jimbob on 12/02/2013 - 17:42

    im more than content with my $623 (annual after claiming full rebate) from HBF :)

    ..which has practically the same inclusions as the above stated policy

  • RandomNinja on 12/02/2013 - 17:46

    Anyone actually with Frank? Read some reviews on Choosi, seem quite positive, but interested to get some OB feedback on them

    • WV2 on 13/02/2013 - 07:17
      +1

      I'm a member of frank, moved from Medibank. I had similar situation for my tooth, I've been with Medibank for many years, and thought my treatment (major) would be covered, my claim was rejected after first consultation, and argued with Medibank, then without hope, seek for alternatives, Frank had special like now last year, and I joined for family. I benefited, but not whole treatment as there was over the limit, but I believe about 70% of fee were covered.

      I'm very happy with frank, better communication and claim method they have than ordinary health insurance. Best way of communicate with frank is online chat, best way of claim is online as well.

      • RandomNinja on 13/02/2013 - 12:43

        Thanks for that. I'm with Medibank as well and Frank looks like better value at the same premium rate.

  • yjun355 on 12/02/2013 - 17:49

    Its not that great for extras only cover. I have with HIF on extra's only. HIF is cheap and better rebate.

  • ZRXS12 on 12/02/2013 - 17:58

    Crown and bridgework sub-limit $300 per crown / bridge to a max $600 per person
    Indirect restorations sub-limit $400 $400 per person, $700 per membership
    Implants sub-limit $400 per person

  • LoungeLizard on 12/02/2013 - 18:00
    +1

    I signed up my girlfriend for $22 a week for basic hospital and "Lots of extras" with 80% back. This means in the next week or so we will be saving $2,000 which is the max we could claim on Dental this year.

    Not sure it's as easy as sign up, claim $2000. Looking at http://www.frankhealthinsurance.com.au/frank-university/abou… it seems even if there are no waiting periods, you can still only claim limited amounts depending on the amount of time you've had cover. In your case that'll be $450 max per year. Taking into account the extra $$ to pay for the top-tier extras, I think you're actually worse off!

    • ZRXS12 on 12/02/2013 - 18:03

      Yes, it sounds good but it's definetly one of those things you really need to look into, I'd be happy to switch otherwise.

      • lisss on 12/02/2013 - 18:08

        If you already have health insurance and don't need the benefit of having waiting periods waived I wouldn't swap to this one, it's not a good deal compared to the HBF plan I'm on.

    • lisss on 12/02/2013 - 18:04

      That only applies to specialist orthodontic benefits according to that link (there might be another page I'm missing).

    • LoungeLizard on 12/02/2013 - 18:11

      Ahh, yes. Apologies, I was under the impression the OP needed orthodontic work done. However, you'd be hard pressed to do just "general" dental work for $3000. As soon as any specialist work needs to be done (root canal, crowns etc) you'll run into sub-limits.

    • LincolnLenny on 12/02/2013 - 18:11

      That's just for braces isn't it? I signed up for the maximum coverage of extras aswell.

  • tonka on 12/02/2013 - 18:25

    Anyone know if you can have 2 policies with different providers for extras.

    • youknow on 13/02/2013 - 17:03

      Um, I'm 99% certain that you can't. I don't think it's a legal issue, but rather more a policy of the providers. I could be wrong though. Can't hurt to ask them directly, policy may differ from company to company.

  • Amaris on 12/02/2013 - 18:29
    +1

    Wouldn't your girlfriend's claim be ineligibile as it is a pre-existing condition? If you run up such a bill soon after taking out the policy they will definitely query it and ask you to get an endorsement from your dentist….maybe you should go to a different one to get the actual work done and pretend it is a new complaint.

    Also with insurance companies some insist they you go to one of their 'network' dentists to get the max benefit. If you don't they will have caps on what they will pay for each item. Did you get an itemised quote from the dentist? If so you could check what the company pays for each item on their website by doing a dry-run online claim (you could call and ask as well).

    • LincolnLenny on 12/02/2013 - 18:37

      I don't think so, that's what the waiting periods are for. But they've waived them for now. And I even asked the dude on the phone because I called up to double check it all and he said yeah sign up today and she'll be able to claim tomorrow. and yeah the dentist did give us an itemised quote. That's a good idea, thankyou :)

      • effgee on 12/02/2013 - 19:16
        +3

        I'd want something in writing saying it covers pre-existing conditions.

        Insurance companies are snakes, they will tell whatever lies they feel are necessary to get you to sign up, and then will tell whatever lies they want to avoid paying up when you try to claim.

        Just imagine what leg do you have to stand on when the claim is rejected due to fine print:

        Frank: "sorry your claim is rejected"
        You "but the dude on the phone said…"
        Frank: "you must have misunderstood/mis-heard"

        • douglasb on 13/02/2013 - 01:29

          I'd be a WHOLE LOT LESS worried about whether or not they cover pre-existing conditions, and a WHOLE LOT MORE worried about how they respond to fraud. 'cos that's what's going on here…

          The d1ckhead who took the phone call is in the SALES department. He cares about one thing: making the sale. He barely understands the concepts of 'pre-existing condition' and 'fraud' and 'jail' and 'bankruptcy'.

          He'd understand slightly better if someone spelled out:

          This is your bum before prison ——> .
          This is your bum after prison ——-> O

          The OP would do well to build an understanding of those concepts before they happen to him.

          But yeah…. drugs are good, mmmmkay… fraud is bad, mmmmmkay.

        • LincolnLenny on 14/02/2013 - 23:22

          Turns out it isn't fraud. They emailed back confirming what the dude said on the phone was correct.

  • punk on 12/02/2013 - 18:29
    +10

    after reading some of these comments. I'm going to go brush my teeth right now!

  • coolsteps on 12/02/2013 - 18:54
    +3

    if its major work take a holiday in se asia and get it done for a fraction of the price. with airfares and hotels cost etc you will still be ahead.

    • ZRXS12 on 12/02/2013 - 19:07

      I heard the Philipines have some really good places.

      • meroveus on 12/02/2013 - 23:38
        +1

        The Philipines (and Thailand) have very good and very cheap dentists many of whom did their training in the US then moved back home to practise.
        However, even though their labour is cheap, hardware such as porcelain crowns and gold used for capping is still fairly expensive.

  • adder on 12/02/2013 - 19:24

    got a mate that was quoted just over $20,000 by a dentist in brisbane australia, too fix his teeth and they needed a lot of work so he booked a 2 week holiday in thailand had all the work done there and a good time plus a little pain from dental work all up it cost him just over $3000 australian.

    ps: i can tell you they done a great job on his teeth haven seen him smile so much.

    • Risser on 12/02/2013 - 19:42

      I need a good deal of work done and the idea of heading to se Asia sounds attractive. How would you go about finding a good dentist overseas? I hear good , but I've heard some dodgy stuff as well.

      • robbyjones on 12/02/2013 - 20:17

        I haven't had anything medical done overseas but when we were in Thailand we met loads who had and I asked them the same question. Most of them researched online and contacted the dentists/doctors prior to going. Try trip advisor forums as a starting point.

  • sharkfan12 on 12/02/2013 - 19:57
    +1

    Wouldn't your girlfriends teeth be excluded under the "pre-existing medical conditions" clause??

    • LincolnLenny on 12/02/2013 - 21:03

      Couldn't find that clause anywhere? Have you found it on their website?

      • douglasb on 13/02/2013 - 01:33

        I couldn't find it on their web site, Lincoln Lenny, but I did find it on a NSW Government web site: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/ca190082/s…

        (If you don't live in NSW, I'm pretty sure the government of the state where you live will have a similar page on a similar web site!)

        • LincolnLenny on 13/02/2013 - 01:43

          I understand what fraud is but I thought that with health cover they applied waiting periods so that people couldn't do this and therefore since they have the procedure set up to stop it happening that it wouldn't be considered fraudulent. Regardless, I've emailed frank and asked for verification on my situation and if it turns out that I can be done for fraud I'll probably cancel my membership on the grounds that I was misinformed by their representative. Then a trip to south-east Asia might be a good idea ;)

        • spal on 13/02/2013 - 18:57

          I think the comment meant sales person committing the fraud by giving incorrect info to you to get his sales.

  • kudoz on 12/02/2013 - 20:39
    +1

    ohhh, there's a $50 referral for singles and $100 for couples… anyone already joined and wants to give me their details for when I sign up? I'll pass it down the line too and we could all benefits a bit :P

    • WV2 on 13/02/2013 - 07:12

      I'm already member of frank, please give me an email [email protected] if you want to discuss

      Thanks

  • bargained on 12/02/2013 - 22:46
    -1

    " for my girlfriend who needs $3,000 of dental work done ASAP"

    Or else she will be your ex girlfriend?

  • SirNed on 13/02/2013 - 08:23

    I also signed up with https://www.smile.com.au/ and saved 100 bucks on the first filling I got. Saved my joining fee on the first visit. Already had a printout form the dentist as to their fees and compared against item numbers on Smile site and I came out way in front. Can use this before the bill goes of to your insurer

    • linnaen on 13/02/2013 - 10:19
      +2

      I went to Asia, had a clean, 2 fillings, and a wisdom tooth removal for $330 including return flights. Then spent an enjoyable week recuperating.

      • montorola on 13/02/2013 - 13:00

        Nice! Whereabouts in Asia?

  • javadosed on 13/02/2013 - 11:32

    Thanks for sharing OP.

    For those who are skeptical if this is a legit PHI organisation, they're actually owned by GMHBA (http://www.gmhba.com.au/about-gmhba-limited)

  • Associatedbetterbills @ Frank Health Insurance on 13/02/2013 - 17:34

    Frank is one of the great value health funds that we compare and offer cash back on.

    Frank are very competitive at the moment with no waiting periods on any extras This is the first offer that applies to all extras waiting periods (that includes Major Dental that usually has a 12 month wait and Optical with 6 months wait). Most offers of this type are limited to general dental or physio that normally only have 2 month standard waiting periods. The offer runs to the end of the month.

    If you not heard of us before, BetterBills.com is a new independent transparent comparison service aiming to compare the whole of the market. That's why we compare more than just those who pay us commission, but when we do get paid we split anything we make with you in cash back (50/50). We are adding new plans all the time.

    The average cash back is $270 on a typical Frank family hospital and extras policy. As we don't hide our commissions (unlike the other sites) you can be confident that you are being recommended the policy that is right for you, not just the broker. As health insurance premiums are regulated by the government, our cash back offer makes us the cheapest place to buy Frank (& other plans that we sell like Peoplecare) health insurance.

    David

    www.BetterBills.com

  • jscar90 on 13/02/2013 - 22:08

    I work for Choosi, at the moment HCF, NIB, GMHBA (which owns Frank) and a couple others are waiving the usual 2 and 6 month waiting periods, and for a little extra you can get no excess so your not paying like $500 excess.

    • donkeyhokey on 21/02/2013 - 18:43

      NIB/HCF Major Dental is 12 month waiting, so no go for me. Frank definitely seems to be the best choice out of the list.

  • LincolnLenny on 14/02/2013 - 16:49

    Hey guys, Frank just got back to me on the pre-existing conditions question.

    Their reply was: Hi Lincoln

    The 12 month waiting period for pre existing conditions only applies to hospital not the extras.

    Any dental comes from the extras benefits which will be waived for you.

    Looks like the pre-existing conditions clause for this is non-existent and therefore wouldn't be classified as fraud.

  • grasstown on 16/02/2013 - 17:58

    Can someone link me to the premium prices ? I've tried to get a quote, but it keeps linking me to the main page. Thanks

    • Associatedbetterbills @ Frank Health Insurance on 21/02/2013 - 12:55

      Hi Grasstown

      As requested, here is a link to the Frank combined policies with cashback on BetterBills. The premiums are regulated by the government and will depend on where the state you live in, who is covered (single, family etc) and if you qualify for the Medicare Rebate (remember to choose your income level). If you are over 30 and have not held hospital cover before the Govt's lifetime health cover loading may apply.

      Sorry it looks like you'll have to copy and paste this really long link :) http://www.betterbills.com/health-insurance/compare?category=Single&product_type=Combined&state=NSW&age_bracket=0&no_dependants=0&income_bracket=0&extras_services[]=dental_general&brands[]=frank&page=1&order_by=)

  • donkeyhokey on 21/02/2013 - 19:44

    Finally had a better look at this…

    For a single course of braces you won't get 80% back. For new members you will get $450/year back. So if you paid $5k, you won't get $4k back, you get $450 * number of years the braces are on for. So assuming a single year of treatment, you only get $450 back. A year's worth of membership is $1256. So you'd only get this if you actually wanted the other stuff as well.

    • CyberMurning on 21/02/2013 - 20:13

      yes ^. i also has confirmed with Frank staff.
      if you join basic hospital + lots extras (around $1200/year), then you take 1 side braces only (top or bottom) and performed by prof. dentist (not professional), and you dont have major dental cover previously, you can only get $380/year.

      for implant, only $400/year.

      not so good in value now.

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