Imagine what you were doing on October 23 last year. Using the figures above, this is when you would have had privately funded treatment, and today is when you would be going through the public system.

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Of the privately funded surgeries, more than half were completed within a month as well.

Given the costly nature of surgeries, it is not as easy as you might think to dip into your savings, or add to your mortgage. For example, heart bypass surgery can cost up to $45,000, a knee replacement will be more than $20,000 and cancer treatments can be up to $140,000 for one treatment cycle of chemotherapy.

This suddenly makes the cost of the insurance look more affordable.

When choosing health cover, there are a number of different products available, so it is important to ensure you are getting the best policy for you. The main points to consider are:

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• Insurer’s claim experience – How easily do they make the claims process?

• Maximum level of cover – As treatment costs continue to increase, a high level of cover is important.

• How much is covered? – Is it a percentage, or the full amount of the treatment?

• Are specialist assessments and diagnostic tests covered?

• Are non-PHARMAC medications funded?

• Is cover for dental treatment or GP visits required? Although, sometimes it is not economical to cover these visits, as the levels of cover tend to be quite low.

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For a real life story showing how health insurance works, and the real life affect on a family, have a look at this short video