My stroke support from the hospital included around ten weeks of rehab for my speech and hand issues. The therapy was daily for the first month and then reduced to twice a week for the remainder of the time. As my included support was coming to an end, I found myself contemplating the next step. Should I continue with rehab? Who should I consult? What would be the cost?

Fortunately, a friend from school contacted me and addressed this topic directly. She pointed out that I still had severe deficiencies in speech and hand coordination, and continuing with rehab would be highly beneficial. She explained that the brain continues to rebuild neural pathways, much like muscle memory, for years after a stroke, and ongoing therapy would aid in my improvement.

Being new to this aspect of recovery, I truly valued the straightforward advice my friend provided, and it convinced me to follow her guidance.

Although I have private health insurance, my coverage only includes hospital cover and not extras. Consequently, I initially assumed that my ongoing rehab wouldn't be covered, resulting in an out-of-pocket expense. With twice-weekly sessions for both speech and hand therapy, the estimated costs for the next year were around $20,000. Ouch.

Thankfully, my school friend came to my rescue once again, recommending a former colleague who had transitioned from private practice to the rehab department of a hospital. After assessing my insurer and policy, they informed me of a step-by-step process that would likely allow me to claim my rehab costs under my hospital cover.

By having my GP refer me to the hospital's rehab doctor, and subsequently being referred to the rehab department, I qualified as a hospital outpatient. Consequently, my rehab expenses could be claimed under my private health insurance, costing me only a $250 gap fee.

This experience taught me the importance of asking questions and seeking guidance from those familiar with insurance procedures. Each health group maintains different relationships with different funds, so not only the level of cover but also the specific fund can make a difference in your coverage.

A friend brought to my attention the possibility of receiving a payout from insurance if I had TPD insurance. In Australia, TPD insurance is commonly found within superannuation funds. Often, Life and TPD cover are included as part of the superannuation setup. I had an old AMP fund that contained both Life and TPD insurance, so I decided to reach out to my insurance broker to explore this option.

Of course, insurance companies don't simply pay out money upon request. It took six months of navigating through extensive paperwork, involving my broker, GP, and neurologist. The latter two had to provide evidence of the "permanent" aspect of my claim over a period of time. Although policies may vary, the ultimate judgment lies in whether you can continue to perform your specific job. Being a CEO whose main responsibilities involve speaking, my inability to communicate properly demonstrated that I could no longer fulfil my role.

Though the process involved a lot of running around and collecting paperwork, the payout made a significant difference in reducing stress levels, especially when facing an uncertain future.