When we first married we had private health insurance. Living in Darwin, it was useless. We'd visit a doctor who'd make a diagnosis that sounded a little off so we'd visit another for a second opinion. He'd ring the doctor, who was supposed to be the "expert" and who we'd just been to, for his opinion. There was only one hospital and the waiting time for elective surgery was much the same whether public or private. We gave up on private insurance as a waste of money. One of our children was badly burnt in a camping accident. so we were in and out of hospitals treating his burns, he then developed chronic glue ear, another son needed an op to correct a bone malformation issue. Wife became chronically ill in the end and we spent thousands of hours at doctors and specialists. I was then run over by a drunk in 2001. When we moved "South" wife spent much of her remaining life in and out of the high dependency Cardiac Unit. All in the public system, and all free!
Were I in private health, I'd be broke with co-payments on top of my premiums, and no, we would not have had any better care for it! I cannot praise medicare enough! The issue with the public system is not the system, but the people who think that they need to visit a doctor, or A&E because they got a splinter. We saw a lot of it with the missus as I would be her "ambulance". As we live in the country often the ambulance would take half an hour or more to get to us - despite there being an ambulance based in our town. We'd arrive in A&E and despite being run off their feet, the staff were always helpful and respectful. Sometimes we'd have to wait in the public waiting area for a barouche (because we'd arrived by car and not by ambulance) so we saw all sorts, many drunk and disorderly who were under police guard. Again, these people did not "need" to be there but, owing to the "do gooders" the cops had to treat them "special" instead of just throw 'em in a cell to sober up.
As to your "problem" Bazzy, you need to look around, my daughter lives in Ipswich and has none of your "issues".
I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...
Well said Isemmens. From other posts I've read and now this one my opinion is its a case of I'm a victim. I don't think my opinion amounts to abuse to a member but if Admins think so I will apologise.Originally Posted by lsemmens
You can learn alot using Google, and the search button.....
wotnot (30-11-22)
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No Keith, it's not abuse. At least I don't think so.
Bazzy, take on board the info related here by various posters and take a bit of time to come up with options. They are almost always there, but require some work. AND as a bonus, all advice here is free.....
The fact that there's a highway to hell and a stairway to heaven says a lot about the anticipated traffic flow.
wotnot (30-11-22)
This is how I've always understood how it worked... certainly in real life that's how it pans out since medicare appeared. It fell apart earlier this year when my bank issued new cards -and- changed BSB number, so when I had to present card ; pay for consultation ; present card again to receive rebate... it proved impossible to do so, until I updated my 'preferred account' details via mygov->medicare->edit details or whatever.
You should actually say 'elective surgery'....to save painting our health system with the wrong paint =) I myself am on such a list -- having an abdominal aneurysm that just slowly gets worse, if I paid $$ for health insurance/fund, surgery would be scheduled asap to install a stent to avoid the inevitable. As a disability pensioner without such private health cover, I am put on an elective surgery list, and my condition is monitored with tri-annual ultrasound examinations. If they note the aneurysm has distended to the point of -requiring- surgical intervention, as in becoming a life threatening condition, 'elective' becomes 'required' and I'd be scheduled for a session under the knife in asap time...in a public hospital, staying in a public ward, in the care of health professionals all being paid out of the public purse. If not for that, I'd likely die, and as for PBS, I'd be $30 per pension payment out of pocket having to pay full price for the medications I'm on, that simple.
Going by OP's logic, we should abolish the ambulance levy too, just because we might never (individually) ever need one.
Last edited by wotnot; 30-11-22 at 08:29 PM.
Young people can gamble with their health and win most of the time. Sh!t, I sure did. Later when I had kids I forked out for private...now, by the wifes math, we have taken more out of the private system than we put in. It's not for everyone and certainly eats the f*ck out of our budget.
On balance, I'd rather have to wait for elective than just die in America. And don't get me wrong here, I'd rather Americas shambolic system that say Chinas, or Botswanas. And I'd venture to suggest that the health system in Matabeleland is far from edequate....
We should be grateful that as a nation we can pay for what we've got. I personally don't think it's sustainable, but that's a different argument....
The fact that there's a highway to hell and a stairway to heaven says a lot about the anticipated traffic flow.
Before Medicare I paid 70 cents a week and got 100% back.
Gough Whitlam introduced Medibank and said it would be cheaper.
Went to paying $2.00 a week and getting 70% back. Someone failed maths.
No private insurance allowed. This was later revoked and I joined an Insurance type scheme which ceased when I turned 65.
Although it did not match later Private Health Insurers, on benefits, it was significantly cheaper.
After taking it out, when single, I gained a wife and then two sons.
At the end of the day we were miles in front.
Today we rely on the public health system and have had no problems yet.
My wife shattered her ankle and had to have a bicycle type chain fitted to replace the ankle.
All done in a Public Hospital (RNSH) by a top specialist.
Would she have been better off next door in the Private Hospital ?
Maybe nicer room and the TV would have been free.
Worth the extra at our age, I don't think so.
The system isn't the best but, way better than other countries.
Do not have an accident or get sick overseas without Travel Insurance.
Last edited by Reschs; 01-12-22 at 01:30 AM.
very true , I had to see a hospital in Japan a couple of years back - they said i had to go to a doctor first and even if the hospital did see me i would have to surrender my passport and $2 million JPY as a bond. Apparently my aussie private travel insurance was not enough , i had to buy a special local policy. Luckily the doctor i found nearby was able to help , and he was set up like a hospital anyway. Only cost me $100AUD including the antibiotics.
we are very well off in this country , all you have to do is keep money aside for medical issues if they arise. There is no free lunch any more , unless you are a dole bludger of course
Keith (01-12-22)
Bazzy, I have reread all my replies and I have to say the "whinge" sentence I used was a little strong. We all have a whinge at times and my use of the word in this instance was wrong. You may have felt strongly about the subject you posted and your message may not have been clear. Whilst I don't take back any of my replies, if the whinge word offended you, it wasn't meant to.
You can learn alot using Google, and the search button.....
Yeah, sorry, A poor choice of words. I should have said, "a large amount" not a majority. I felt the burning desire to dramatise it comrades, lets not let facts get in the way of our emotions !!
$26.8 billion turnover up 2.4% this year.
Claims $22.4 billion
Gross Margin 16.3%
Management expenses $2.7 billion (9.0%)
Net Margin 6.3%
Net profit after tax $900 million (down from $1.8 billion last year)
Medicare for comparison is about $40 billion turnover.
Yes I am an agent of Satan, but my duties are largely ceremonial.
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