Hockey's bulk-billing claim misses the mark

Date
    April 26, 2014



Treasurer Joe Hockey's claims that his wealthy constituents enjoyed some of the highest bulk-billing rates in the country are looking a little washed out.

Mr Hockey said last week the cost of Medicare is growing at twice the speed of the economy and that co-payments are ''certainly something that is in the mix'' for the budget.      :-?

''Now I want to emphasise my electorate of North Sydney has one of the highest bulk-billing rates in Australia and I have one of the wealthiest electorates in Australia,'' Mr Hockey told ABC radio. ''To me there is something wrong with that.''

In fact, Mr Hockey’s electorate had Sydney’s fifth-lowest bulk-billing rate, 70 per cent, according to 2010-2011 Department of Health data, the most recent available. This is below the national average.      :(

A spokeswoman for Mr Hockey declined to provide any data to support the Treasurer’s comments, saying only: ''The electorate has a high rate of bulk-billing for affluent areas.''

The government’s expenditure review committee has reportedly approved a $6 co-payment, capped at 12 GP visits, meaning patients would pay a maximum of $72 extra each a year. The Medicare fee push is based on a proposal by former Howard government adviser Terry Barnes, who estimated the fee would save the budget $750 million over four years by reducing unnecessary GP visits.

Health groups have attacked the GP co-payment idea, warning it will hit the poor and sick hardest and place additional pressure on already stretched emergency departments.      :(

''We know that $6 is enough for people to make decisions and defer treatment,'' Australian Medical Association president Steve Hambleton said.   :(    

''Yes some discretionary visits will disappear, but some important visits will disappear as well.''

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/hockeys-bulkbilling-claim-misses-the-mark-20140426-zqzx1.html#ixzz304j5DbAS

"Let them eat cake"

Joe is the Marie Antoinette of Aussie politics.

Bring back the guillotine!

You just have to love 'Unnecessary GP visits'.  I seriously doubt that people go to the doc to wait for ages until they are seen just to use the s4ervice.

Once upon a time - and let me add that the 'health sector' is now the single highest employer in Australia at around 11% of the workforce......... (pauses to let that sink in.. sink in I said!)......... government shouted to the high heavens that we had the 'best' healthcare in the world' - and it was all because of their wonderful management - they said.

Now it seems that, with the tightening belts to ensure that Gina and the Crew get their rewards for doing nothing, that wonderful hjealth care system is nothing but a burden on the public purse.

let me approach this in a different way.

When you pay the doc etc for your health care - doe she pay taxes?  Does his expenditure of that dollar go to the Australian economy - or does he send it overseas with his wonderful trips abroad etc?

If there is an argument over health care provision form the perspective of government - is not the only loss to that government from the now traditional 'off-shoring' of profit/income by those well-off?

Is that not the true position of each and every 'black hole' in the 'budget'?

Everyone but the well-off pay back to the economy - why are they sacrosanct?

Now - it being the case that barring off-shoring the income - the doc pays back into the economy as well as does the patient - what then is the problem?

We have been 'dedicated' as a nation to 'service industry' for ages now - suits feminists and so forth with the soft arse jobs - and we are engaged as a nation in trashing the men and the genuinely productive jobs.... so why is there even any discussion of some 'difficulty' with a servide  industry?

Could it be (pauses portentously) that 6the entire concept of 'serivce industry' that so suits feminists and soft arse job bludgers - has no genuine merit?

I bring you the GAIA concepts....

Grappler Deep State Feller wrote on Apr 27^th, 2014 at 9:22pm:

You just have to love 'Unnecessary GP visits'.  I seriously doubt that people go to the doc to wait for ages until they are seen just to use the s4ervice. Once upon a time - and let me add that the 'health sector' is now the single highest employer in Australia at around 11% of the workforce......... (pauses to let that sink in.. sink in I said!)......... government shouted to the high heavens that we had the 'best' healthcare in the world' - and it was all because of their wonderful management - they said. Now it seems that, with the tightening belts to ensure that Gina and the Crew get their rewards for doing nothing, that wonderful hjealth care system is nothing but a burden on the public purse. let me approach this in a different way. When you pay the doc etc for your health care - doe she pay taxes?  Does his expenditure of that dollar go to the Australian economy - or does he send it overseas with his wonderful trips abroad etc? If there is an argument over health care provision form the perspective of government - is not the only loss to that government from the now traditional 'off-shoring' of profit/income by those well-off? Is that not the true position of each and every 'black hole' in the 'budget'? Everyone but the well-off pay back to the economy - why are they sacrosanct?

Because Good Sir Knight, they have their erections well down the Mad Abbots throat, and he durst not offend them lest they choke him!

(reprise on my addition to the last)....

Now - it being the case that barring off-shoring the income - the doc pays back into the economy as well as does the patient - what then is the problem?

We have been 'dedicated' as a nation to 'service industry' for ages now - suits feminists and so forth with the soft arse jobs - and we are engaged as a nation in trashing the men and the genuinely productive jobs.... so why is there even any discussion of some 'difficulty' with a service  industry?

Could it be (pauses portentously) that 6the entire concept of 'service industry' that so suits feminists and soft arse job bludgers - has no genuine merit?

I bring you the GAIA concepts....

What a bunch of numpties we have in charge.

Do they honestly believe people go to the g.p in a frivolous fashion?

If anything, putting $6 charges on doctors visits will make them less likely to go/may raise the incidence of un-diagnosed cancer.

austranger wrote on Apr 27^th, 2014 at 8:22pm:

"Let them eat cake" Joe is the Marie Antoinette of Aussie politics. Bring back the guillotine!

I prefer the idea of a cigarette, a blindfold, and a bullet-pocked wall, early in the morning.

Unfortunately you get what you pay for. If your doctor bulk bills - you're lucky to get 5 minutes with them and you're in and out quick smart.

They have to service a lot of people in an hour just to cover overheads if they're bulk billing. A $6 co-payment might improve the quality of your visit, but I doubt it.

I live in a low socio-economic area, but few doctors bulk bill. The co-payment can be anything up to $30.

        I live in a middle-class area, my Doc bulk-bills, and gives great service, one of the better doc's I've ever met, but she has this trick, 5 minute consultations for scripts etc, and I'd wager she's still billing for a normal consult for each, that's 120 visits per hour fees, a real Golden Wheelbarrow for her!

mantra wrote on Apr 28^th, 2014 at 8:38am:

Unfortunately you get what you pay for. If your doctor bulk bills - you're lucky to get 5 minutes with them and you're in and out quick smart.

That's certainly not my experience at the surgery I go to. It's always been a gripe of mine why it takes so long for the doctor to see the other patients.


mantra wrote on Apr 28^th, 2014 at 8:38am:

I live in a low socio-economic area, but few doctors bulk bill. The co-payment can be anything up to $30.

I'm surprised to learn that some doctors aren't bulk billing. I've never heard of it before. I couldn't find a non-Bulk billing doctor within 20 miles of where I live ~ and I too live in a very low socio-economic area that's populated mostly by dole bludgers, alcoholics, DSP rorters, low rent prostitutes, crack-heads, ex-cons and homeless people.  8-)

Among the blind the one-eyed man is king. That's me.  :) That's why I moved from the North Shore to this suburb. I walk tall here.  :)

Fit of Absent Mindeness wrote on Apr 28^th, 2014 at 8:25am:

What a bunch of numpties we have in charge. Do they honestly believe people go to the g.p in a frivolous fashion? If anything, putting $6 charges on doctors visits will make them less likely to go/may raise the incidence of un-diagnosed cancer.

Correct.

Some of the more financially paranoid among the elderly will simply stay at home rather than blow $6 and the bus fare to tell the doctor they've got a little pain here, or a dry cough.

A $6 fee will definitely empty out the waiting rooms of the Usual Suspects who seem to haunt doctors' surgeries like hypochondriac groupies.

It'll be a bad day for the Middle Easterners especially, when the $6 fee comes in.

Have you been down to Westmead Hospital lately? I've never seen so many hijabs and big black beards in the one place ~ ever.

Kat wrote on Apr 28^th, 2014 at 8:28am:

austranger wrote on Apr 27th, 2014 at 8:22pm: "Let them eat cake" Joe is the Marie Antoinette of Aussie politics. Bring back the guillotine! I prefer the idea of a cigarette, a blindfold, and a bullet-pocked wall, early in the morning.

Long wall and an M-60....


http://www.funandmusic.biz/funny-pic-firing-squad.jpg

Conservatives have little time for actual facts. They prefer to just make the numbers up to suite their story at the time.

Hock obviously believes that most people are stupid.

Grappler Deep State Feller wrote on Apr 28^th, 2014 at 8:46pm:

Kat wrote on Apr 28th, 2014 at 8:28am: austranger wrote on Apr 27th, 2014 at 8:22pm: "Let them eat cake" Joe is the Marie Antoinette of Aussie politics. Bring back the guillotine! I prefer the idea of a cigarette, a blindfold, and a bullet-pocked wall, early in the morning. Long wall and an M-60.... http://www.funandmusic.biz/funny-pic-firing-squad.jpg

I was thinking of a BAR, but OK. :P

Lord Herbert wrote on Apr 28^th, 2014 at 8:41pm:

It'll be a bad day for the Middle Easterners especially, when the $6 fee comes in. Have you been down to Westmead Hospital lately? I've never seen so many hijabs and big black beards in the one place ~ ever.

Just CAN'T help yourself - CAN you ?

buzzanddidj wrote on Apr 29^th, 2014 at 8:47pm:

Lord Herbert wrote on Apr 28th, 2014 at 8:41pm: It'll be a bad day for the Middle Easterners especially, when the $6 fee comes in. Have you been down to Westmead Hospital lately? I've never seen so many hijabs and big black beards in the one place ~ ever. Just CAN'T help yourself - CAN you ?

Hey ~ don't shoot the messenger.

Our News services tell us every night of the year about Muslim crime on the streets of Sydney. Why don't you email them to voice your objections?

Tell them to put a sock in it.

buzzanddidj wrote on Apr 29^th, 2014 at 8:47pm:

Lord Herbert wrote on Apr 28th, 2014 at 8:41pm: It'll be a bad day for the Middle Easterners especially, when the $6 fee comes in. Have you been down to Westmead Hospital lately? I've never seen so many hijabs and big black beards in the one place ~ ever. Just CAN'T help yourself - CAN you ?

As the comedian Gab Rossi said in a show I went to -

"Is it racist to say there are loads of Chinese in Melbourne now? Is it racist to say there are loads of Africans in Noble Park?
No. It just means your fking eyes work. People need to lighten up and stop yelling racism at every turn.
People say to me 'how comes all you wogs own so many houses?' - I say 'because we work hard to pay for them, and by the way your rents late'

Lighten up people"

Couldn't put it better.

The stench of hypocrisy of Buzz allegedly always being offended at perceived comments and then himself finding a matter of fun when some people get alzheimer's disease.

Nasty hypocrisy.

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Apr 29^th, 2014 at 9:18pm:

Nasty hypocrisy.

does that qualify as personal abuse Andrei? :D :D

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Apr 29^th, 2014 at 9:18pm:

The stench of hypocrisy of Buzz allegedly always being offended at perceived comments and then himself finding a matter of fun when some people get alzheimer's disease.

... lighten UP
that was ONLY in reference to the Alzheimer's 'poster' boy and girl


http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-WZ215_SWthat_G_20130408131549.jpg

I'm off to join an Australian Muslim forum board. I want to know what the second generation Muslims are thinking.

I worked with dozens of their immigrant fathers in the factory scene ~ and they were genuinely likeable people who I never had an issue with.

It seems to always be the case that it's the second generation that gets bent out of shape for one reason or another. Same in the UK.

Lord Herbert wrote on Apr 30^th, 2014 at 7:53am:

I'm off to join an Australian Muslim forum board. I want to know what the second generation Muslims are thinking. I worked with dozens of their immigrant fathers in the factory scene ~ and they were genuinely likeable people who I never had an issue with. It seems to always be the case that it's the second generation that gets bent out of shape for one reason or another. Same in the UK.

The original immigrants are just glad to be here. The second generation are over-compensating for perceived discrimination, which is usually real discrimination. The third generation do what teens usually always do, reject their parents values and attitudes. The fourth generation are just dinki-di Aussies and relax. Worked for every set of immigrants so far that I can see.
   I had an interesting eye-opening experience up in Darwin. I was walking along a city street and saw a group of three young men sitting at a table outside a cafe. The ethnic mix caught my eye, one African, one Asian, and one Middle Eastern appearing. I was idly wondering about their histories and possible conversation, and as I came past them I heard three distinctively broad Aussie accents discussing the weekends AFL results!
    To tell the honest truth that was a very heartening experience.  8-)

Oh, and can you post or message me that forum address, I too am very interested in that?
  The more we all know about each other the less chance of misunderstandings and/or conflicts, eh?  :)

austranger wrote on Apr 30^th, 2014 at 10:49am:

Oh, and can you post or message me that forum address, I too am very interested in that?

Sorry, I don't want a dancing partner there.

Find your own Muslim mosh pit.  ;D

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e150/ruffdiamond/January%202013/5_zpseb4fb928.jpg