The icehole Abbot govt may have dropped the co payment issue but have come back with a rort nearly 3 times that amount .............

http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2015/01/13/4161640.htm

is there no to the underhanded lengths shyte this mob will stoop to ...... any consutation under 10 mins will reduce you Medicare rebate for the visit by $20.

Mathias Korman would sell his own mother down the gurgler.

What a bunch of grubs.

Bring on the next election ... just like in QLD .... & see the back of these bastards.

Should of accepted the original 7 co payment deal.

Hawke government was the first government that realised medicare in the long run would slowly become incredibly unstable and unsustainable, and suggested a co-payment, Its disappointing how our political parties now play politics, both parties have acknowledge at some point or another, that medicare is unstable and unsustainable, but god forbid they should be not selfish and do what is needed and not delay what needs to be done and when one sides finally does what is right, criticise them for political gain.

Sure, by all means, change Medicare for whatever reason.  But PM Abbott specifically promised to the public the night before election that there will be no changes to medicare.   This is a lie. 

Avhoking - Really? so what your are saying that every one should be paying full wicket .... just like in the US?

Lower income people/families cannot afford it ... so no matter they can just do without & die.

How about those of us who pay the Medicare Levy ... it increases the higher your wages/salary, who also pay Private Health insurance ......

both cost me around $5,000 plus a year.

BS! >:(

Pantheon wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 8:45pm:

Hawke government was the first government that realised medicare in the long run would slowly become incredibly unstable and unsustainable

load of bollocks ... medicare is perfectly suistainable as long as we aren't using the money to prop up super for the rich.

Exactly!

John Smith wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 8:52pm:

Pantheon wrote on Jan 13th, 2015 at 8:45pm: Hawke government was the first government that realised medicare in the long run would slowly become incredibly unstable and unsustainable load of bollocks ... medicare is perfectly suistainable as long as we aren't using the money to prop up super for the rich.

propping up super for the rich, The large majority of people benefiting off medicare is the middle class, remove the "rich" and medicare will still be in the same shape. the problem isnt the few 1%, its the majority of people using it the middle class.


Gnads wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 8:50pm:

Avhoking - Really? so what your are saying that every one should be paying full wicket .... just like in the US? Lower income people/families cannot afford it ... so no matter they can just do without & die. How about those of us who pay the Medicare Levy ... it increases the higher your wages/salary, who also pay Private Health insurance ...... both cost me around $5,000 plus a year. BS! >:(

Current system is unstable and unsustainable labor and liberals know this, this is why both parties have suggested a Co-payment.

Adding a Co-payment would not make our system as bad as the americans, but something has to be done to make it stable and sustainable.

Pantheon wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 9:05pm:

remove the "rich" and medicare will still be in the same shape

why remove the rich from medicare? I was talking about susidies to super ... due to out cost Medicare this year ($29B v $26B)  and projected to increase to $50 B by 2020. Put that extra $50B into  medicare and you could keep it going until 2050m not 2020

John Smith wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 8:52pm:

Pantheon wrote on Jan 13th, 2015 at 8:45pm: Hawke government was the first government that realised medicare in the long run would slowly become incredibly unstable and unsustainable load of bollocks ... medicare is perfectly suistainable as long as we aren't using the money to prop up super for the rich.

or people who hoard properties ;)

Pantheon wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 9:05pm:

this is why both parties have suggested a Co-payment

wrong... it was looked at and rejected ... why do you keep trying to make it sound like labor wants to introduce it? theres a reason it was rejected

John Smith wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 9:13pm:

Pantheon wrote on Jan 13th, 2015 at 9:05pm: this is why both parties have suggested a Co-payment wrong... it was looked at and rejected ... why do you keep trying to make it sound like labor wants to introduce it? theres a reason it was rejected

The only reason why the Co-payment never made it because it was a Bob Hawke and it was seen as poison to be holding it, otherwies we would of had a Co-paymetn years ago.


Quote:

the former Labor government’s health strategy said a co-payment would protect universality and address the “structural budget” problems with health funding first recognised 20 years ago. It also warned of the over-use of medical services and the “inappropriate” use of the system. “The 1991-2 Budget contains measures that entrench Medicare as a sustainable, efficient universal health insurance system,” the document says. “In establishing the strategy the government recognised that there were substantial structural problems in the health system. “These have to be addressed if equitable access to health care for all Australians is to continue in the 21st century through an affordable system.” The main measure was the introduction of a $3.50 Medicare co-payment, which in today’s dollar terms would have been comparable to what is being proposed by the Abbott government.

Labor saw medicare realise it was unsustainable, and a Co-payment was one idea on how to save it and make ot sustainable, althought Labor never went though on it, it doesn't change the fact LABOR REALISED MEDICARE WAS UNSUSTAINABLE.

It was needed then as they realised and it is needed now. 


John Smith wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 9:11pm:

Pantheon wrote on Jan 13th, 2015 at 9:05pm: remove the "rich" and medicare will still be in the same shape why remove the rich from medicare? I was talking about susidies to super ... due to out cost Medicare this year ($29B v $26B)  and projected to increase to $50 B by 2020. Put that extra $50B into  medicare and you could keep it going until 2050m not 2020

Sorry, mis-read your post, the issue is by 2050 (although with the speed of the increase and speed of pop increase and the fact our projection are contently wrong about bloody everything, it will be more around 2030) , you'll be back where you started, even with a $7 Co-payment, it doesn't solve the problem, it only delays it, the reality it medicare is unsustainable.

Pantheon wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 9:22pm:

The only reason why the Co-payment never made it because it was a Bob Hawke and it was seen as poison to be holding it, otherwies we would of had a Co-paymetn years ago.

you believe that because thats what you want to believe ... strategists are always proposing different things, they get looked at, those that look good usually pass and those that look like wishful thinking get rejected. This fell into the second category.

Pantheon wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 9:22pm:

although with the speed of the increase and speed of pop increase and the fact our projection are contently wrong about bloody everything, it will be more around 2030

NONE (or very little) of that increase is coming from GP's ... charging to see a GP won't change that.

The real issue with medicare is lack of funding, its ridiculous to state its unsustainable while the more wealthy spend more on coffee each week than the medicare levy. Amp the levy up, problem solved. Im not sure which idiot is suggesting medicare is a free system but its not. Anyone who knows anything about the US system knows the truth of the matter, better to over service than under.

John Smith wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 8:52pm:

Pantheon wrote on Jan 13th, 2015 at 8:45pm: Hawke government was the first government that realised medicare in the long run would slowly become incredibly unstable and unsustainable load of bollocks ... medicare is perfectly suistainable as long as we aren't using the money to prop up super for the rich.

Propping up super rich doctors is ok though.... :D

John Smith wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 9:26pm:

Pantheon wrote on Jan 13th, 2015 at 9:22pm: The only reason why the Co-payment never made it because it was a Bob Hawke and it was seen as poison to be holding it, otherwies we would of had a Co-paymetn years ago. you believe that because thats what you want to believe ... strategists are always proposing different things, they get looked at, those that look good usually pass and those that look like wishful thinking get rejected. This fell into the second category.

It is what i was taught, by a university lecture that specialised in the policy history of political parties. sadly its your wishful thinking that lets you down.


ian wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 9:29pm:

The real issue with medicare is lack of funding, its ridiculous to state its unsustainable while the more wealthy spend more on coffee each week than the medicare levy. Amp the levy up, problem solved. Im not sure which idiot is suggesting medicare is a free system but its not. Anyone who knows anything about the US system knows the truth of the matter, better to over service than under.

Fully agree, however both parties reject rising the levy, they see it as political suicide, even a Co-payment in their eyes would do less damage then them.

Under Labor they would continue to underfund medicare causing a another huge, unsustainable boom out of our debt and under liberals they are finally doing something about it, the only problem is they are going about it with a Co-payment instead of actually rising the levy which is why its there for.

Pantheon wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 10:19pm:

John Smith wrote on Jan 13th, 2015 at 9:26pm: Pantheon wrote on Jan 13th, 2015 at 9:22pm: The only reason why the Co-payment never made it because it was a Bob Hawke and it was seen as poison to be holding it, otherwies we would of had a Co-paymetn years ago. you believe that because thats what you want to believe ... strategists are always proposing different things, they get looked at, those that look good usually pass and those that look like wishful thinking get rejected. This fell into the second category. It is what i was taught, by a university lecture that specialised in the policy history of political parties. sadly its your wishful thinking that lets you down. ian wrote on Jan 13th, 2015 at 9:29pm: The real issue with medicare is lack of funding, its ridiculous to state its unsustainable while the more wealthy spend more on coffee each week than the medicare levy. Amp the levy up, problem solved. Im not sure which idiot is suggesting medicare is a free system but its not. Anyone who knows anything about the US system knows the truth of the matter, better to over service than under. Fully agree, however both parties reject rising the levy, they see it as political suicide, even a Co-payment in their eyes would do less damage then them. Under Labor they would continue to underfund medicare causing a another huge, unsustainable boom out of our debt and under liberals they are finally doing something about it, the only problem is they are going about it with a Co-payment instead of actually rising the levy which is why its there for.

the states health system needs to be taken over federally in my opinion, the states just arent handling it. I believe labour had an idea to do this. would solve most of the problems.

Gnads wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 8:30pm:

The icehole Abbot govt may have dropped the co payment issue but have come back with a rort nearly 3 times that amount ............. http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2015/01/13/4161640.htm is there no to the underhanded lengths shyte this mob will stoop to ...... any consutation under 10 mins will reduce you Medicare rebate for the visit by $20.

I see an OBVIOUS solution to THIS one - for GP and patient, ALIKE, who doesn't HAVE $20.00

Keep talking till 11 minutes are up

PROBLEM SOLVED !

Back to the point.......

why if a $7 co-payment was going to fix the Medicare problem do you drop it because of the public outcry

then put in change through the Medicare Rebate that put a time specification on a GP visit that if not met will cost you nearly 3 times that amount?

That's typical LNP deception  ::)

buzzanddidj wrote on Jan 14^th, 2015 at 1:27am:

I see an OBVIOUS solution to THIS one - for GP and patient, ALIKE, who doesn't HAVE $20.00 Keep talking till 11 minutes are up PROBLEM SOLVED !

Good thinking Buzz, I just hope the surgeries space the appointments out to meet the longer consultation, otherwise we'll be waiting for over an hour past our allotted appointment time.

I don't think I've ever spent 11 minutes with my doctor.

I hope it never comes to that, unless everyone just books for the longer appointment but doesn't actually use the whole time, that would sort it out nicely.

Shame on Tony Abbott -  Shame.


God help us:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLLN-Yum2wE

We dont want an American user pays type health system.  Where only the well off can afford it.      :(    

Yes I too will request an appointment of greater the 10 minutes on every occasion from now on, I will bring a list of all things I was checked out.

My depression resulting from the sate of the nation under LNP should take up at least eight minutes  ;D

ian wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 11:19pm:

Pantheon wrote on Jan 13th, 2015 at 10:19pm: John Smith wrote on Jan 13th, 2015 at 9:26pm: Pantheon wrote on Jan 13th, 2015 at 9:22pm: The only reason why the Co-payment never made it because it was a Bob Hawke and it was seen as poison to be holding it, otherwies we would of had a Co-paymetn years ago. you believe that because thats what you want to believe ... strategists are always proposing different things, they get looked at, those that look good usually pass and those that look like wishful thinking get rejected. This fell into the second category. It is what i was taught, by a university lecture that specialised in the policy history of political parties. sadly its your wishful thinking that lets you down. ian wrote on Jan 13th, 2015 at 9:29pm: The real issue with medicare is lack of funding, its ridiculous to state its unsustainable while the more wealthy spend more on coffee each week than the medicare levy. Amp the levy up, problem solved. Im not sure which idiot is suggesting medicare is a free system but its not. Anyone who knows anything about the US system knows the truth of the matter, better to over service than under. Fully agree, however both parties reject rising the levy, they see it as political suicide, even a Co-payment in their eyes would do less damage then them. Under Labor they would continue to underfund medicare causing a another huge, unsustainable boom out of our debt and under liberals they are finally doing something about it, the only problem is they are going about it with a Co-payment instead of actually rising the levy which is why its there for. the states health system needs to be taken over federally in my opinion, the states just arent handling it. I believe labour had an idea to do this. would solve most of the problems.

Or a better idea, is to give the state their right of taxation back, so they and not the federal government can tax the income of their citizen and and actually pay for their health system instead of getting pocket money from the Feds that is disproportionate to their population size or need leaving huge gaps in educations and heath budgets.

We are a federations, and state do have a rights.

wrote on Jan 14^th, 2015 at 7:50am:

We dont want an American user pays type health system.  Where only the well off can afford it.      :(

The issue is in the american system the wealthy aren't the only ones who can afford it, millions of americans, a large majority can afford it, Is it tough, yes but most americans can afford it, hospitals are full of middle class people needing everything from a check up to surgery.

Re

The issue is not about keeping the consultation at 11 minutes, and somehow everything is okay. 

The real important issue is that all the consults: 6 mins, 20 mins, 40 mins, the medicare rebate had been cut by $5.  And this occured on the back of decades of slow medicare incremental increase below that of CPI.   However, at the same time, wages and bills have increased. 

And the end result is that, alot of GPs have gone into larger practices like Primary Care.   The usual run of the mill practices - e.g. solo, duo arrangement had been under increasing pressure over the years.  What this is doing is to make these practices unviable, especailly if they are bulk billing - which usually occurs in areas of low social economical status, and rural areas.   And these doctors are the ones which we consider as classical 'family doctor' we grow up with. 

The end result is that not only we are going to lose quality and experienced doctors, but also the end of bulk billing / universal health care - which is going to have terrible impact on things like preventative health. 

We are moving to a system similar to the US.  And unless you are healthy, people pays MUCH MUCH more than what people pay here in medicare levy, and have MUCH poorer health outcomes. 

Discussion with my doc:-

"The majority of graduates at the moment are women and they don't want to move to the country.  Got relationships and stuff that they put first."

I've been saying for a long time that the twin illnesses of affirmative action via falsified schooling and then AA proper, plus the poor selection approach for candidates, is bringing down the medical profession.

I've seen total nerds doing practice experience who I wouldn't trust with a bruised toenail... and held discussions with young lady doctors who said exactly what my do said.... not going bush since I have a boyfriend....

Sorry, people - to my mind that is the wrong kind of person to put into medicine, no matter how good their grades are in this current weighted to women school system (don't argue with me - it's been that way since 1986 - when the 'feminist academic' Meredith Bergmann, riding high on political salary and overall sweet ride as an 'academic' in 'women's issues' - touted that the school system as it was worked against girls (BS), based on an unreviewed study of a dozen girls in the US with issues, and the then Labor government bowed down yet again to the power of the pussy and changed it to suit girls).


** The only things wrong with feminism is that women had first shot at it, and women control 100% of the pussy...... a totally unfair advantage**

Pantheon wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 8:45pm:

Should of accepted the original 7 co payment deal. Hawke government was the first government that realised medicare in the long run would slowly become incredibly unstable and unsustainable, and suggested a co-payment, Its disappointing how our political parties now play politics, both parties have acknowledge at some point or another, that medicare is unstable and unsustainable, but god forbid they should be not selfish and do what is needed and not delay what needs to be done and when one sides finally does what is right, criticise them for political gain.

When does copper internet become unstable ??  :D :D

John Smith wrote on Jan 13^th, 2015 at 8:52pm:

Pantheon wrote on Jan 13th, 2015 at 8:45pm: Hawke government was the first government that realised medicare in the long run would slowly become incredibly unstable and unsustainable load of bollocks ... medicare is perfectly suistainable as long as we aren't using the money to prop up super for the rich.

..or buy elephants like copper internet(..don't we already have that?)  :o :o

BatteriesNotIncluded wrote on Jan 14^th, 2015 at 6:32pm:

Pantheon wrote on Jan 13th, 2015 at 8:45pm: Should of accepted the original 7 co payment deal. Hawke government was the first government that realised medicare in the long run would slowly become incredibly unstable and unsustainable, and suggested a co-payment, Its disappointing how our political parties now play politics, both parties have acknowledge at some point or another, that medicare is unstable and unsustainable, but god forbid they should be not selfish and do what is needed and not delay what needs to be done and when one sides finally does what is right, criticise them for political gain. When does copper internet become unstable ??  :D :D

copper internet? the liberals NBN would give us 25Mb/s download speeds to all Australian households by 2016 with this rising to 50Mb/s by 2019, which is almost double that of what the average households will actually use by that time, Labors NBN was overkill, and it Cost an amount we simple cant afford.

What did your mother told you? something you have to wait and save up for the things you want, and if you don't want to wait, you'll just have to buy what you can afford. 

Anyway your off topic..

Pantheon wrote on Jan 14^th, 2015 at 8:45pm:

BatteriesNotIncluded wrote on Jan 14th, 2015 at 6:32pm: Pantheon wrote on Jan 13th, 2015 at 8:45pm: Should of accepted the original 7 co payment deal. Hawke government was the first government that realised medicare in the long run would slowly become incredibly unstable and unsustainable, and suggested a co-payment, Its disappointing how our political parties now play politics, both parties have acknowledge at some point or another, that medicare is unstable and unsustainable, but god forbid they should be not selfish and do what is needed and not delay what needs to be done and when one sides finally does what is right, criticise them for political gain. When does copper internet become unstable ??  :D :D copper internet? the liberals NBN would give us 25Mb/s download speeds to all Australian households by 2016 with this rising to 50Mb/s by 2019, which is almost double that of what the average households will actually use by that time, Labors NBN was overkill, and it Cost an amount we simple cant afford. What did your mother told you? something you have to wait and save up for the things you want, and if you don't want to wait, you'll just have to buy what you can afford.  Anyway your off topic..

lol  ;) ;)