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Because if they don't get a rebate then they are paying for private healthcare and also paying for others to get healthcare through taxes.

They are paying TWICE.

That's been my point mate. Why should they pay twice when some don't pay at all?

If they don't take out private cover, they are whacked with a penalty tax.

Do you think this is fair??

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Well then they get public healthcare.

That's how it works.

I would like a Ferrari but I can't afford one.

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When you get yours I will race you in my Ferrari when I get mine.

It is not entirely correct that a person with private health cover pays for him/herself. If a private person has an operation under private cover, the hospital is paid by the private health fund, but the doctors bill is still paid by medicare, as are most prescriptions. The main advantage the private health provides, is, no long waiting time for any non-life threatening operations. I stand to be corrected on this.

And no one should think that all private health members are rich; many pay, to have the convenience of no waiting time, but it is a huge burden.
Whats the solution?
Here is my humble suggestion: Scrap all the subsidies for private health, introduce three tier health cards; green for low income, yellow for medium income and a red card for the high income earners.
The green card holders would pay 10%, the yellow card 20% and the red card 30% of any medical or health cost. There would also have to be a safety limit, similar to the current safety net for medical prescription, which should also be proportional to income.
But the government should than provide a decent health care system, with no long waiting times, and the so called extras like dental, physio, etc. should also be included; after all they are part of health.

It_is_the_Darkness wrote on May 27^th, 2011 at 6:01pm:


Thats rubbish. I know several people who ahve had extensive neuro surgery and lung reduction surgery - all in private hosptials.

Yeah Longweekend, it does happen ...15% of the time in 15% of the Private Hospitals that make $385million Profit pa.

I remember working 13 patients in a Ward for HealthScope. There was only an R.N with me and she snapped and [quote] "I'm going back to New Zealand where you only get 4 patients to Nurse ratio!" as more Doctors arrived to be served and the phones rang. HealthScope could have paid for Agency Staff to help out with their big budget but "Nooooooooooooo" and although we got through it (and although she did not return again) I kinda wonder if Patients were being short-changed with the same old "Short-Staffed" excuse we had to apologise with.
...and to think they are overworked in the Public system with a majority of 8 Patients to Nurse ratio

MORE than two million people are likely to avoid a sharp rise in their private health insurance costs.

The Gillard Government was last night struggling to persuade crossbench MPs to support a reform to reduce the rebate to as low as 10 per cent.

The Government fears defeat of its reform will blow a $3 billion hole in the Budget.   

At least three independents - Tony Windsor, Bob Katter and Tony Crook - have raised serious concerns over the impact on rural communities if the 30 per cent rebate is tightened.

Marginal seat Labor MPs - nervous over a public backlash to the carbon tax - have been warned of another campaign by the private health insurance lobby if the legislation goes ahead.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon is expected to introduce legislation in Parliament tomorrow, paving the way for a means test on the rebate.


Under reforms, an estimated 2.4 million people will lose some, or all, of the 30 per cent rebate introduced by the former Howard government to encourage families to take out private health insurance.

Single people earning more than $80,000 and couples or families on more than $160,000 will drop to 20 per cent while the rebate drops to 10 per cent for singles on $93,000-plus and families earning more than $186,000.

A further 740,000 people will lose the entire 30 per cent rebate, including singles earning more than $124,000 and families on $248,000-plus.

Of the six crossbench MPs in the House of Representatives, only the Greens' Adam Bandt is certain to support the Government's reforms. Mr Windsor has voted against the means test twice and said he retained "serious concerns" on the impact of the measure on the bush.

Mr Katter said voters who worked in rural and regional areas would be disadvantaged.

"I'm convinced that people will move out of the private system if we implement means testing, therefore putting more pressure on the public system which is already overburdened," he said.

Mr Crook, the Independent Nationals MP for the West Australian electorate of O'Connor, cited a report by Deloitte that estimated up to 1.6 million people might drop private health care over five years.

Tasmanian Independent Andrew Wilkie said he was considering his position but in May told Parliament he was "yet to be convinced means testing the health insurance rebate is the most sensible thing to do right now".

While Ms Roxon admits it will be tough to get the numbers, she says the proposed rebate changes "are designed to make private health insurance fairer for all Australians". Her comments came as the Australian Health Insurance Association wrote to more than 20 Labor MPs yesterday reminding each of the thousands of voters in their electorates with private health insurance.