No wonder the accident and emergency rooms are stressed

Some very interesting comments. Don’t get injured? Yeah, right. :o) I am thankful for the expertise made available to me by my doctor. The reason I posted was to point out WHY the accident and emergency rooms are often so crowded and over used. The government keeps complaining that people could have gone to their doctors for the minor problems that are clogging the emergency rooms. My point is that people on low incomes can’t afford the doctors.

Don’t get injured

Problem solved

I’m 45 and recently asked a GP about a general check-up, not having had one for a while. He told me there’s a comprehensive check-up – 90 minutes of nurse time then a doctor – which is completely government-funded. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/3187C9D8567E611CCA2572F1007F0175/$File/Fact%20Sheet.pdf

Great. But what surprises me is that nobody in the gubbernment told me. They could easily write to me through Medicare who have all my details.

IP

A few points:
* If your toilet is blocked, or you have a leaking pipe, etc… you need to call out a plumber as an emergency. Good luck get a bulk billing plumber.
* Medicare rebate for doctors has not increased with inflation since it was introduced (of course if it had then the government would probably not be able to afford it)
* Presenting to the accident and emergency department with a genuine accident is appropriate.
* GPs have to do 6 years (at least) of university education, followed by 2 years of hospital practice (at least), followed by 3-4 years of training in a GP practice. So at least 11 years of specialist training. As you said, you couldn’t do it yourself.

deejay said :

And higher taxes to pay for it. Historically, I’ve been quite philosophical about being taxed higher than virtually everywhere in the world,

Australia is one of the lowest taxed of the industrialised countries. From memory, we rank somewhere around the 20th position. If you want lower taxes, go live in a third world slum where you can keep 100% of the pittance you make each week.

I would gladly pay more taxes to see an improvement in Medicare. It’s already good but it can still be better. More preventative medicine. More proactive healthcare. Get the fatties losing weight, before heart disease and diabetes bankrupts the next generation.

Depends on the age of the patient. They won’t look at anyone under 2. I think the Medical Centre in Colbee Court Phillip bulk bills patients under a certain age and/or if they have a pension card. anyone else you pay a discounted rate of $40 certainly much cheaper then the standard $70+ consultation charge.

Perhaps you may be charged $70…. have you thought about the rebate you get trhough Medicare which can be processed electronically at some practices… this is currently ~ $35.60, thereby leaving you out of pocket less than what you would be at Phillip Medical Centre…

Just saying…

In relation to bulk billing – I recently was in Goulburn working for a week and had to see a doctor. There are several practices in Goulburn that bulk bill, for all their patients. Was quite surprised.

NoImRight said :

dpm said :

Tetranitrate said :

dpm said :

Try living in another country. By global standards, Aus has pretty damn good public (i.e free/subsidised) health care…..

“it’s worse in the third world or the USA(third world) so shut up and stop expecting any better”
I’m so sick of this rubbish.

We’re at best middle of the range when compared to other developed countries and the state of some areas of health (eg Dental) is pretty bad compared to the more well developed and comprehensive healthcare systems that exist in European countries.

It wouldn’t be a that difficult to significantly improve medicare for any government that actually had the political courage do it and tread on the toes that’d need to be trodden on, same as with every other issue (dutch disease, housing, ect ect) facing Australia at the moment.

Hey, i’m just pointing out it’s the age-old battle of left versus right, regarding what health care we ‘expect’ the Govt to give us for our taxes.

Speaking of the other housing affordability thread, pehaps we can link it to this one with this comment from a RBA boss:
“The Deputy Governor of the RBA notes the following in relation to Australia’s house price to income ratio:
‘There are a couple of reasons why Australian households seem to be able to sustain a higher ratio of house prices to incomes. First, Australians seem to spend less of their income on non-housing consumption than is the case for US households, with a significant part of this difference explained by lower health costs in Australia. Australian households therefore have greater capacity to service housing loans.’
Additionally, according to this:
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Publications/Fund-Reports/2010/Jun/Mirror-Mirror-Update.aspx
we rank fairly well (3rd) at healthcare but are crap at access to it (as mentioned in this post)!

So, it’s all a bit confusing. If I was being a sh$t stirrer, perhaps I could say that maybe access to public healthcare is so clogged up in Aus as heaps of people (who could afford it, as the nice OP did) want it for free – so they can get their big loan and have their big house! 😉 Hahahaha!

Response of the week. Well played Sir 😉

I only go to A&E when there are no private practices open (weekends and middle of the night). I have full private cover as well as paying my Medicare levy and I would be happy to pay for treatment but you can’t get ANY treatment there unless you are bleeding to death on the floor or you are a drunk bogan who has just had the crap kicked out of you. Who would want to go near the place if there was somewhere else to go?

p1 said :

I’m amazed that you managed to get into your GP that quick!

Really?
Our GP does emergency appointments for accidents like this… but then they bulk bill if you ask and block out sections of the day for on the day appointments so you can see someone at the practice on the day if you are sick.

I’m amazed that you managed to get into your GP that quick!

dpm said :

Tetranitrate said :

dpm said :

Try living in another country. By global standards, Aus has pretty damn good public (i.e free/subsidised) health care…..

“it’s worse in the third world or the USA(third world) so shut up and stop expecting any better”
I’m so sick of this rubbish.

We’re at best middle of the range when compared to other developed countries and the state of some areas of health (eg Dental) is pretty bad compared to the more well developed and comprehensive healthcare systems that exist in European countries.

It wouldn’t be a that difficult to significantly improve medicare for any government that actually had the political courage do it and tread on the toes that’d need to be trodden on, same as with every other issue (dutch disease, housing, ect ect) facing Australia at the moment.

Hey, i’m just pointing out it’s the age-old battle of left versus right, regarding what health care we ‘expect’ the Govt to give us for our taxes.

Speaking of the other housing affordability thread, pehaps we can link it to this one with this comment from a RBA boss:
“The Deputy Governor of the RBA notes the following in relation to Australia’s house price to income ratio:
‘There are a couple of reasons why Australian households seem to be able to sustain a higher ratio of house prices to incomes. First, Australians seem to spend less of their income on non-housing consumption than is the case for US households, with a significant part of this difference explained by lower health costs in Australia. Australian households therefore have greater capacity to service housing loans.’
Additionally, according to this:
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Publications/Fund-Reports/2010/Jun/Mirror-Mirror-Update.aspx
we rank fairly well (3rd) at healthcare but are crap at access to it (as mentioned in this post)!

So, it’s all a bit confusing. If I was being a sh$t stirrer, perhaps I could say that maybe access to public healthcare is so clogged up in Aus as heaps of people (who could afford it, as the nice OP did) want it for free – so they can get their big loan and have their big house! 😉 Hahahaha!

Response of the week. Well played Sir 😉

BallOfMonkey said :

It wouldn’t be a that difficult to significantly improve medicare for any government that actually had the political courage do it and tread on the toes that’d need to be trodden on, same as with every other issue (dutch disease, housing, ect ect) facing Australia at the moment.

Of course! It’s so simple, why didn’t we think of this before!

We get the leaders and Government that we deserve, and from what I can see our current political machine is right on par with society in general.

It’s a bit sad to reflect on how things have changed over the last couple of decades. Governments collect taxes, and then use them to do things that governments can do better than individuals, the big stuff, the comprehensive stuff, and the fair stuff.

But in the last two decades, we’ve seen governments using a growing percentage of those taxes on trivial stuff, like middle class welfare, and we’ve seen the big stuff they used to spend the money on starting to crumble. Money is diverted to individuals, to spend on consumption, rather than being pooled and used to provide infrastructure and comprehensive services that everyone can benefit from.

dungfungus said :

You should have gone straight to the Walk Up Clinic at Canberra Hospital. I am sure they would have been able to attend to it and Medicare pick up the tab.
I agree with you that Medicare is a joke – this is because only a fraction of the Medicare levy on our taxable income finds it way back to health care.

I’m also dubious about the feasibility of this. We went there once and were told to go to emergency because my daughter needed to be seen by a doctor. There are no doctors in the walk-in centre. I’m not sure I’d bother again.

Bosworth said :

dungfungus, do you know how the Consolidated Revenue Fund works?

No, I don’t know but it looks like I am about to find out soon.
A common sense respons would be “clearly, then CRF in respect to Medicare doesn’t work”

BethiePrice said :

dungfungus said :

You should have gone straight to the Walk Up Clinic at Canberra Hospital. I am sure they would have been able to attend to it and Medicare pick up the tab.

Depends on the age of the patient. They won’t look at anyone under 2. I think the Medical Centre in Colbee Court Phillip bulk bills patients under a certain age and/or if they have a pension card. anyone else you pay a discounted rate of $40 certainly much cheaper then the standard $70+ consultation charge.

I might add that you don’t get a refund if you get annoyed at the waiting time and decide to leave.

dungfungus said :

You should have gone straight to the Walk Up Clinic at Canberra Hospital. I am sure they would have been able to attend to it and Medicare pick up the tab.

Depends on the age of the patient. They won’t look at anyone under 2. I think the Medical Centre in Colbee Court Phillip bulk bills patients under a certain age and/or if they have a pension card. anyone else you pay a discounted rate of $40 certainly much cheaper then the standard $70+ consultation charge.

deejay said :

dpm said :

Try living in another country. By global standards, Aus has pretty damn good public (i.e free/subsidised) health care…..

And higher taxes to pay for it. Historically, I’ve been quite philosophical about being taxed higher than virtually everywhere in the world, *because* it pays for all those services. But now that we’re dwindling down the drain towards health care US style? How about cutting the taxes to match? Or better yet, use the money for what it’s meant for.

Of course, the fact that we are actually a relatively low tax-paying country won’t interfere with your argument at all.

http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/240185/20111030/australia-countries-low-taxes.htm

It wouldn’t be a that difficult to significantly improve medicare for any government that actually had the political courage do it and tread on the toes that’d need to be trodden on, same as with every other issue (dutch disease, housing, ect ect) facing Australia at the moment.

Of course! It’s so simple, why didn’t we think of this before!

We get the leaders and Government that we deserve, and from what I can see our current political machine is right on par with society in general.

dpm said :

Try living in another country. By global standards, Aus has pretty damn good public (i.e free/subsidised) health care…..

And higher taxes to pay for it. Historically, I’ve been quite philosophical about being taxed higher than virtually everywhere in the world, *because* it pays for all those services. But now that we’re dwindling down the drain towards health care US style? How about cutting the taxes to match? Or better yet, use the money for what it’s meant for.

Tetranitrate said :

dpm said :

Try living in another country. By global standards, Aus has pretty damn good public (i.e free/subsidised) health care…..

“it’s worse in the third world or the USA(third world) so shut up and stop expecting any better”
I’m so sick of this rubbish.

We’re at best middle of the range when compared to other developed countries and the state of some areas of health (eg Dental) is pretty bad compared to the more well developed and comprehensive healthcare systems that exist in European countries.

It wouldn’t be a that difficult to significantly improve medicare for any government that actually had the political courage do it and tread on the toes that’d need to be trodden on, same as with every other issue (dutch disease, housing, ect ect) facing Australia at the moment.

Hey, i’m just pointing out it’s the age-old battle of left versus right, regarding what health care we ‘expect’ the Govt to give us for our taxes.

Speaking of the other housing affordability thread, pehaps we can link it to this one with this comment from a RBA boss:
“The Deputy Governor of the RBA notes the following in relation to Australia’s house price to income ratio:
‘There are a couple of reasons why Australian households seem to be able to sustain a higher ratio of house prices to incomes. First, Australians seem to spend less of their income on non-housing consumption than is the case for US households, with a significant part of this difference explained by lower health costs in Australia. Australian households therefore have greater capacity to service housing loans.’
Additionally, according to this:
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Publications/Fund-Reports/2010/Jun/Mirror-Mirror-Update.aspx
we rank fairly well (3rd) at healthcare but are crap at access to it (as mentioned in this post)!

So, it’s all a bit confusing. If I was being a sh$t stirrer, perhaps I could say that maybe access to public healthcare is so clogged up in Aus as heaps of people (who could afford it, as the nice OP did) want it for free – so they can get their big loan and have their big house! 😉 Hahahaha!

dungfungus, do you know how the Consolidated Revenue Fund works?

dpm said :

Try living in another country. By global standards, Aus has pretty damn good public (i.e free/subsidised) health care…..

“it’s worse in the third world or the USA(third world) so shut up and stop expecting any better”
I’m so sick of this rubbish.

We’re at best middle of the range when compared to other developed countries and the state of some areas of health (eg Dental) is pretty bad compared to the more well developed and comprehensive healthcare systems that exist in European countries.

It wouldn’t be a that difficult to significantly improve medicare for any government that actually had the political courage do it and tread on the toes that’d need to be trodden on, same as with every other issue (dutch disease, housing, ect ect) facing Australia at the moment.

davo101 said :

dungfungus said :

I agree with you that Medicare is a joke – this is because only a fraction of the Medicare levy on our taxable income finds it way back to health care.

You do realise that the Medicare levy only covers about 18% of what the government spends on health?

The information on the link refers to the Medicare levy “as a proportion of total amount spent on healthcare” – it does not confirm that all the Medicare levy is actually all spent on healthcare.

dpm said :

Try living in another country. By global standards, Aus has pretty damn good public (i.e free/subsidised) health care…..

But aren’t we the envy of all other countries? Having a good public health sytem is one thing but trying to access it when you need it is another.

dungfungus said :

I agree with you that Medicare is a joke – this is because only a fraction of the Medicare levy on our taxable income finds it way back to health care.

You do realise that the Medicare levy only covers about 18% of what the government spends on health?

Try living in another country. By global standards, Aus has pretty damn good public (i.e free/subsidised) health care…..

Trying to find a doctor who bulk bills is virtually impossible.

I believe Canberra has the lowest rate of bulk billing doctors in the country.

You should have gone straight to the Walk Up Clinic at Canberra Hospital. I am sure they would have been able to attend to it and Medicare pick up the tab.
I agree with you that Medicare is a joke – this is because only a fraction of the Medicare levy on our taxable income finds it way back to health care.

Centrelink health care card…

Try and find an accountant or a lawyer that bulk bills