Australia's Health System.
Our nations health system is a disgrace - we pay a fortune for a substandard and inefficient system. We pay for Medicare in our tax system, the higher earners pay an additional levy, the government forces many of us into costly Health Insurance and if we have to make a claim, we pay "gap" payments and/or an excess. Those who are uninsured must take their chances on the "public" system and wait for surgery and treatments that often come too late. How many Australians die because they cant get the treatment they are entitled to (and have paid for in their taxes?).
The medical profession have become smug and complacent in our society - they see themselves as being indispensable and their time is sacrosanct - if we are late, we often find our "appointment" cancelled, but WE can wait for hours in a waiting room without explanation or apology. Our doctors have become very litigation conscious and their profession has (like most others) become bogged down in rules, regulations and record keeping. When we see a doctor these days, mostly we are referred for all sorts of scans, x-rays, blood tests etc., etc. before the practitioner will hazard a diagnosis. This considerably escalates the cost (both in time and monetarily) of medical treatment. Simple illnesses that could be treated quickly become protracted unnecessarily.
Likewise, regulation of medication has become a nightmare - we have to show ID for flu medication just in case we might try to remanufacture it into illicit drugs. Have you noticed that, these days, your doctor will prescribe the MINIMUM medication to treat the illness?..... often it is just not strong enough and you have to go back for repeat prescriptions or stronger drugs.
Dirt poor farmers in third world countries usually get better, faster, more efficient medical treatment than we do and very much cheaper (if they can scrape together the few dollars necessary) than WE DO.
I wonder if this is different depending which state you live in.
I have had surgery more times than I can count and it has not cost me one cent.
I visit doctors, specialists and health care professionals.
With doctors & specialists I am bulk billed.
I do have health cover and when in a public hospital for surgery they have my permission to recoup charges from my health fund - they do not charge me extras.
The hospitals I have been in are spotless as are the clinics.
With health care professionals one is allowed 5 visits per year by medicare which costs me nothing.
No wonder Queensland is the Sunshine State :)
Gee Whiz are we not forgetting Dr Death aka Doctor Patel who killed several patients and is facing court on charges or has recently? And wasnt that all happening in dear old Queensland home of many one eyed Labor supporters who just cant stop themselves from keep on voting them back in again and again in spite of their constant failing of voters in every field except of course those which affect the MPs directly then it is win win all round and tax payer subsidies all the way to the bank.
Queensland also had Haniff who was not quite as qualified as his CV said again not checked by Qld Health and silly Juliar paid him out rather than telling him where to go. Mainly because he is a Muslim and they get violent and of course he was not fleeing the country when he rushed to the airport after his cousins said they were going to blow up Glasgow Airport - no indeed no - the left said so.
Still that is typical of Labor supporter - I love the treatment I get -
Get real if you have private cover you get charged and there is a gap.
If you are a pensioner you can bulk bill.
Most states have waiting lists it is a matter of record and has been discussed recently by Rudd and Juliar too in latest health reforms.
Many people in every state also say they wait up to 3 weeks to see a doctor or a specialist at times.
Which is precisely why the Super clinics were to be built by Rudd and he has got 6 out of 22 on the go. One near me in Tassie which will be a real asset to the area as we have a sever shortage of doctors and I have to book 3 months in advance to get in first to see the doctor as they all book every 10 minutes even though Medicare pays for 15 for a short consult and as some one said start late often. And by late afternoon are running hours behind. Who wants to sit with sick folk for hours?
super Clinics were one good thing Rudd did which has not been lorded by his supporters who faded away when Juliar replaced him - really fair weather supporters.