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| Trance Nutter |
| quote: | Originally posted by DIDI
Gee if you take out the funny bits this thread really sums up what is happening to our healthcare system! U.S. Of A here we come!!:whip: |
have you not read what Helen_k said? Its the same in the UK and without a doubt many other countries.
Not defending it all though, bloody oath it could be better. |
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| aL_mAc |
| quote: | Originally posted by DIDI
Gee if you take out the funny bits this thread really sums up what is happening to our healthcare system! U.S. Of A here we come!!:whip: |
well something has to change...
our economy cannot sustain it as it currently exists! the main problem lies in the the ageing population and the dwindling fertility rates! there is a massive balloon in the population age distribution and its about to hit the critical years for health care and hence spending in this area..
add to that the fact that older people are now living longer and that there are a greater range of therapies and drugs available which people want to have to facilitate this, well the money gotta come from somewhere dont it! some service will no doubt suffer!
once the baby boomers hit there 60's its all going to fall apart..
also if less people abused the system also (ie health care card holders getting free rides in ambulances for a sore throats cos its cheaper than a taxi to the dr etc) wed be alot better off. at least thered still be some money to spend on actual health care!
there is actually a massive catch 22 thing going on with bulk billing/treatment/hopsitals and OS doctors being imported but you think its bad here you should go out into rural victoria haha
i could talk about this for hours if i wanted but i dont..
al gets off his health care high horse |
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| quidgydog |
HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here I am thinking this is the usual doctor bash-fest, but suddenly there are two intelligent, insightful posts on the one page.
I can hardly believe it. :eek:
Al and Aquila - You are my new best friends. :D At least a couple of people realise that doctors have very little they can do about the situation. |
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| DIDI |
| quote: | Originally posted by aL_mAc
well something has to change...
our economy cannot sustain it as it currently exists! the main problem lies in the the ageing population and the dwindling fertility rates! there is a massive balloon in the population age distribution and its about to hit the critical years for health care and hence spending in this area..
add to that the fact that older people are now living longer and that there are a greater range of therapies and drugs available which people want to have to facilitate this, well the money gotta come from somewhere dont it! some service will no doubt suffer!
once the baby boomers hit there 60's its all going to fall apart..
also if less people abused the system also (ie health care card holders getting free rides in ambulances for a sore throats cos its cheaper than a taxi to the dr etc) wed be alot better off. at least thered still be some money to spend on actual health care!
there is actually a massive catch 22 thing going on with bulk billing/treatment/hopsitals and OS doctors being imported but you think its bad here you should go out into rural victoria haha
i could talk about this for hours if i wanted but i dont..
al gets off his health care high horse |
You've got really great points here ! The one you haven't touched on is the massive subsidies that are going to the private health system. This is why I say we are heading the same way as the U. S.
Trance Nutter of course I read Helen's post. My point is that we have far more in common with the american system. I an also aware that there are countries that are far worse off than we are. Does that mean we should just accept everything as it is?[ I ask this in the nicest possible way.:) ] |
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| quidgydog |
| quote: | Originally posted by DIDI
You've got really great points here ! The one you haven't touched on is the massive subsidies that are going to the private health system. This is why I say we are heading the same way as the U. S.
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Ok, starting to get into the reaches of a typical left-wing/right-wing debate here. To say we have more in common with the US system than the UK system is not correct. The foundation of the Australian system is still the Medicare system which is similar to the UK NHS system in that the basis is a government funded healthcare system that the public does not have to pay for (and I will NOT get into an arguement about GP gap payments here). The Australian private healthcare system is similar to the US system where it is a more user-pays/insurance-pays system. This is a simplistic view and every statement I have made so far is not 100% correct, simply because neither the UK nor US systems can be considered to be similar to ours.
The arguement about the Private Health subsidy has no simple answer. People throw figures around the place about what it 'costs', but the fact is that it has taken significant load off the public health system. When it was introduced private health membership was at an all-time low and its implementation brought a lot of people into private health membership. Despite this, the membership of private health funds is tapering off again. The removal of the 30% subsidy would result in a significant exodus from many private health funds with a resultant increase in load on the public health system. The result - the people complaining about the private health insurance subsidy will be the same people complaining that the waiting list for their hip replacement/gall bladder operation/tonsillectomy has blown out another 6 months.
Healthcare is a poisoned chalice for government. There is NO perfect system and there is NO system that will meet community needs. Australia has the best of both types of system and you will get high-quality treatment in both. Be thankful for that. |
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