$5 GP fee: A solution to a problem that doesn’t exist
December 30, 2013
$5 GP fee: A solution to a problem that doesn’t exist…
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Transferred from my comment yesterday @ “The Tories want their ‘Right to Offend’ back” …
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The Liberal Robber Barons at work … robbing the poor so the rich can have kids …
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-groups-fear-5-gp-fee-will-hit-hospital-emergency-departments/story-fneuz9ev-1226791543887
People who now go to the doc and are bul billed are to be taxed $5 … so the sicker you are the more you pay …
The idea that this will “discourage” people making visits to the doctor is naive and stupid in the extreme … that it will “save” the government $750, 000, 000 is obscene … it will “earn” the government $750 million at the expense of people’s lives and health!
Why not exterminate all pollies … perks … the government would make far more money … or we could charge them $5 every kilometer they travelled at public expense AFTER they LEAVE parliament …
ROBBER BARONS at work … 🙄 🙄
Roughly the price of a schooner or coffee and cake at a cafe.
The National Commission of Audit is more like the directorate of ideology. This government is hell bent on fixing perceived problems through social engineering that do not exist other than in some dislocated parallel reality of how people under 100K per year exist. Its more about how they want people to live rather than the greater social good. Here is another idea to throw in the pot. We have an aging population, reliance on junk food, alcohol, drugs, gambling and depression is through the roof. So what does this government do in its wisdom? Decrease the incentive to see a GP, absolutely brilliant policy initiative 🙄 Is this some type of crisis like debt and refugee invasion?
I am a great believer in the thin-edge-of-the-wedge theory.
C Palmer had a go at Nick X today about his black-as-hat hair. Didn’t C have v black hair recently? I seem to recall.
”””””””””””””””””’To use the pretentious economics jargon:
the diminishing marginal utility of income says that $5 is going to be ‘worth’ less to a person on $100k than it will be to a person who’s already living hand-to-mouth on NewStart.
Thus, the signal will be greater for people who are poorer than for people who are wealthier.
Do we really believe that the poor are more wasteful of healthcare services?””””’
.
.
This needs to be highlighted.
Let`s see our teabag apologists defend Mr-Rabbit beating-up on the sick.
”””””””””””””””””””’we lack any evidence that there’s grand scale waste caused by gluttonous over-consumption of health services,
we also know that targeting where this waste might be hiding will result in a very small reduction in said waste. Further,
we know that this will affect people on the poorer end of society than it will the more affluent end.”””””””””””
.
As long as the teabags only drive teh-poor and teh-sick off the health system, the profit and loss statement will look much better. 🙄
The affluent end have private health cover and for those on pensions or Newstart it will remain free, but the greater middle class should be encouraged to pay their way for the good of the country.
The main problem with this policy is that the fee is only $5. Try $20+
Let’s not forget the working poor.
The main problem with this policy is that it isn’t a problem to begin with.
”””’Let’s not forget the working poor.””””
Tend to agree with ya Dumpty,
those of us not on the nipple, will be reconsidering their positions.
Mr-Rabbit has just made `dole` enrollment much more needed.
Bet this triggers a surge in enrollment, just to get the `medical/dole` card.
Its only $5.
Once the Baby Boomer Bubble has passed through the system, things should ease off.
“Its only $5.”
To begin with.
Personally I would like to see them increase the tax on alcohol, instead of tinkering with the health system. If they went out of their way to say this new 20% tax on alcohol will go directly to fund the health system, it would get the ball rolling.
Presenter: This 20% tax on alcohol won’t be popular.
The Monk: Who cares, alcohol causes more carnage than any other substance. Its a luxury and needs to be taxed heavily.
Presenter: Its been mooted that you will be increasing the tax on food?
The Monk: Yep. I was talking to a diabetes expert who said the poor people in the south west of Sydney have fallen into a junk food hole, while those on the north shore are into rich food. Its an epidemic and we intend to stamp it out.
Presenter: That won’t be popular?
The Monk: No.
”””””’increase the tax on alcohol,”””””
l agree with your sentiments egg, but it doesn`t play-out that way. Excessive taxation (or_price_gouging) only leads to boot-legging and black markets. You may remember a few months back, a couple of silly buggers poisoned themselves with bootleg whiskey/spirit, In WA.? which didn`t help the medical system.
”””””’fallen into a junk food hole””””
That`s funny egg.
What was Mr-Rabbit on.? #foxnooze
Ya better get the word to Mr-Rabbit to set the parliament lunch-menu to lentils and fruit-salad to keep`em all healthy. 🙂
The Monk will happily lead by example.
Alcohol is price inelastic and not prohibited in any way, so it won’t attract a black market in the way that illegal substances do.
”””””””””’not prohibited in any way, so it won’t attract a black market in the way that illegal substances do.””””””””””
Wot.?
cd`s,dvd`s, nikes, tobacco, cigarettes, fashion/shoes/handbags don`t appear in a black market.?
#SorryDumptyButYaWrong
Oh, that black market.
Guffaw.
You should watch the show on telly about `Customs` egg,
it really quite funny what the clowns try to smuggle in.
l have only managed to see it 3or4 times myself,
and on each one there has been some clown with a giant bag filled with cigarettes.
I have watched the customs shows (good television) but more to the point.
‘There are now so many registrars from the UK and Ireland in Australian emergency departments that they comprise almost one in four (23.1%) of the workforce there, according to the Australian College of Emergency Medicine.
‘Traditionally many young British doctors have spent a year or two down under, before returning to work in the NHS. But a second, separate study of all 364 A&E registrars in the state of Victoria has found that 68% of them are from outside Australia, and 72% of those intend to stay there permanently.
‘If that figure is borne out, that would represent a potential permanent loss to the UK and Ireland of 350 A&E doctors.’
Denis Campbell / Guardian
Thems wot controls us are now talking about a $6 GP fee.
It gone up already!
What will it be by the end of the week?
“What will it be by the end of the week?”
It should be at least $20 taking into account medical inflation since Bob Hawke introduced it……………LOL
“The announcement of a $3.50 co-payment for people who were bulk-billed under Medicare in the August 1991 budget arguably cost prime minister Bob Hawke the Labor leadership.”
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/medicare-copayments-have-a-lesson-in-their-history-20131229-301nx.html#ixzz2p1NHeS7i
The $6 is only the beginning. $20 won’t be far behind. And then …..
I sniff ideology at work.
”””’I sniff ideology at work.””’
#AusterityAusterityAusterity
Yeah, me too Dianne.
Along with 20% inflation in 24-hours($5to$6) under the teabags has to be a bit of a record l reckon. lt will be interesting to see what Clive has to say on this too.
#Go-Watermelon #Go-Clive
I don’t think people value services they receive for free
I think the small fee suggested is only the beginning Tom.
I think fees of any kind will be an extra burden on poor people, particularly young families. Kids can require multiple visits.
I do not think fees will dissuade some who visit doctors too often, most particularly elderly people.
A GP friend of mine says she sees mainly the very young and very old in her practice.
She says some of her elderly patients treat a visit to the doctor as a social engagement because they are lonely. Others fret about their health and seek reassurance.
I wonder if a fee will discourage such people visiting the doctor.
”””’I don’t think people value services they receive for free””””
#StatementOfaTrueFool
Yes yomm, it is much better to fill your country with sick and injured people to fulfill teabag ideology. lt`s not like illnesses spread or anything. 🙄
.
Fully agree Dianne, tho even if a few do `over-use` said medical visits, (if there is such a thing), it is better than the situation with `dental`, which the working-poor DO neglect, due to high costs, can`t say for the `pension`class as there is `programs` from time to time, but l don`t know enough about.
Free dental work can be obtained through dental schools, touch and go with students doing prac.
Very long waiting lists though I think Egg.
I think the neglect of dental care for those who simply cannot afford it is an absolute disgrace.
It causes health problems, avoidable problems, which place needless strain on health budgets.
I can’t imagine enduring toothache for weeks and weeks on end.
Agree the dental thing is a disgrace. The working poor value free health care and would appreciate free dental too, but that’s never going to happen.
Wally and ToM think the working poor should be charged $20 a visit…..
‘PATIENTS should be charged as much as $30 to visit a general practitioner or the emergency department to reduce demand on medical services, a former Health Department chief has urged. The comments by Andrew Podger came as the Liberal National Party candidate contesting Kevin Rudd’s vacated Queensland seat, Bill Glasson, said yesterday he supported an affordable “price signal” on GP visits to make the system more equitable and reduce costs, as long as the nation’s most vulnerable were exempt.’
Creighton and Balogh / Oz
Alas I fear the return of the workhouse.
I can hear the spiel now.
It will be better for families.
Children will be housed and schooled while parents will provide labour for industry wherever and whenever it is required.
What a nightmare it must be to have no assets. No choices.
The Beadle will be back.