[Sixstrings]

I heard about this on CNN. It was actually criticism of Abbott for talking about local issues at the G20, obviously world leaders didn't go to Brisbane to talk about Australia's medicare copay.

But anyhow I found it interesting, I gather doctor visits are currently free? And Abbott wants to start a $7 copay?

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')udget: $7 GP fee brings end to free doctors visits
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/13/budget-7-gp-fee-brings-end-to-free-doctors-visits

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Sixstrings', 'I') heard about this on CNN. It was actually criticism of Abbott for talking about local issues at the G20, obviously world leaders didn't go to Brisbane to talk about Australia's medicare copay.

But anyhow I found it interesting, I gather doctor visits are currently free? And Abbott wants to start a $7 copay?

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')udget: $7 GP fee brings end to free doctors visits
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/13/budget-7-gp-fee-brings-end-to-free-doctors-visits

[Shaved Monkey]

They dont have numbers in the senate to pass it.
The $7 was to go towards a Medical Research Fund not to pay for healthcare.
We already have the CSIRO doing medical research but conservative want to conservative, CSIRO is government owned and they want 1%ers making money out of it not the whole country (a bit of corporate socialism get the sick to pay for the 1% research grants.)

They will now need to take it to an election not spring their surprises once they get in power
Good luck with that latest polls have the conservatives in position to be bundled out in a landslide.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Shaved Monkey', 'T')he $7 was to go towards a Medical Research Fund not to pay for healthcare.

[vtsnowedin]

Well it never was really free health care now was it? You have just been paying for it mixed in with your other tax bills. Some one has to pay it and sure enough that someone is you.
You are right about the creeping copays and the camels nose under the tent. Hold them off as long as you can because sure as the sun rising in the east your taxes will not go down to match how much the copay went up.
Good luck!!

[Shaved Monkey]

The levy is 1% of wage whether you earn billions or nothing you get the same coverage.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', '1'). There is no such thing as "free healthcare." Somebody has got to pay.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Shaved Monkey', 'T')he levy is 1% of wage whether you earn billions or nothing you get the same coverage.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vtsnowedin', 'W')ell it never was really free health care now was it? You have just been paying for it mixed in with your other tax bills.

[Shaved Monkey]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Sixstrings', '
')
And so many drugs come from the US, and it's *us* that pays the most for these drugs! And then every other country of the world cuts a cheap price for the drugs.

It really sucks. Americans, you and me, really do pay for everyone else. For their defense, for pharmaceutical development.

Americans don't quite understand that, all they know is they want to be able to buy their drugs from Canada where it's cheaper. But big pharma has it set up so that WE fund the drug development, not Canadians.

In a more fair world -- Canada and Australia and Germany would be paying more for defense, and also paying more for drugs to be on parity with what an American has to to pay.

[Sixstrings]

I got curious and did some googling.

Poverty level for single person in Australia, in USD weekly wage: $425
https://melbourneinstitute.com/downloads/publications/Poverty%20Lines/Poverty-lines-Australia-March-2013.pdf

Poverty level for single person in US, weekly wage: $225
http://www.irp.wisc.edu/faqs/faq1.htm

Federal minimum wage in Australia, converted to USD: $14.67 per hour
http://www.smh.com.au/national/minimum-wage-up-3-per-cent-rise-of-1870-a-week-20140604-39is5.html

Federal minimum wage in US: $7.25 per hour
http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/america.htm

[Shaved Monkey]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he US spends more on healthcare per capita than Australia but many US citizens still suffer under exorbitant costs.
In 2007, 62 per cent of people filing for bankruptcy cited high medical expenses.

[Sixstrings]

It should be noted that Australia can do all this, and Denmark and Germany too, because you don't have the burden of *developing* new treatments and drugs, and also having a massive military to defend everyone.

Americans are getting poorer. Atlas will have to shrug at some point.

And then Aussies and Euros and Canucks will have to pay more for their healthcare, more in drug costs to fund your own research, and money for military buildups in your own countries.

For now though it's still Pax Americana and life is good under Uncle Sam's security umbrella.

Enjoy it -- and say no to any copays, until you guys have no choice and must divert money to military spending.

[vtsnowedin]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Shaved Monkey', 'T')he levy is 1% of wage whether you earn billions or nothing you get the same coverage.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vtsnowedin', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Shaved Monkey', 'T')he levy is 1% of wage whether you earn billions or nothing you get the same coverage.

[enkidu]

Now that Australia is China's ashtray maybe the cost of health care is piling up.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '[')b]$1 million lead poisoning claim heading to civil trial
Vicky Validakis
11 September, 2014


... Mount Isa mum Sharlene Body launched the legal action against Xstrata, Mount Isa City Council and the Queensland Government in 2011 after finding out her son Sidney recorded blood lead levels three times more than the recommended safe limit.

She claims the lead exposure resulted in brain damage and damage of neuropsychological functions.

There are complaints the Mount Isa mining and smelting operations caused lead to be released into the atmosphere, which could have been affected children in the vicinity.

... A scientific study appearing in the journal Environmental Pollution last year found a definitive link between mining in Mount Isa and lead contamination in local children. ...

[Shaved Monkey]

Federal government to shelve $7 GP co-payment policy

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'P')rime Minister Tony Abbott has privately conceded defeat on his controversial budget proposal to introduce a new $7 co-payment on bulk-billed GP visits and will formally shelve the policy before the end of the year.

The decision is a recognition of the reality that it had no chance of progressing through a hostile Senate in the face of trenchant opposition from Labor, the Greens, and a majority of the crossbench.