Upcoming surgery

[AlbertaFarmer5]

The only way out is to improve our existing universal Healthcare.

What percent of GDP do you think will be required to improve our universal health Care to meet the demand?

[Blaithin]

I'm still confused how blended systems seem to work in other countries and yet here, they won't because we'll turn into the US.
Health care a mess here for various reasons and our decision process is frozen. Screaming "in the US!" encourages that.
Land just told you how his works and some will deny it can.
Position entrenchment has killed the conversation.

It’s just people like a few commenters on this forum that only see things in extremes.

There is no blended, just fully private or fully public.

Just like in 24 hours there is no dusk or dawn, just daylight and darkness.

I admit the terminology people use causes me tension. “We need to privatize healthcare!” gives the impression to privatize it all.

“We need to add in some privatized healthcare.” is much more palatable.

The biggest hurdle would be finding the health care professionals to support private and public, the idea makes it sound like public would likely get shortchanged in favour of private. But a shortfall in medical professionals is already a struggle we’re dealing with so it’s not like it would be a new issue.

[Hamloc]

I am in the unique position that my sister is married to an Aussie and as such has lived in Australia for roughly 25 years. We both have Osteo arthritis. She is in better physical shape than me and I have no idea how many thousands of kilometres she has ridden a bicycle. Regardless she had quite painful arthritis in her hip. She had done the same as Landownunder and purchased additional health insurance. She consulted with an Orthopedic surgeon and basically decided when she wanted the operation. She was over 30 when she moved to Australia and certainly is thankful as she has been very pleased with her medical treatment and says watching from afar that access to treatment in Canada’s system would be much less acceptable. Those who constantly complain about a two tier system ignore reality. In my small world I know 1 person who had both hips done in Arizona, one person who went private in Canada where you get pre-op done in Alberta but surgery must be done outside Alberta, in this case Toronto. And another neighbour got their knee replaced in Mexico. A universal system does nothing more than ration services to fit within the provided funds.

[Landdownunder]

Australia's total health expenditure is approximately
9.9% to 10% of its GDP, a figure that includes Medicare, which is primarily government-funded and subsidizes medical services and medicines. While there isn't a separate figure for Medicare as a percentage of GDP, the government's share of total health spending is the main driver of this ratio.?
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme


The PBS helps make medicines cheaper. Without the PBS, medicines would be more expensive. In some cases, they would cost tens of thousands of dollars more.

The PBS lists brand name, generic, biologic and biosimilar ([url]https://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/biosimilar-what-are-biosimilar-medicines[/url]) medicines. There are over 5,200 products on the PBS. All products are shown to be safe and effective before being sold in Australia. Independent medical experts advise on what is added to the PBS.

You only pay some of the cost of most PBS medicines if you are enrolled in Medicare. The Australian Government pays the rest. You pay even less if you have a concession card.

If you spend lots on medicine, the PBS Safety Net ([url]https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/organisations/health-professionals/services/medicare/pbs-safety-net-pharmacists/about-eligible-customers/pbs-safety-net-thresholds[/url]) helps keep costs down. When you reach the Safety Net Threshold amount, prescriptions will cost even less for the rest of the year. Private health insurance


Many Australians have private health insurance cover. There are 2 kinds of cover:

• hospital cover for some (or all) of the costs of hospital treatment as a private patient
• general treatment (‘ancillary’ or ‘extras’) cover for some non-medical health services not covered by Medicare, such as dental, physiotherapy and optical services.

Some people with private health insurance have either hospital cover or extras cover, and some people have both.

The Government provides a means-tested rebate to help you with the cost of your private health insurance.
?

[Landdownunder]

Medicare levyThe levy is about 2% of your taxable income. You pay the levy on top of the tax you pay on your taxable income. Your Medicare levy may reduce if your taxable income is below a certain amount. In some cases, you may not have to pay this levy at all.?
Think this figure is going up to 2.5 in 2027

[Landdownunder]

GP visits did not become completely free but became significantly cheaper for more people as of
November 1, 2025, due to expanded bulk billing incentives. The new government policy aims to make 9 out of 10 GP visits bulk-billed by 2030, allowing more people, including those who weren't previously eligible, to see a GP with no out-of-pocket cost. Key changes as of November 1, 2025:

• Expanded eligibility: The government expanded eligibility for bulk billing incentives to all Medicare-eligible Australians, not just children and concession cardholders.
• New incentives for doctors: General practices that bulk bill all patients can now receive an additional incentive payment. This is intended to help cover the gap between the Medicare rebate and the actual cost of the service.
• Goal for 2030: The policy is expected to increase the rate of bulk-billed GP visits to 90% by 2030.

?I had to go to the surgeon as mentioned above and they sold he at time of booking would be $425 for specialised consult, lucky me was bulk billed though it wouldn't qualify.
Friday have to a MRI specialised again $610 but out od pocket will be $245 rest coved by medicare complicated system at times
Normal day to day X-rays now free covered by medicare

[Landdownunder]

Same with my moms aged care $1578 a fortnight top care top facilities whereas public aged care facilities which I could have her in negotiable costs but way less levels of care again take pressure off public if you can afford it dont leech public system.
Private health expensive yup "why pay for something you dont use is often the call" tis a conundrum. Interesting topic.
Hope you guys dont think im an arrogant arsehat just telling you how I do it.

[farmaholic]

We're overloaded.

Would a nominal fee for service at the entry level of care prevent some unnecessary (GP)doctor visits?

Will urgent care centers reduce the stress on ER?

What about the unnecessary follow up bookings created by doctors themselves? Keep the revolving door revolving ensures a steady high income.
Should the unnecessary follow up appointments to specialists be terminated to reduce waiting lists for people WAITING to see the said specialist, the first time!

What about reducing the bureaucracy of the health-care system?

What about encouraging healthy lifestyles? How many visits to doctors and emergency rooms could be attributed to "lifestyle" health related issues and emergencies? Anyone close to some major cities and had the unfortunate need to visit an ER could attest to seeing what I mean by "lifestyle" emergencies. Seems society has become burdened(very harsh word) with saving people's lives who have no interest in saving their own... drug addiction is very powerful.
I guess society has a moral obligation to try to protect and save wayward people from themselves.

The Healthcare crisis is very complex on many levels.

[Landdownunder]

While private Healthcare seems enticing, it is a failing system in the U.S. with the gutting of Medicare in the U.S. , private Healthcare will become so expensive that large numbers will drop coverage. The result will be a destruction of emergency care, since that will be the only option for those that have no insurance. The only way out is to improve our existing universal Healthcare.

Not really talking about US just telling ya what im doing here PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE dont turn this into a trump covid thread mate gets a little old, do better or block me please feel free

[farmaholic]

Should every prescription refill require a visit to the doctor's office? Especially long established prescriptions in a patient's stabilized health condition?

Shouldn't regular blood work lab tests and some other tests have requisitions given to the patient at their last doctor office visit instead of requiring another appointment just to get the requisition?

There needs to be efficiencies built into the system. Not all health-care abuse is patient based.