Your Doctor - an opinion I think worth considering

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Originally Posted by Arch

I pay the medicare levy surcharge for this reason.

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I pay for medical insurance as I have experience of both private and public, and the private is a much nicer, quicker and more efficient experience, probably with better outcomes.

Also worth knowing is even if you are admitted to a public hospital, but then have misgivings you can be transferred to a private one as happened to a friend of mine, who went to a govt. A&E dept. that I think failed to diagnose his condition, so a few weeks later went to another ED and was admitted to a public hospital was then told they'd need to operate, at which point he said words to the effect of "Bulldust get me an ambulance and transfer me to a private hospital!", which duly happened, and he was very happy with his op and recovery.

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Originally Posted by RANDLOVER

I pay for medical insurance as I have experience of both private and public, and the private is a much nicer, quicker and more efficient experience, probably with better outcomes.

who went to a govt. A&E dept. that I think failed to diagnose his condition, so a few weeks later went to another ED and was admitted to a public hospital was then told they'd need to operate, at which point he said words to the effect of "Bulldust get me an ambulance and transfer me to a private hospital!", which duly happened, and he was very happy with his op and recovery.

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That is exactly what happened to me,although i didnt have an op.Get me out of here i told them.
The nurse in the Ambulance told me what the issue was,the driver radioed ahead,and they were all ready by the time i got there,at the private hospital.
That was after being at the public hospital for 7 hours and seeing two different Doctors who had no idea what the **** they were doing.

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Originally Posted by Roverlord off road spares

Mario was lucky with his doctor, where he worked at a clinic,and the clinic decided not to do bulk bulking any more. But his doctor made the bill to go bulk billing system, so Mario and I never had to pay . As I was on a part pension carer and he was on my heath card card. AS I am not on the part pension carers any more, I went to the doctor yesterday and I had to pay $66 which I will get most of it back through medicare. The girl at the desk told me that the doctor had lower his bill so I wont be out of pocket to much, maybe $6.00. Once I get thing sorted out here financially, I will be a self retiree, and I will be able to get a low heath care card through centerlink

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We are Private Heather. We bulk bill a lot for the reasons you know well. Doctors are not greedy sods. They should be paid for the occasionally very distressing hard work they do. Like you I am fairly sure Mario's Doctor (s) are upset with not being able to help.

What I hate is the people who could demanding they do not pay their Doctor. [bigwhistle] People are mostly reasonable. Not always and not everyone. I suspect happily 95% of us are as cool as you are.

PS I love Nurses but know the Knowledge and training are significantly different- Add I am having really nice chemist put a needle in my arm Monday- 3 months post Covid I get the up to date one Bulk Billed by law - Not unhappy with that but note I cannot afford to keep doing the time and red tape Covid vaccines add to our work load[bighmmm]

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Originally Posted by Arch

If the GPs are finding a bit hard and the job is not meeting their pay or lifestyle expectations, maybe it's time to expand the role of nurses to take on some of the duties a GP provides.

I'm sure an extra career path for nurses would solve a lot of problems in the General Practice space while going some distance to address the pay problem for experienced nurses.

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I understood Practice Nurses were already able to take the strain especially on minor matters.

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Originally Posted by NavyDiver

We are Private Heather. We bulk bill a lot for the reasons you know well. Doctors are not greedy sods. They should be paid for the occasionally very distressing hard work they do. Like you I am fairly sure Mario's Doctor (s) are upset with not being able to help.

What I hate is the people who could demanding they do not pay their Doctor. [bigwhistle] People are mostly reasonable. Not always and not everyone. I suspect happily 95% of us are as cool as you are.

PS I love Nurses but know the Knowledge and training are significantly different- Add I am having really nice chemist put a needle in my arm Monday- 3 months post Covid I get the up to date one Bulk Billed by law - Not unhappy with that but note I cannot afford to keep doing the time and red tape Covid vaccines add to our work load[bighmmm]

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Yes, Mario had a talk to his doctor, when the clinic took bulk bill off, and Mario was quite happy to pay the the new price, but he kept it going through the health care card. He did tell us what he get out of the bulk bill, which isn't that much, but by the time he pays the clinic as well it isn't much at all. I would like to see these people that complain about paying live on the money that doctor get to keep on the bulk billing system, and paying the clinic. And his doctor was upset about not being able to help Mario and it just came down to pain management in the end. And the last 5 month was hard for him to watch the MSA progressing faster every time he saw him.

How many years of Uni is it to become a Doctor? 5 or 6?
Then I guess they have a year or 2 of practical on site training before they could do much.
Then they get over worked, underpaid & abused.

If it was me I would do Law or Engineering at Uni - not Doctoring.
Jonesfam

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Originally Posted by jonesfam

How many years of Uni is it to become a Doctor? 5 or 6?
Then I guess they have a year or 2 of practical on site training before they could do much.
Then they get over worked, underpaid & abused.

If it was me I would do Law or Engineering at Uni - not Doctoring.
Jonesfam

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Dunno, mate. Most doctors I know are beneficial to the community. [biggrin]

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Originally Posted by NavyDiver

Fully understand that yet I do see times when it fails in a major and hurtful way.

Knees, hips, plastic surgery (Elective Surgery) and many other "hospital Out patients services" from public hospitals are usually very very long waiting lists.

A bike riding lady in hospital with me is in the public waiting list line again and again and again even now 3 years after our injuries. She was hurt significantly less than I was. She is struggling to get the care needed in the public system as she had no insurance at all. She was as fit as I was before. That is not true now due to the public out patients care she is still waiting for.

All most every one with chronic pain/mobility in those public waiting list suffers. Those with insurance going private cut that time frame by years often.

Public Emergency care is just fanatic in the public sector for heart attacks and cancer!

I love Royal Melbourne Hospital for sticking me back together. I did need help which was urgent but not an emergency an I could not get if from them. I broke one of the screws holding the titanium rod in my leg (tibia). Letters and multiple phone calls to the hospital where completely ignored! The helpful phone person was honest that the surgical area phone was never answered as they where to busy!

Perhaps had I called an ambulance it may have been different. Insurance had me fixed very quickly in the Private sector.

I get to see many people in the "No Insurance" group who really wish they had insurance for chronic but not emergency injuries and issues. That is a place not to be if you can avoid it.

This is possibly much more important as we get older and more likely to have chronic issues!

Not suggesting this is OK- It is true and known often after the chronic but not emergency injuries and issues are found!

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Private health has some advantages for those who can afford it. But for those who can't, the system treats them as second class.

I'm in the no insurance group as I don't believe in the profiteering by multinationals in an essential public service, the gov subsidies in private health (the Herny Review was clear that the money could be better spend in the public system), and the queue jumping - paying to get treatments faster.

The health system here is in dire need of a rethink. Maybe a national conversation without the industry lobbyists on the hill. A greater role for nurses would be a start, a real world medicare rebate and redirecting the private health subsidies to the public health system. Let's not mention the Federation and big issues there. I don't how we deal with the entitlement issues among some of those who graduate with a Dr as their title. Nurses, teachers, etc work hard days as well.

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Originally Posted by Arch

Private health has some advantages for those who can afford it. But for those who can't, the system treats them as second class.

I'm in the no insurance group as I don't believe in the profiteering by multinationals in an essential public service......

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You could join a members only fund like Find a Members Own Health Fund - Members Own or Find a fund - Members Health although they can be bought up by other funds which is what happened to me, I was in AHM but they were made an offer that was too good to refuse according to most of the voting members, so even though I voted "No" I ended up receiving $2000 IIRC.

I must be unique!

I've never had health insurance and never had a problem with the public health system in Queensland. :spudnikbackflip: