On government-funded healthcare

[nicked_metal]

It's distressing to read that the_ferrett had to take a guess at whether he was having a heart attack, because he couldn't afford to blow $5,000 on a false alarm. Like most Australians, I pay 1.5% of my income towards universal health insurance. (Low income people don't pay, but are still insured. High income people can either pay an extra percentage, or

Comments

[smeddley]

Because our government 1) seems to think they can actually fund it WITHOUT imposing a tax, like every other "socialized" medicine country does (and, to be fair, a lot of those other countries - see: places in Europe other than Germany - don't have enough money even with a much higher tax) and 2) our government is pretty inept at running everything medical they have (see: medicare and medicaid). There are some fixes that a lot of people (other than politicians) seem to think are a good idea: allowing inter-state coverage, so companies like Gieco and State Farm could bundle your home, life, and auto with your healtchare, therefore reducing the overall risk pool and lowering your premiums, and tort reform, to reduce malpractice claims (which, please, you can't say isn't a reason health care is so expensive in this country, since a doctor can pay thousands in malpractice insurance each month, as opposed to the hundreds paid by my vet - which is probably one reason my dog can have outpatient surgery for $300 and it costs $3000 for me

[nicked_metal]

I guess that's the thing about the Australian system. I don't know how they set about establishing a fair price for all of the procedures and consultations in the Medical Benefits Schedule (there's a ton of them), but the government pays out a fixed price for everything that's on the list. Doctors can charge what they like, but many of them (particularly in poorer areas) charge exactly what the government pays. Hospitals always charge what the government pays for emergency procedures. It works well.

Frighteningly enough, Australians launch more lawsuits per capita than Americans - although we have a far greater variety of protective laws, so it's possible that malpractice lawsuits are more common in the states. "Ambulance Chasing" doesn't seem to be a thing in Australia.

[smeddley]

See, I find that weird - my insurance company dictates what the doctors can charge*. So, say I'm on vacation and have to go to a doctor that's not my normal doctor - as long as they accept my insurance, I know it will always only cost me a $20 copay. I suppose competition in most places (and you'd hope the basic human compassion) would keep doctors from price-gouging in rural areas with limited access to health care, but... I don't really think it wouldn't happen here. I rather think there would be some very unscrupulous doctors setting up in low-service areas

[nicked_metal]

I did some reading on Obamacare, and I can see that there's a bunch of problems with it, and I can believe that there are some serious problems with it. The fundamental problem, I think, is that there's a belief that competition in the health insurance industry is in the public interest - Obamacare provides so many choices that administering it looks like a nightmare. Ironically, here where we have less choice regarding health insurance, we have better health insurance. And an extremely powerful health insurer who is able to pressure the medical industry to keep costs down.

While I think the Australian solution would be a massive step forward in the USA, I can't imagine it happening - too 'socialist'. Not to mention that ever since 1975, the private health insurance companies in Australia have struggled desperately for survival - the government health insurance is so good, that most people don't see the point in private health cover.

[nicked_metal]

The experience does look awful. To me, it looks like the AHA is the result of compromises made to get the legislation through, in a country where 'socialized' and 'liberal' are used as insults. Joe McCarthy seems to cast a very long and destructive shadow.

[rainbow_gash]

you still alive over there? :3