Health Out of Pocket Costs in Australia $24 Billion A Year

[flag of convenience]

Just heard this figure over ABC radio. What I found particularly interesting was the fact that Australians pay double the medical costs of France, UK, and even USA.

The state of age care is rather wanting as well. The question is why are costs so much higher in Australia than a lot of the world?

[Guest littlesarah]

In my opinion, it's because health professionals set their own prices, so as long as they're all charging about the same they can fix the prices at whatever level they want to.

[flag of convenience]

Another interesting fact being cancer drugs. Even with Australia's high out of pocket medical costs along with high medical costs being up near worlds most expensive, a lot of cancer drugs available in other countries are not available here in Australia.

The cancer expert discussing this clearly stated that there is a two tier system in Australia with regards to treatment.

Germany is very advanced in providing modern medical treatment of this disease in providing the latest available .

The state of treatment really needs to be opened up in this country as there seems to be a degree of silence on the matter.

[blossom]

Doctors seem to want to make money from you here. For example, in the uk, you have a smear, they send the results out by letter (be it good or bad telling you to make an appointment). The cost, a stamp. Here, they make you have an appointment just for them to spend 10 seconds telling you.

 

Same with infections I've had. They for two different things gave me antibiotics, but told me to come back in. If I'm better, why on earth do I need to go back in?

 

Then there is things like skin rashes, which my gp in the up would always treat. Here they go to send you to a specialist straight away (except that means a 2-3 month wait!).

 

The adverts on tv about how great Medicare is do annoy me. Sure, many other countries would love it, but it certainly isn't a patch on the nhs.

[Peach]

Doctors seem to want to make money from you here. For example, in the uk, you have a smear, they send the results out by letter (be it good or bad telling you to make an appointment). The cost, a stamp. Here, they make you have an appointment just for them to spend 10 seconds telling you.

 

Same with infections I've had. They for two different things gave me antibiotics, but told me to come back in. If I'm better, why on earth do I need to go back in?

 

Then there is things like skin rashes, which my gp in the up would always treat. Here they go to send you to a specialist straight away (except that means a 2-3 month wait!).

 

The adverts on tv about how great Medicare is do annoy me. Sure, many other countries would love it, but it certainly isn't a patch on the nhs.

 

I think you need to see a different Dr: as a family we have experienced my partner having a smear - and the Drs reception calling her back with the results. When I had a blood test, the doc phoned me himself with the results. Both kids have been prescribed antibiotics without the need for a follow up. My eldest saw the Dr with a skin complaint (molluscum contagiosum) and the doc delt with it directly.

[Paul1Perth]

Another interesting fact being cancer drugs. Even with Australia's high out of pocket medical costs along with high medical costs being up near worlds most expensive, a lot of cancer drugs available in other countries are not available here in Australia.

The cancer expert discussing this clearly stated that there is a two tier system in Australia with regards to treatment.

Germany is very advanced in providing modern medical treatment of this disease in providing the latest available .

The state of treatment really needs to be opened up in this country as there seems to be a degree of silence on the matter.

 

My wife works in oncology and the hospital has public and private patients. The cost of the drugs is really expensive, for all of them. What makes them cheap to patients is if they are on the Pharmaceutical benefits scheme then they don't cost the patient much at all, the government and out medicare charges pays for them.

What is strange is that the only benefit the private patients get is they can pick the day and time they come and see the oncologist at the same time. Public patients have to fit in with what's available (always get in to get the required treatment though) and maybe have to make a separate appointment if they need to see the oncologist.

 

When the private funds are running up to the max though the patients then have to pay lots of out of pocket or switch to being public. Most obviously switch.

 

I can't see how Australias costs are more than America. I've never been there myself but have seen many films and documentaries where people have been turned away from hospitals as they didn't have the right or no cover. I can't imagine that happening at an Aussie hospital, the times I've been to A&E here and had brilliant service for me, the kids, my wife are numerous. None of those visits has cost us anything.

 

Our doctor bulk bills, I had a checkup and blood tests this week, cost nothing. I had my vasectomy done under bulk billing, again free. :cool:

 

Maybe we've just been lucky but I don't think that's the case.

[Guest littlesarah]

I'm not sure that Australians pay double the amount of our American cousins. I know that for the procedure I had to have this year, I paid only for the imaging (which cost me around $200); whereas friends in similar situations in the US face bills of several thousand dollars to cover their out of pocket expenses. At least 2 women I know have decided to delay trying to start a family until they pay off the bills incurred from losing a pregnancy or two.

[Wellers and Whitehead]

When I visited the doctor in Sydney for the first time, I said I had no idea what bulk biking was etc, he went onto tell me that they get money for every patient, he warned me of doctors asking me to keep going back, saying this often happened with the elderly, some doctors would get them to keep coming in, hence the doctor getting paid for each visit.

[flag of convenience]

I think you need to see a different Dr: as a family we have experienced my partner having a smear - and the Drs reception calling her back with the results. When I had a blood test, the doc phoned me himself with the results. Both kids have been prescribed antibiotics without the need for a follow up. My eldest saw the Dr with a skin complaint (molluscum contagiosum) and the doc delt with it directly.

Where do you live in Australia? It sounds a little like the old fashioned treatment I remember as a kid here. Certainly nothing remotely in my experience like that in recent times.

The best I can manage is that the receptionist phoned me up to advice me that the results had come in and would I like to make an appointment.

Rather agree with Blossom, a money making procedure by many if not most.

[Peach]

Where do you live in Australia? It sounds a little like the old fashioned treatment I remember as a kid here. Certainly nothing remotely in my experience like that in recent times.

The best I can manage is that the receptionist phoned me up to advice me that the results had come in and would I like to make an appointment.

Rather agree with Blossom, a money making procedure by many if not most.

 

I'm in Canberra - this is the surgery who we use: http://www.floreymedical.com.au/

 

To add, I recently made an appointment for an ingrown big toenail and was expecting a referral. Instead the Dr said "Shall we take it off now?" and with the assistance of the nurse he removed it. Amazingly the follow up appointment to change the dressing was free.

[Quoll]

There is, of course the PBS safety net so you don't keep on forking out over the $1500(abt) for prescriptions and then the tax rebate for out of pocket expenses over the threshold. There is some safety net but, in general, I agree - the docs set the market prices and you pay. It's the way the system is designed - its a co-pay not universal free health care.

[flag of convenience]

My wife works in oncology and the hospital has public and private patients. The cost of the drugs is really expensive, for all of them. What makes them cheap to patients is if they are on the Pharmaceutical benefits scheme then they don't cost the patient much at all, the government and out medicare charges pays for them.

What is strange is that the only benefit the private patients get is they can pick the day and time they come and see the oncologist at the same time. Public patients have to fit in with what's available (always get in to get the required treatment though) and maybe have to make a separate appointment if they need to see the oncologist.

 

When the private funds are running up to the max though the patients then have to pay lots of out of pocket or switch to being public. Most obviously switch.

 

I can't see how Australias costs are more than America. I've never been there myself but have seen many films and documentaries where people have been turned away from hospitals as they didn't have the right or no cover. I can't imagine that happening at an Aussie hospital, the times I've been to A&E here and had brilliant service for me, the kids, my wife are numerous. None of those visits has cost us anything.

 

Our doctor bulk bills, I had a checkup and blood tests this week, cost nothing. I had my vasectomy done under bulk billing, again free. :cool:

 

Maybe we've just been lucky but I don't think that's the case.

 

We apparently miss out on some of the latest cancer drugs due to expense. The Pharmaceutical Scheme has limitations to what is on offer. It is on cost as to whether it is included in the Scheme or not.

 

I found it odd America's cost is doubles Australia's but what it is a good number of folk there have coverage paid by their company. As such the latest expensive drugs are available as the tab is picked up. It appears to expensive for health insurers here or to get approval here.

What happens in Germany is that drugs once approved as safe to use are given to patents before the trials are completed as to how effective they are and regardless of cost which no doubt explains the reason there are so many healthy aged in that country. At least in part. Another reason is great after care treatment which has been slimmed back a little due to costs but still very good.

 

I have not found a doctor that bulk bills around the inner city for ages. Where I go all work part time and get as many in as possible.

[flag of convenience]

There is, of course the PBS safety net so you don't keep on forking out over the $1500(abt) for prescriptions and then the tax rebate for out of pocket expenses over the threshold. There is some safety net but, in general, I agree - the docs set the market prices and you pay. It's the way the system is designed - its a co-pay not universal free health care.

 

Yes there is but the government puts a cap on certain medication in an attempt to reign in the massive expense, yet we still remain expensive.

[flag of convenience]

I'm in Canberra - this is the surgery who we use: http://www.floreymedical.com.au/

 

To add, I recently made an appointment for an ingrown big toenail and was expecting a referral. Instead the Dr said "Shall we take it off now?" and with the assistance of the nurse he removed it. Amazingly the follow up appointment to change the dressing was free.

 

All I can state is that you have very good service. Nothing free where I go and often not even there the six or seven minutes, more or less in and out and still charged the $75 (half I pay)

[Jurls]

There is, of course the PBS safety net so you don't keep on forking out over the $1500(abt) for prescriptions and then the tax rebate for out of pocket expenses over the threshold. There is some safety net but, in general, I agree - the docs set the market prices and you pay. It's the way the system is designed - its a co-pay not universal free health care.

 

 

PBS safety net general threshold is currently $1390.60 and for concessions it is $354.00 :wink:

[starlight7]

I think the Australian system needs a good overhaul because it is very patchy and certainly a lot worse than it used to be . There seems to be no uniformity about services at all and the gap between private costs and what you get back on claims is getting bigger all the time. I have got to the stage where I think they are after your money and your health is often a poor second.

[Petals]

Private health used to cover us completely years ago but this is not the case now. The docs can charge what they like over and above and we have to pay it if we want to use the doc and the service.

 

I have paid out nearly 20 grand this year with my oh illness and my own op.

[starlight7]

Private health used to cover us completely years ago but this is not the case now. The docs can charge what they like over and above and we have to pay it if we want to use the doc and the service.

 

I have paid out nearly 20 grand this year with my oh illness and my own op.

That is really terrible- we are getting more like the US every day!

[Alaska]

I think we must be pretty lucky here then.

DD had a abscess on her toe. Walked in to make an appointment and they saw her straight away - all bulk billing. Antibiotics prescribed (about $18). No follow up needed unless we had any further problems.

DS needed a urine sample tested - all bulk billing. Said they would call if there were any problems otherwise all was fine. I did follow up and it was all ok.

I had tonsillitis - appointment bulk billed. Antibiotics prescribed ($9.99). No follow up necessary.

 

I haven't quite worked out how everything works yet in terms of scans etc. DS was referred for a stomach scan (getting a lot of tummyaches). I got him in the next working day. It was about $190 with half back from Medicare. I am guessing this is standard? I don't know the system well enough to know yet.

[Guest littlesarah]

I'm in Canberra - this is the surgery who we use: http://www.floreymedical.com.au/

 

To add, I recently made an appointment for an ingrown big toenail and was expecting a referral. Instead the Dr said "Shall we take it off now?" and with the assistance of the nurse he removed it. Amazingly the follow up appointment to change the dressing was free.

 

Did he remove the whole nail? And did he cauterise/remove the nail matrix? (If so, you're most likely fixed for good, if not you may find the nail grows back). If you'd seen a podiatrist you could probably have kept most of the nail plate. But of course, you'd have had to pay for the privilege. :wink:

[Peach]

Did he remove the whole nail? And did he cauterise/remove the nail matrix? (If so, you're most likely fixed for good, if not you may find the nail grows back). If you'd seen a podiatrist you could probably have kept most of the nail plate. But of course, you'd have had to pay for the privilege. :wink:

 

I had a full phenol avulsion of my other big toenail years ago back in the UK, so I was a little disappointed that he has just left the nail to grow back. That said, I figure that it took nearly forty years to go bad - so if it doesn't give me trouble for another 40 years I've had a result.

[Guest littlesarah]

I had a full phenol avulsion of my other big toenail years ago back in the UK, so I was a little disappointed that he has just left the nail to grow back. That said, I figure that it took nearly forty years to go bad - so if it doesn't give me trouble for another 40 years I've had a result.

 

And if it does, you can always see a podiatrist for a PNA with matrix phenolisation! :cute:

[Quoll]

Private health used to cover us completely years ago but this is not the case now. The docs can charge what they like over and above and we have to pay it if we want to use the doc and the service.

 

I have paid out nearly 20 grand this year with my oh illness and my own op.

Ouch! Hope you are both in the peak of condition now!!!