anyone else in Oz missing the NHS?

[wattsy1982]

The hospitals in Oz are also really modern and they don't have extortionate parking.

 

Really??? My wife pays $16 a day to park at the hospital she works at...

[Paul1Perth]

How much would each doctor appointment be in oz for example in the last fortnight we've had our 8 month old daughter at the doctors 3 times and myself twice due to illness. Would this be a total of a few hundred dollars/less or more? So on top of medicare levy you're also paying for docs appointment & then any associated medicines.

 

If it was a bulk billing doctor your visits would have cost nothing Keefo, as long as you had your medicare card. You would have to pay for any medication prescribed.

[Skani]

Really??? My wife pays $16 a day to park at the hospital she works at...

 

It varies tremendously from place to place. Our private hospitals have free parking for both staff and patients. The public hospital has no onsite parking but is across the road from a large council car park - and the first 1.5 hours of that is free.

[fairystar32]

Yes it does, we have two local hospitals, one private one public, both free parking, but the ones in the city are really expensive.

It varies tremendously from place to place. Our private hospitals have free parking for both staff and patients. The public hospital has no onsite parking but is across the road from a large council car park - and the first 1.5 hours of that is free.

[Paul1Perth]

Yes it does, we have two local hospitals, one private one public, both free parking, but the ones in the city are really expensive.

 

I worked at Charlie Gairdners back in 92 and you had to pay for parking even then. I used to bike there to save. My wife has worked in a few hospitals and they are all different. Depends how big the hospital is, if it's close to the City, how much parking they have.

 

It's a shame that people abuse free parking areas in hospitals. They have some free parking at the main hospitals in Perth, even the big ones but since parking costs have increased in Perth people who have nothing to do with the hospital get there early, fill the spaces up and then walk in to work. Comes a point when the hospitals have no choice but to charge. Don't agree they should charge staff though. It's a tough call, imagine how many staff they will have at the new Charlies in Perth and the other new hospital. Just to put in a car park for the staff would cost millions.

[Keefo]

If it was a bulk billing doctor your visits would have cost nothing Keefo, as long as you had your medicare card. You would have to pay for any medication prescribed.

 

What is the best way to find out if places like Doctors bulk bill, do you just have to call surgery and ask. Also on another forum somebody mentioned that when you're admitted to hospital the staff ask if you're private or medicare. If you say private then there is still a gap fee you have to pay, if you say medicare would it be free?

Edited May 28, 2014 by Keefo

[fairystar32]

Hi

Most Dr's at least the ones around here have signs in the window saying bulk billed, you can also check websites or ring and ask.

 

If your private at the hospital, not sure how it works, as we have never had private however, yes if you say no to private its bulk billed.

 

What is the best way to find out if places like Doctors bulk bill, do you just have to call surgery and ask. Also on another forum somebody mentioned that when you're admitted to hospital the staff ask if you're private or medicare. If you say private then there is still a gap fee you have to pay, if you say medicare would it be free?

[Keefo]

Hi

Most Dr's at least the ones around here have signs in the window saying bulk billed, you can also check websites or ring and ask.

 

If your private at the hospital, not sure how it works, as we have never had private however, yes if you say no to private its bulk billed.

 

Somebody probably mentioned this already but if bulk billed means free do the doctors charge the health system for the cost. If you say medicare going into hospital making it free what would the point be of private, I'm guessing just for initial scans, specialist appointments etc

[fairystar32]

Yes bulk billled is free.

private means choice of private hospital, choice of DR in public or private and own room ( althgough not always guranteed in a public hospital)

From what I understand via friends who have private they pay every month and they choose their Dr's go in a private hospital so no real wait and the insurance only really covers the hospital stay, so they get charged a whole heap in gap, thousands they have had to pay, hence why we dont bother. as we dont have the gap money anyway.

In public I think they can do a no gap but unsure how it works?

 

 

 

Somebody probably mentioned this already but if bulk billed means free do the doctors charge the health system for the cost. If you say medicare going into hospital making it free what would the point be of private, I'm guessing just for initial scans, specialist appointments etc

[fairystar32]

Oh and I had all my scans, checks, bloods etc.. and still do, with little wait, it depends on whats wrong I guess.

I did however pay private intitally for the first ENT, to get in the system quickly after they found my tumour, to be seen within a week.

Edited May 28, 2014 by fairystar32

[sueandave]

Of course, I feel the same. I really meant on a per capita basis rather than individuals. Obviously some people contribute more and some take more according to income and need. It seems pretty fair to me.

 

You're right about the private companies too - they put in clauses and exclusions which a public health service doesn't do. When you need it and for as long as you need it, it's there.

 

Like Petals I do not miss the NHS, but in honesty, I do not remember it much. We are privately insured also pay our Medicare levy & then the gap payments. and may be soon t be the co -payment.

[northernbird]

I have private health but if I had an accident where I had to be admitted in an emergency I would always say medicare. I would only ever use my private health for hospital treatment if it meant jumping the waiting time for an elective procedure.

[Keefo]

Yes bulk billled is free.

private means choice of private hospital, choice of DR in public or private and own room ( althgough not always guranteed in a public hospital)

From what I understand via friends who have private they pay every month and they choose their Dr's go in a private hospital so no real wait and the insurance only really covers the hospital stay, so they get charged a whole heap in gap, thousands they have had to pay, hence why we dont bother. as we dont have the gap money anyway.

In public I think they can do a no gap but unsure how it works?

 

What state do you live in? Ah Queensland......forget that question. I'm guessing things could be different in WA.

[sueandave]

I have private health but if I had an accident where I had to be admitted in an emergency I would always say medicare. I would only ever use my private health for hospital treatment if it meant jumping the waiting time for an elective procedure.

 

I have noticed in public hospitals there is a sign that says if you can pay with your private hospital cover please do, as then the cost is not then borne by the taxpayer/ Government. I did do this once and had my own room, a newspaper delivered for free each day & some free car parking. I was not a cent out of pocket, just my health fund payment.:smile:

[Paul1Perth]

What is the best way to find out if places like Doctors bulk bill, do you just have to call surgery and ask. Also on another forum somebody mentioned that when you're admitted to hospital the staff ask if you're private or medicare. If you say private then there is still a gap fee you have to pay, if you say medicare would it be free?

 

I guess the easiest way would be ring around your local practices and ask. That's what I did when I got my vasectomy done under bulk billing, I rang around a few places and asked a few people. I think the hospital staff ask on admittance because of the different paperwork they have to fill as well as sometimes your health fund having to pay and sometimes not. We've been to A&E as a family on quite a few occasions. We've all been with one ailment or another and never been charged other than check our medicare cards.

 

I was referred to a specialist a few years ago for some heart checks and that cost a fair bit, most I got back from a mixture of medicare and health funds. All good though and worth paying for the peace of mind it gave me. Our youngest has autism and has been under the same doctor who specialises in it for years, as well as twice yearly visits to the child health centre for assessments. On top of that he has epilepsy so has been to see doctors and specialists about that.

 

The rest of us had to have blood tests and go and see a geneticist, as they found some problems that could have been hereditary. Didn't cost us anything for all the follow up work, the doctors were more interested in doing tests and studies to improve their knowledge and our sons outcomes than they were making money. I know it all has to be paid for out of medicare and I dare say we've had our monies worth.

Edited May 29, 2014 by Paul1Perth

[Keefo]

I guess the easiest way would be ring around your local practices and ask. That's what I did when I got my vasectomy done under bulk billing, I rang around a few places and asked a few people. I think the hospital staff ask on admittance because of the different paperwork they have to fill as well as sometimes your health fund having to pay and sometimes not. We've been to A&E as a family on quite a few occasions. We've all been with one ailment or another and never been charged other than check our medicare cards.

 

I was referred to a specialist a few years ago for some heart checks and that cost a fair bit, most I got back from a mixture of medicare and health funds. All good though and worth paying for the peace of mind it gave me. Our youngest has autism and has been under the same doctor who specialises in it for years, as well as twice yearly visits to the child health centre for assessments. On top of that he has epilepsy so has been to see doctors and specialists about that.

 

The rest of us had to have blood tests and go and see a geneticist, as they found some problems that could have been hereditary. Didn't cost us anything for all the follow up work, the doctors were more interested in doing tests and studies to improve their knowledge and our sons outcomes than they were making money. I know it all has to be paid for out of medicare and I dare say we've had our monies worth.

 

Thanks Paul, it's sounds like they've taken good care of your your son. My nephew has Autism so I know how testing it can be but also how caring & clever the child can be. I don't know about you but in England it took years for them to diagnose him with it.

[Paul1Perth]

Thanks Paul, it's sounds like they've taken good care of your your son. My nephew has Autism so I know how testing it can be but also how caring & clever the child can be. I don't know about you but in England it took years for them to diagnose him with it.

 

Luckily my wife is a qualified child health worker, midwife and nurse. She recognised something "different" with him very early on. Our eldest would sit on the bed from a very early age and make eye contact and watch you lips. The youngest, when we tried to do the same wouldn't make eye contact. would struggle around, didn't want you to hold him, fall off the bed, cry etc etc. The first school and I think even day care before school gave us a bit of feedback about him and by primary school he had a "helper" in class with him a lot. They bought a special desk and chair that sort of wrapped round him and wouldn't let him wriggle about so much. Stopped him messing around with the other kids pencils and stuff and generally being a handful.

 

The schools have been very good with him and he enjoyed going all the way through, which is a big part of growing up.

[fish.01]

Somebody probably mentioned this already but if bulk billed means free do the doctors charge the health system for the cost. If you say medicare going into hospital making it free what would the point be of private, I'm guessing just for initial scans, specialist appointments etc

 

GPs:

 

All are private.

 

All are paid a rebate by the govt medicare system per consultation.

 

Some accept just the govt medicare rebate amount so the cost to you is $0. This is named bulk billing.

 

Some charge a "gap" so you pay the amount above the rebate.

 

Some bulk bill everyone, some bulk bill children and pensioners only.

 

 

Specialists:

 

Some specialist are private, some are public.

 

Private specialists are paid a rebate by the govt medicare system. You pay the gap between this and the private specialists fee. They are usually quicker to get an appointment with. They usually charge a bigger gap for the 1st appointment.

 

Public specialists are situated in the outpatients of a public hospital just like the NHS. They are free (i.e. bulk bill).

 

When being referred by your GP you choose whether the be referred to a private or free public specialist. If you say nothing they will usually refer you privately assuming you want to avoid the wait.

 

 

Hospitals:

Some hospitals are private, some are public.

 

if you go to a public hospital both your doctors fees and hospital accommodation is free...medicare system covers everything, very similar to NHS.

 

If you decide to use a private hospital you get to choose your own private doctor to do your surgery. You also usually get to jump the public hospital queue. The private hospital accommodation is usually fully covered by your private hospital insurance. The doctors fees are covered by a combination of:

1. govt medicare rebate

2. your private hospital insurance

3. a gap that you pay

 

Some doctors will accept some of their patients as No Gap patients. You can check your private insurers website to get an idea of which doctors have done this in the past.

 

Note we are talking about in hospital fees only. The fees they charge when you see in them in their private rooms leading up to your operation are charged as per the "Specialists" section above.

[Keefo]

Thanks fish, very informative.

[Guest Guest66881]

Looks like the old NHS is going to be privatized, basing their idea on American and Australian models apparently?

[Guest Andy]

Looks like the old NHS is going to be privatized, basing their idea on American and Australian models apparently?

I am not sure what the answer for the NHS is Paul but I do know something needs to change as currently it is in turmoil, and people are dying because of the state it is in and the way it is going it will only get worse.