Bulk billing is dead. Not a good time to be in Australia if you are sick

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Caramac, I was talking about myself and myself only and what I'm doing.

 

If you want to ignore it and smoke and drink to excess go ahead.

 

Cancer doesn't come out of thin air though, something causes it.

 

Anyway it is a healthy lifestyle for me which I think is a lot more likely to protect me against cancer than not doing so.

She was talking about a 5yr old child who just died, I doubt he was a smoker or drunk in excess :no:

[Paul1Perth]

So, at the risk of preempting ParleyCross's next post, and to put it in terms which are quite terse:

 

How can someone who has found the money to feed their gut to the point of ill-health then claim poverty when it comes to finding 7$ for the GP?

 

[i've got my flame proof Y fronts on, so fire away]

 

Problem is though Xenon it's cheaper and easier to feed yourself and kids take away fattenening food than it is to buy stuff fresh and cook it.

[Que Sera Sera]

Ok I have never done any of the above, smoke, drugs, alcohol I use to have one glass a year, no where near fumes, Aussie sun, low fat diet, hate sugar, but ended up with Cervical cancer twice and esophagal cancer and now they have found a lump in the 10% of stomach I have left, I currently live on 400 calories a day, ok I can't exercise now because I'm to weak.

I have been told I have the lungs of a 80yr old in the past yet I've never in my life smoked.

So according to you its all my fault and I should have been able to stop this happening?

:hug::hug: Thinking if you Kate , sometimes I'm lost for words as there just are none.:wubclub:

[Paul1Perth]

Yup and if you go $1 over $180,000 which is highly likely with o/time etc it goes up to 45% - Just saying

 

Only for the portion over $180,000 though, isn't it.

[Paul1Perth]

When you are going to make comments like this

 

 

 

You really have no room to accuse anyone else of tarring a certain group with one brush as below.

 

 

 

I for one have no idea what free lunches and champagne you could be referring to.

 

I guess that puts you in the higher socio economic group then Rupert. You're missing out mate.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

I'm sorry to be offensive but McDonalds does attract a large proportion of lower socio economic types.

 

Maybe Your child likes bland food because he is fed fast foods?

That is a load of rubbish, we live in a affluent area and mcdonalds is always full. Like Shelly my kids would live there if I let them. I agree the food is crap though.

[Paul1Perth]

If you're chronically ill you probably can't go months without medicare (or water) so anything that could make the service less accessible to people surely has the potential to contribute to more end stage associated pathologies which can't be good 

 

For example diabetic complications (personal experience so I might be a little subjective).

People don't always deserve to be ill or to live with lifelong diseases.

 

Diabetes (type 1) does not care if you are rich or poor. I'm sure I would be fine, albeit I detest spending money full stop lol. However it could deter some people from having regular checks that could be preventative of blindness, kidney failure etc.

 

All of this is free in the UK and some people still don't use it which is frustrating, but it's a shame if those who want help are put off for finacial reasons.

 

Just sayin xxxxx

 

I know it's supposed to be free in the UK but I spoke to my 93 year old Dad last night. He had an operation on his eye to replace a lens last year. They did a great job, he was almost blind in one eye and they even fixed up his vision so well that he didn't have to wear glasses. A couple of years down the track the lens has moved and his vision has been so blurred that he can't keep his balance, has bad headaches and feels sick most of the time. It's really made him depressed. He's been back to see the same doctor who did the first op but this time he had to wait a month for an appointment, for the doctor to confirm that the lens had moved and he needed another op to put it back in place. He would have had to wait till July or August so he decided to pay to have it done.

 

4,0000 pounds. He's got it as they are so house bound that they never get out to spend anything so it's not really a problem financially.

[Paul1Perth]

Ok Pom Queen, my recipe for not getting cancer is as follows:

 

1. Don't Smoke

2. Don't take illicit drugs

3. Partake in alcohol only moderately

4. Eat a balanced low fat diet

5. Avoid adding salt to any food

6. Minimise sugar intake

7. Exercise regularly.

8. Don't hang around in environments that have known carcinogens - avoid petrol fumes, paint fumes any other fumes

9. Protect yourself from the Aussie Sun appropriatly.

 

I think doing these will protect me from cancer.

I'm nearly 50 and no cancer yet so time will tell, but if you go against these you are probably a lot more likely to get cancer than me.

 

Just goes to show you can't pick who will and who won't have cancer. My Dad was a chain smoker until about 45 years old, when he had to quit cold turkey as he could hardly breath. He has never worried about what he and Mum ate, love salt and sugar, are both overweight, never known Dad to be less than 15 stone, Hasn't exercised in years as he had a bad knee from a work accident, worked for the coal board for most of his life and hasn't had a sign of cancer. He's in his mid 90's.

[Paul1Perth]

Yes Tina, but the point is it would come into force in something like 20 years time, not those about to retire.

 

Anyway Tony Abbott has said it won't happen at all.

 

 

Personally speaking, I wan't to keep my money in Super as long as possible.

It is a concessionally taxed environment, earnings are only taxed at 15% in the fund, so if you have a large amount in Super it is best to leave it there.

That is what I will do.

 

And you believed him.:laugh:

[Paul1Perth]

Mcdonalds is not full of poor people , my kids would live in there , I carnt cook but I have life skills I'm not a great cooker should I say ,

 

 

I can can run rings round most people who have these so called life skill because they tend to have no common sense .

 

my youngest won't eat salad or fruit only banana he has everything plain , I end up cooking separate meals because he won't eat onions , mushrooms , ect ... He won't eat beef but he will eat a meat and potato pie lol , kids will change when they are ready , my eldest wouldn't touch salad when he was younger , he does now loves it . Kids are kids .

 

But out macdonalds to say it's full of poor is rubbish .:biggrin:

 

There's a maccas on Stirling Highway near work and near a couple of the poshest private schools in WA. Try to get in there at lunch time. It's packed with students from both the private schools nearby.

[Xenon4017]

Problem is though Xenon it's cheaper and easier to feed yourself and kids take away fattenening food than it is to buy stuff fresh and cook it.

 

Well, easier, certainly. Cheaper? Probably not much in it either way, to be honest. Fresh food in season is quite cheap, but we still live in a country where steak is cheaper than salad.

 

But, put your hand on your heart. Do you think the parents of obese kids think "You know, I'd love to make a fruit salad, but it's just too expensive so we're off down Maccas"? Or is it the convenience, and the marketing that motivates them?

[Katie22]

I did a sponsored FebFast where I gave up alcohol & sugar for the month of February - the alcohol was easy but sugar was so hard - there's sugar in just about everything nowadays and that seems to be the main culprit for obesity. The big companies are reducing fat but adding sugar. Boy was I happy when 1st March came along!

[ramot]

Ok I have never done any of the above, smoke, drugs, alcohol I use to have one glass a year, no where near fumes, Aussie sun, low fat diet, hate sugar, but ended up with Cervical cancer twice and esophagal cancer and now they have found a lump in the 10% of stomach I have left, I currently live on 400 calories a day, ok I can't exercise now because I'm to weak.

I have been told I have the lungs of a 80yr old in the past yet I've never in my life smoked.

So according to you its all my fault and I should have been able to stop this happening?

 

Oh Kate I have only just read your post, sending you lots of love and support, M

[Skani]

 

If I were to suggest that your daughters could ease their current financial burden by taking a bank loan, then taking another loan to pay off the interest, you'd think I was mad.

 

If I were to suggest that a person could ease their financial burden by pawning their kids' Christmas presents and stealing from their money boxes instead of selling the 6 Maseratis sitting in the garage, you'd think I was mad.

[Xenon4017]

If I were to suggest that a person could ease their financial burden by pawning their kids' Christmas presents and stealing from their money boxes instead of selling the 6 Maseratis sitting in the garage, you'd think I was mad.

 

Selling off valuable assets? Well, it's one way to balance the books. But it's also not sustainable. You only have 6 cars. Sooner or later your outgoings will be throttled back by your income. It's an unfortunate, but inescapable mathematical fact.

[flag of convenience]

Unfortunately that is the rationale that many smokers live by.

 

They say they know of healthy people who have never smoked and got cancer. This is their justification for continuing to smoke themselves.

Regardless true though. While smokers may expose themselves to a greater risk they are hardly unique in cancer stakes.

[VERYSTORMY]

First, macas and all other fast food companies do target lower socio economic groups as they are more likely to spend more times - the business model of these companies does not base on the amount of money per purchase but instead on the amount of purchasers per person.

 

One of the big issues is that people have stopped cooking and teaching their children about cooking and food in general. This results in an over use of processed foods and take away food. The kids then grow up knowing know difference.

 

I personally find it very sad and I hate it when I here people say it is too hard / too expensive to cook from scratch, when it is actually cheaper and as quick.

[Parley]

The trouble with that attitude though is that people will not take any responsibility for their own health if they choose to pick out examples like yours.

It justifies people thinking nothing they do can make a difference so why bother.

But i think we probably know many more examples of people who have suffered through not doing those things.

[Shellybingobingo]

Well I look at it like this aslong as my kids are happy , respectful to others , have manners , the rest they will change and they do change their food habits as you get older .

 

Fat or not they are still nice people , poor or rich still nice people , people are not fat just because of what they eat it could be medical how many think that when they see a big person .

 

Im im guilty too of looking at a big person and thinking omg what do they look like , you can be big and classy though if you dress appropriately for size .

 

If you read everything that's bad for you , you wouldn't eat or drink nothing , kids of today don't want a al a carte menu , and yes a lot of it is down to busy lifestyles .

 

Who are these perfect halo parents , or who are perfect people for that matter . What's perfect for you may not be perfect for someone else . Aslong has ya happy eat blimming donuts all day .

[starlight7]

I think attacking fatties has become the new racism . There are any number of reasons why people are overweight- who are we to take the moral high ground and condemn them?

[Harpodom]

Nice summary of the issues:

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-20/co-payment-an-unacceptable-penalty-says-gp/5465814

[Harpodom]

The RACGP's latest statement on the matter:

 

http://www.racgp.org.au/yourracgp/news/news/racgp-update-on-proposed-co-payment/

 

[h=2]RACGP update on proposed co-payment[/h] 21 May 2014

Following the 2014 Federal Budget announcement last week there has been much discussion surrounding the announcement of a $7 co-payment for general practice services.

The RACGP has listened to your questions. To help alleviate some of the confusion the RACGP has developed some advice for general practitioners on how the co-payment will be administered. The RACGP will be seeking further clarification from the government, Department of Health and other related professional bodies and will continue to communicate clarifications to you via Fridayfacts and its Facebook and Twitter pages.

[h=4]What has been put forward in the Budget?[/h] The Federal Government has included a $7 co-payment, to come into effect 1 July 2015, in its 2014 Federal Budget last week. The co-payment model consists of a reduction in Medicare Benefit Schedule (MBS) patient rebates for standard general practice consultations by $5, including practice consultations, residential aged care visits and home visits. The $7 general practice co-payment is intended to cover the difference between the reduced and current MBS rebate, with the patient paying the $5, and provide an additional $2 directly to the general practitioner.

General practitioners charging the $7 co-payment for concession card holders and patients under the age of 16 will receive an additional $6 (or $9 in rural areas) ‘Low Gap Incentive’, which replaces the current bulk-billing incentive for these services. For concession card holders and patients under the age of 16, the reduced MBS rebate will only apply to the first 10 services, after which point the MBS rebate will return to the current benefit level. After reaching 10 services, general practitioners who choose not to charge these patients an additional co-payment will continue to receive the Low Gap Incentive.

Under the proposed co-payment model, general practitioners can choose to:

 

 

• charge patients the $7 co-payment, regardless of their concessional status or age
  
• waive the co-payment. In this case the general practitioner accepts a reduction of $5 for each service, and forgoes the Low Gap Incentive for concession card holders and patients under the age of 16. This results in the reduction of MBS rebates and incentives of up to $11 for urban and $14 for rural consultations
  
• privately bill patients at the current or an alternative rate; however patients will be out-of-pocket an additional $5 to cover the reduced MBS rebate.
  

 

Any pathology and/or diagnostic imaging related to these item numbers will also incur the reduced MBS rebate. The RACGP understands that patients will be charged the $7 co-payment when presenting to the collection centre or diagnostic imaging service.

General practice health assessments, chronic disease management, Telehealth and mental health treatment MBS item numbers will not incur a $5 reduction in MBS patient rebates.

[h=4]What is the RACGP’s view?[/h] The RACGP supports the private billing model. Most patients will be in a position to make a contribution to the cost of their healthcare, and the RACGP believes general practitioners should be able to choose an appropriate fee for their services.

The RACGP does not support the removal of universal healthcare, including:

 

 

• a $5 reduction in general practice MBS rebates, which devalues general practice services in Australian communities
  
• increased red-tape for general practitioners who will be required to administer the proposed changes under the co-payment model
  
• mandatory non-means-tested co-payments. General practitioners should be able to continue to bulk-bill patients experiencing hardship at their discretion without penalty.
  

 

[h=4]Where to from here?[/h] Until the Budget is passed, the RACGP will continue to lobby the government on behalf of the general practice profession and its patients for the removal of the co-payment model as it currently stands. The RACGP will continue its advocacy for the MBS rebate to be increased and the rejection of any cut to general practitioner rebates – whether a co-payment model is implemented or not.

The RACGP will meet with the government to discuss the implications of the proposed co-payment model on both the general practice profession and its patients. It is vital the government consults with the profession prior to implementing any model that has the potential to impact the health of all Australians.

[Tina2]

First, macas and all other fast food companies do target lower socio economic groups as they are more likely to spend more times - the business model of these companies does not base on the amount of money per purchase but instead on the amount of purchasers per person.

 

One of the big issues is that people have stopped cooking and teaching their children about cooking and food in general. This results in an over use of processed foods and take away food. The kids then grow up knowing know difference.

 

 

I personally find it very sad and I hate it when I here people say it is too hard / too expensive to cook from scratch, when it is actually cheaper and as quick.

Dont know where you are but I know some schools in Qld and NSW have gardening clubs for Primary. They grow veggies and then use them to cook meals to share with other classes. This is a great start to teaching healthy eating. Some had chocks for eggs but many have stopped that due to morons killing the chickens on the weekends

[Paul1Perth]

I think attacking fatties has become the new racism . There are any number of reasons why people are overweight- who are we to take the moral high ground and condemn them?

 

A lot of it is not "attacking" though. Fat people use that as an excuse a lot of the time. A lot of the "attacking" is coming from health professionals who get to see the costs of people being overweight on the health system and their own health. People are old before their time and all the other ailments, like diabetes, that go along with being overweight.

 

We have a couple of friends who are really overweight with other problems because of their weight. One went to see her doctor recently about some problem with her ankles and knees. He told her she needed to lose weight and was "morbidly obese". She was devastates when he told her and was really upset when she was telling everyone on our Sunday morning get together. Because we are her friends we try and get her to do stuff and her hubby has bought her a bike she doesn't use, she's a member of more gyms and fitness clubs that she doesn't go to and even paid a lot for a personal trainer, that she quit after a couple of times because it was too hard.

 

A few of us, who do a lot of sport, have offered to get a training session for her for free but she just won't do it. No will power.

 

She changed her doctor btw as she thought he was totally out of order telling her that.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

A lot of it is not "attacking" though. Fat people use that as an excuse a lot of the time. A lot of the "attacking" is coming from health professionals who get to see the costs of people being overweight on the health system and their own health. People are old before their time and all the other ailments, like diabetes, that go along with being overweight.

 

We have a couple of friends who are really overweight with other problems because of their weight. One went to see her doctor recently about some problem with her ankles and knees. He told her she needed to lose weight and was "morbidly obese". She was devastates when he told her and was really upset when she was telling everyone on our Sunday morning get together. Because we are her friends we try and get her to do stuff and her hubby has bought her a bike she doesn't use, she's a member of more gyms and fitness clubs that she doesn't go to and even paid a lot for a personal trainer, that she quit after a couple of times because it was too hard.

 

A few of us, who do a lot of sport, have offered to get a training session for her for free but she just won't do it. No will power.

 

She changed her doctor btw as she thought he was totally out of order telling her that.

I agree that being overweight does cause medical issues, but please realise that being over weight does not mean all people sit on their backsides stuffing their face and I hate how people judge everyone the same, its the same with really skinny people they also get judged and told they have an eating disorder.