brisnick

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117...0-1248,00.html

Doctor claims 10-year wait list
August 08, 2005
From: AAP
WAITING lists at a major Queensland hospital have blown out to 10 years due to underfunding within the state's public health system, a doctor has told an inquiry.

Dr Jason Jenkins, a vascular surgeon at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH), today gave a savage critique of Queensland's public health system, accusing the state Government of running hospitals like businesses as patients were dying waiting for surgery.

PeteY

10 year wait? Sounds a bit odd.....

Anyway, i would love to have the NHS back....simply becuase its so easy. Here i tend to get a bit confused what with all the PBS's, Medicares, Bulk billings etc. As an example, a friend recently underwent a major op, removing part of his colon. WHAT a palarva (how do you spell that?). Granted, the op went fine, and his level of care was excellent, but jeez it was confusing. He had to pay for this bit here, his insurance covered this bit, this bit went to medicare...no wait...maybe its this bit? Pay this, get this bit back when you claim it....

I needed a rest after that epic story!

wombat42

l'd rather take my chances in the Aussie system then in the Uk with " Dr Death Shipman" the worlds worst serial killer. :scared:

renth

Talk about confusing, and remember to keep all your Medicare invoices because if you spend over a certain amount you can claim it back on your tax return.

Even after 2 and a half years my wife doesn't know the difference between Medicare and Medibank and quite frankly I'm not surprised.

jad n rich

Another reason why I wont be giving up my private cover, saw all sorts of waits in the public system when working in the docs surgery, have private cover you waltz in.

For newbies about 4 years ago the gov realised the increasing strain on the health system and wanted as many as possible to take out private cover to relieve the burden. The carrot dangled was a 30% rebate on your health cover, pretty sneaky, health cover has gone up about that in the past 4 years however even if the gov gives $1000 rebate its still way in front with another family privately insured.

You still pay the medicare levy and get refunds from medicare for docs etc, but the big things to know are if your family earns more than $100,000 or $50,000 a single you will pay a tax penatly if you dont have private hospital anyway. Also if you are over 30 and havent joined you get a penalty on your premium every year if you join later (immigrants have one years grace on that one).

The benefit for us has been our premium $195 a month is mainly claimed back just on dental and glasses alone as there are 5 of us, and if we didnt have it we'd just get taxed more so no choice really anyway.

jad n rich

Dont we have our own version of him, the Bundaberg Butcher, sorry but his real name escapes me at the mo. The indian doc who had been struck off in america but emigrated here, our gov was even paying first class airfares for him for trips back to the USA they thought so highly of him

ABCDiamond

I was told that, when I had to go into hospital; I wisely told them that I had NO Insurance, and that way, no real forms that I recall, and NO payments to make All covered under Medicare. I didn't renew the Private Medical Insurance after that

Geordie George

And then there's the whole thing with dentistry ... I had a wisdom tooth extracted on Friday - that cost just under $300 (under local anaesthetic) for one. I've been told that I need to have the other three taken out also; they will have to be done under general anaesthetic due to two being sat on top of nerves. That means I'll have to pay for an anaesthetist as well as a dentist. (And with the costs I can expect for that, I should think I'll be forking out for an anaesthetist to take away Mr GG's pain!)

GG

TrickyTree

That would be Dr Patel who seems to be closer to a butcher than a surgeon.

The latest one I have heard is a shrink in Brisbane who has been employed for a while who it seems got his quals off the back of a cornflake packet and now seems to be a pedophile!!!!

http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/c...5E3102,00.html

TT