topic Re: Fee for visiting a GP in Community Spirit

Fee for visiting a GP

donnashuggy — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 20:12:40 GMT

What people really think:

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

daydream**believer — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 21:25:17 GMT

wow, what a surprise that people object to paying for a service....not.

So many people want everything for free.

Ive always had to pay to see my Doctor.

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

silverfaun — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 21:28:35 GMT

Government bashing thread number 101.

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

donnashuggy — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 21:42:23 GMT

No it is not a surprise, did you see that plenty of people actually agree? Even some Labor and Greens? 🙂

A heck of a lot of libs don't agree though which may be what is reflected in the polls lately, just another one of those things about the gov they disagree with.

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

boris1gary — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 21:33:57 GMT

Interesting stats, I worry especially about our older members of society, those who have multiple health problems and are often having to visit both GP's and various specialists, especially those that don't/didn't fare well from superannuation.

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

donnashuggy — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 21:48:36 GMT

There are those that are me me voters and those that think of the wider community boris 🙂

The fee would never stop me from going to see a GP but it may stop many and fill up emergency rooms at hospitals.

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

boris1gary — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 21:51:01 GMT

Yes lots and lots of those the me, myself and I crowd.

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

para-sights — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 21:57:03 GMT

Will the $6 surchage actually have the intended effect - It's assuming that it will cut out the "time wasters" but maybe most wont care about the increased fee and all that become affected as those who should be going but cannot afford it.

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

boris1gary — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 22:09:23 GMT

Do these "time waster's" really exist? I often think that these "time waster's" are a bit of a myth, but I am sure that there are some people who go to the Dr/Hospital because of a lack of education and some with mental illnesses that don't have anywhere else to turn to for help, advice etc.

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

polksaladallie — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 22:12:29 GMT

My opinion is that EVERYTHING should be means tested. There are too many wealthy people taking freebies, which means poorer people are hugely disadvantaged.

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

donnashuggy — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 22:17:25 GMT

That is what the medicare levy is for, it's fair

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

**meep** — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 22:21:35 GMT

Under the proposal, pensioners and concession card holders would be exempt from the fee, while families would be granted up to 12 bulk-billed visits annually.

I think that is an important factor to consider when asking what people think.

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

donnashuggy — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 22:25:50 GMT

It is important but realistically some people have to visit a lot more frequently than that, my husband must go weekly for example.

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

***super_nova*** — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 22:27:43 GMT

@polksaladallie wrote:
My opinion is that EVERYTHING should be means tested. There are too many wealthy people taking freebies, which means poorer people are hugely disadvantaged.

The problem with that is that it would require huge bureaucracy to administer. Much cheaper to make it universal. Even the small co-payment will mean extra work at number of stages. And as said above, some people with many problems will be just going to outpatients instead; so the cost will be shifted.

It may also mean that people will put off visit to doctor until their condition gets worse, and then may require much more expensive treatment than if they went early.

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

*mrgrizz* — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 22:28:59 GMT

@polksaladallie wrote:
My opinion is that EVERYTHING should be means tested. There are too many wealthy people taking freebies, which means poorer people are hugely disadvantaged.

what do you consider wealthy?

if they are paying medicare should they too not be covered?

it is meant to be free health care for all

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

**meep** — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 22:30:58 GMT

Those who can't afford it ie concession card holders, will not be required to pay.

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

para-sights — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 22:36:09 GMT

@**meep** wrote:
Under the proposal, pensioners and concession card holders would be exempt from the fee, while families would be granted up to 12 bulk-billed visits annually.

I think that is an important factor to consider when asking what people think.

The only problem with that Meep is it still omits struggling singles, couples and parents with children above the child age cut off and leaves them with a heavy biurden too bear. Im sure the "time wasters" are minimal in comparisson to those who will have to pay for legitimate reasons to visit. The most frightening factor is what percentage of people will put off doctors visits

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

boris1gary — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 22:38:23 GMT

You might have something there polksaladallie, there is a huge amount of welfare given to the middle class, nobody seems to mind that, yet it is being made harder and harder for those in need to access any welfare. Whenever anyone suggests cutting some of the welfare to the middle class, howls of hysteria can be heard.

It was started by Howard and continued since, although I did see that Shorten admitted it wasn't the right thing to throw single parents of the pension when their child/ren reached a certain age (it was young - can't remember exact age), so maybe there is hope yet.

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

**meep** — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 22:39:46 GMT

I think 12 free visits per year is reasonable.

Re: Fee for visiting a GP

polksaladallie — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 22:40:16 GMT

@*mrgrizz* wrote:
@polksaladallie wrote:
My opinion is that EVERYTHING should be means tested. There are too many wealthy people taking freebies, which means poorer people are hugely disadvantaged.
what do you consider wealthy?
if they are paying medicare should they too not be covered?
it is meant to be free health care for all

Paying medicare doesn't stop well off people clogging up hospital outpatient and emergency departments when they can afford to go to local clinics and private specialists. While the emergency department is called thus, it is used for anything from sniffles to the dying. If a small fee was charged, this might help, but no government will touch it.