this is a excellent budget

[*mrgrizz*]

for the first time in years the cash cow.....me......single, no kids hasn't been spanked.

and i will be paying less for your kids......you know the ones that you decided to have not me

[cherry*135]

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@donnashuggy wrote:

Some people might actually find that a bit demeaning you know catmad, some people have pride, some people just won't go if they cannot afford it, no matter how sick they are.

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Correct. The don't go to the Dr when they should, end up getting sicker and end up in hospital (which costs the Govt big $$).

Medical professionals are predicting this will happen.

Disaster also if a patient needs to fill a prescription for 2 or 3 items and they can only afford to get 1 or 2 of them.

[freakiness]

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@boris1gary wrote:

It's amusing to read some attitudes about children, paying for "other peoples kids", these "children" are the tax payers of the future. They will be the ones looking after us either in hospital (for some) or in aged care, cleaning up the rubbish, supplying all the services etc. Gentle financial incentives for people to have these pesky tax taking children is for a reason, we need them, we ALL need them.  

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Sometimes I just think "it's easy to see why  ..................  "

[freakiness]

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@lane-ends wrote:

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@boris1gary wrote:

It's amusing to read some attitudes about children, paying for "other peoples kids", these "children" are the tax payers of the future. They will be the ones looking after us either in hospital (for some) or in aged care, cleaning up the rubbish, supplying all the services etc. Gentle financial incentives for people to have these pesky tax taking children is for a reason, we need them, we ALL need them.  

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Just as todays aged Pensioner paid for the infrastucture that we enjoy today

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Yes, and how dare they think they can sit around an bludge of the rest of us today.   

There's some rather sad attitudes to other people around these days. 

[freakiness]

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@catsnknots wrote:

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@am*3 wrote:

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@crystal**flake wrote:

Its one bit of the budget that didnt feel right to me.

I dont understand why they couldn't have put the medicare levy up a bit

______________________________________________________________________________________________

That has already been done.

Medicare levy increase to fund DisabilityCare Australia

From 1 July 2014, the government will increase the Medicare levy rate from 1.5 to 2% of taxable income for the 2014-15 income year and later income years. This increase will also have consequential changes for legislation that reference the Medicare levy rate.

The money raised from the increase will be placed into a DisabilityCare Australia Fund for 10 years, which will only be drawn upon to fund the additional costs of delivering the NDIS.

The measure received royal assent on 28 May 2013.

ATO.gov.au

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I believe it was the Gillard government that put that change in.... and everyone agreed to it.. they thought it worthwhile to help out those that needed it. 

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Yes, we know Gillard introduced that. And yes, it is a better idea than any of the other options. 

[freakiness]

Old joe was making it up as he went last night in answer to some questions.

[cherry*135]

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@catsnknots wrote:

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@crystal**flake wrote:

The $7 fee is exempt for children 16 and under.

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Only after 10 visits it will be free... but the Dr can decide not to charge you if they feel you can't afford it. 

BUT if you have a chronic illness you are exempt... 

They go on about a pensioner so sick they need to visit the Dr three times a week and if that is the case that pensioner will have a chronic health care plan and not have ot pay anything... 

 _______________________________________________________________________________________________

I don't believe that claim is accurate. As I posted above, there are no exemptions included in the statement on the medical services fee in the Budget Paper.

Doctors will be given the discretion to waive the mandatory co-payment for chronically ill patients.

Australian Financial Review

A Doctor may waive it, they may not... their choice. If they do, they are doing themselves out of $5 every visit.

[para-sights]

I agree - the $2 direct to doctor is almost so cynical - Some doctors with private practice might follow such discretion but those who work in clinics (becoming more prevelant) might find themselves being pushed to collect the bonus. Besides what constitutes a chronic illness to one doctor may not be considered one by another.

[cherry*135]

I didn't see you second post catmad.. it still not clear what if anything is actually EXEMPT.

Firstly the Dr takes $7 per pt... they get to keep $2 of that payment to go into off setting any pt they decide not to bulk bill. 

The Medical Care rebate fo ar DR's visit is reduced by $5 for all Doctors visits bulk billed or not.

If a Dr doesn't charge the patient $7 he, will get $5 less per patient, than they would get now (before the changes are implemented)

Bulk Bill Doctors - The $2 is an incentive payment so that they do charge every/most people the $7 fee

[cherry*135]

He [Health Minister] said doctors would continue to have the option of treating patients without charge, but they would have to absorb a $5 cut to the Medicare rebate, as well as forgo an incentive payment of up to $9 which will be paid to doctors who charge the $7 fee to concessional patients. 

Australian Medical Association president Steve Hambleton has said it would be unreasonable to expect doctors to accept what amounts to a 25 per cent cut in their remuneration.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/health-minister-peter-dutton-says-medicare-fee...

[boris1gary]

http://theaimn.com/2014/05/19/the-budget-all-cruelty-springs-from-weakness/

The Budget: All cruelty springs from weakness

It can’t be denied any longer, conservatives really do believe they have no responsibility to the vulnerable, and it is perfectly acceptable to the Abbott government that those who can least afford it endure the most harsh of financial limitations.

No country can afford to be governed by people who hate and fear vulnerability, as do these Australian conservatives. Far from being adult such people are dangerously immature, incapable of understanding any life experience other than their own.

Convinced of its superiority, this government asks little or nothing of those best placed to contribute to the country’s needs, while demanding that those least able, relinquish what little they already have. In other words, the Abbott government is determined to punish the vulnerable for their vulnerability.

All cruelty springs from weakness, declared the philosopher Seneca. Wealth and power do not guarantee strength of character, and it’s hard to detect that quality in Abbott and Hockey. Strength of character requires the ability to identify vulnerability and refrain from taking advantage of it. Hockey and Abbott have indeed identified the vulnerable, and have proceeded to take the most appalling advantage, of the kind they would never dream of imposing on the wealthy and comfortable.