Re: Every horrible thing you ever heard about the health insurance industry is true
I stitched up a pretty complex thumb laceration today including assessing the underlying potential for nerve and joint injury. The bill was $83.10 AUD, and the cost to the patient was $17. Just thought I would point this out given the debate going on about relative costs of health care - australia has a single payer system for the vast majority of transactions. I'm pretty sure doctors would be worse off over here, but I think the odds are funds would be much more efficiently distributed. Seriously, the rest of the developed world looks at the US health system and thinks, "there but for the grace of God...". Yes, this means taxes have to pay for health care, but the percentage of GDP spent on health is (as far as I know) universally lower for a publicly funded system. We have a combination, where government funds everyone, wealthier people pay a higher taxation levy, private practice doctors have discretion to charge what seems reasonable (and the market will bear) above the government rebate, and those who want to pay for private insurance are free to do so.
Not directed at you flintlock, just because you mentioned the cost of health care to your child.
I stitched up a pretty complex thumb laceration today including assessing the underlying potential for nerve and joint injury. The bill was $83.10 AUD, and the cost to the patient was $17. Just thought I would point this out given the debate going on about relative costs of health care - australia has a single payer system for the vast majority of transactions. I'm pretty sure doctors would be worse off over here, but I think the odds are funds would be much more efficiently distributed. Seriously, the rest of the developed world looks at the US health system and thinks, "there but for the grace of God...". Yes, this means taxes have to pay for health care, but the percentage of GDP spent on health is (as far as I know) universally lower for a publicly funded system. We have a combination, where government funds everyone, wealthier people pay a higher taxation levy, private practice doctors have discretion to charge what seems reasonable (and the market will bear) above the government rebate, and those who want to pay for private insurance are free to do so.
Not directed at you flintlock, just because you mentioned the cost of health care to your child.
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