Australian Medicare

[Cypress]

What's wrong with this?

"Medicare Australia", is Australia's universal healthcare system:

Funding:

-1.5% levy on everyone's taxable income (no upper cap on taxable income)
-For those who can afford, and choose private insurance, government provides Private Health Insurance Rebate that subsidizes at least 30% of their insurance premiums.


Single-Payer Universal Healthcare - Not "Socialized" Healthcare:

-Not "socialized" healthcare, as in UK. Medicare Australia pays for services at private Hospitals and clinics; Doctors and healthcare providers are not public employees.


Satisfaction:

-Everyone in Australia is covered.
-2006 Survey indicates 96% of Australians satisfied with Medicare Australia.

 

[ib1yysguy]

Sounds like our system with minor changes.

 

[FUCK THE POLICE]

I don't see why you just wouldn't take the money out of the standard progressive income tax pool. Making a new, flat tax to help the poor almost seems contradictory.

I also REALLY don't think 1.5% would cover it in America. I don't see how it covers it in Australia. I can't see universal healthcare costing less the 500 billion a year. I've heard a trillion a year before. We, of course, won't be paying into medicare and medicaid anymore, so that's like 300 billion off, right...

I really think we need to model our system after the French and Australian system, though. They have some of the best healthcare in the world.

We may also want to look into ways to reduce drug prices. For instance, getting rid of those frivolous consumer-targetted ads. Or capping drug prices like the Canadians do. Or simply importing from Canada. Our drugs simply cost far too much.

 

[FUCK THE POLICE]

And using buying power to negotiate for better drug prices is not socialism. It's called bargaining guys. It's very free market. I see no reason why medicare or whatever replaces it shouldn't use it's buying power to bargain for better drug prices.

 

[Damocles]

And using buying power to negotiate for better drug prices is not socialism. It's called bargaining guys. It's very free market. I see no reason why medicare or whatever replaces it shouldn't use it's buying power to bargain for better drug prices.

Definitely. I still can't believe that the government has no negotiation programs for their cost on medication. Definitely not "free market".

 

[Cypress]

Sounds like our system with minor changes.

Except that Medicare Australia covers everybody, whereas American medicare covers those 65 and up.