Comments by "Valen Ron" (@valenrn8657) on "WOW! American Reacts to Australian Health Care" video.

  1. There's nothing wrong with constantly improving the Australian healthcare system.
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  2. Australia's Medicare system is a single-payer system i.e. the government directly pays the hospital and doctors without the overhead of private health insurance's profitability(e.g. Obama care). LOL Australia's health system is a dual system with single-payer and optional private health insurance.
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  3.  @Ailieorz  Australia is a federation with member states. Australian constitution has well-defined government responsibilities allocated between federal and state governments. Australian constitution was crafted after the lessons from the US and UK systems.
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  4.  @jonathonshanecrawford1840  CANZUK group has 134 million population with universal health care. CANZUK group = Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. NZ has about 4.8 million population.
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  5. FYI, Australia and NZ have reciprocal universal health care agreements.
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  6.  @robertblair8395  I'm aware of the Medicare levy surcharge. Medicare levy surcharge rates and thresholds The MLS rate of 1%, 1.25% or 1.5% is levied on: your taxable income total reportable fringe benefits, and any amount on which family trust distribution tax has been paid. The base income threshold (under which you are not liable to pay the MLS) is: $90,000 for singles $180,000 (plus $1,500 for each dependent child after the first one) for families. However, if you had a spouse for the full year, you do not have to pay the MLS if: your family income exceeds the $180,000 (plus $1,500 for each dependent child after the first one), but your own income for MLS purposes was $23,226 or less. If you had a new spouse, or you separated from your spouse, during the year: you may be liable for MLS for the number of days you were single – if your own income for MLS purposes was more than the single surcharge threshold of $90,000 you may be liable for MLS for the number of days you had a spouse or dependent children – if your own income for MLS purposes was more than the family surcharge threshold of $180,000 (plus $1,500 for each dependent child after the first one).
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  7. Australia's Medicare does pay for some essential dental services for some children and adults who are eligible. Child Dental Benefits Schedule: This pays $1,000 over 2 calendar years for children aged 2 to 17 for basic dental services, including dental check-ups, x-rays, cleaning, sealing cracked teeth, fillings, root canals and extractions. It does not cover orthodontic or cosmetic dental work or any dental care provided in hospital. Most of the services are bulk billed, so you don’t pay anything. The payments are only available to families who are already receiving other government benefits. Public dental services: The states and territories provide public dental services both for children and adults. These may include emergency dental services or referrals to specialist services like orthodontics in hospital. Adults must generally have a Health Care Card or Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card to be eligible, although the rules vary depending on where you live. Each state and territory offers different services and you may have to wait up to a year or more to see a dentist.
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  8. Australia applies low overhead (small government) Medicare while delivering life-critical services.
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  9.  @nbx2au  FYI, Australia's generic medicines bias and the patent system promotes the ideal market competition.
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  10. The Australian government also promotes healthy eating like a nanny, hence Australia is a nanny (mommy) state.
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  11. Paul Keating told the medical union (i.e. AMA) to get in line and accept the government's payment scheme or walk. Paul Keating reminds the AMA that the federal government is the largest payer in the medical sector and AMA is welcome to walk from it. Money doesn't grow on trees and there are limits.
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