Plan B Forum

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SHOCKING findings from research commissioned by the government show that one in 10 Australians on the dole are unable to obtain a substantial meal each day, one in eight are unable to buy prescribed medicines, and one in 20 cannot heat their homes.

Aged pensioners are much better off than those on the Newstart allowance.

The research was commissioned by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs for the review of pensions conducted in 2008 by the then head of the department, Jeff Harmer.

Whereas 1.4 per cent of aged pensioners surveyed were unable to get medical treatment if needed, among those on Newstart the proportion was 22 per cent. While only 0.7 per cent of aged pensioners were unable to get a substantial meal at least once a day, for Australians on Newstart the proportion was 10.3 per cent.


Only 2.1 per cent of pensioners were unable to buy prescribed medicines. The proportion was 16.7 per cent for people on Newstart.

Although listed as a reference in Dr Harmer's report, the research has never been published by the department or the researchers, Peter Saunders and Melissa Wong from the Social Policy Research Centre at the University of NSW.

The research compares what it calls deprivation rates among seven groups, including low-wage workers, self-funded retirees, age pensioners and Newstart recipients. On almost every criterion, self-funded retirees are the best off and those on Newstart the worst.

The research finds self-funded retirees suffer no deprivation on most of the criteria. An exception is dental care where 2.1 per cent say they cannot get access to treatment if needed. By contrast 13.7 per cent of age pensioners cannot get access to dental treatment if needed, compared with 44.7 per cent on Newstart.

The report says that although the results do not necessarily imply anything about whether the age pension is adequate, it appears to be more adequate than the payments to people with a disability, to parents and to those on Newstart.

The review made no finding about Newstart because it was outside of its terms of reference.

The allowance, now about $245 a week, is adjusted by the consumer price index. The most recent rises in March gave an extra $3.35 a week to pensions but only $1.45 a week to NewStart recipients. The age pension is $347 a week.

Whereas 1.4 per cent of aged pensioners surveyed were unable to get medical treatment if needed, among those on Newstart the proportion was 22 per cent.

Health care in Australia is provided by both private and government institutions. The Minister for Health and Ageing, currently Tanya Plibersek, administers national health policy, elements of which (such as the operation of hospitals) are overseen by individual states.

In Australia the current system, known as Medicare, was instituted in 1984. It coexists with a private health system. Medicare is funded partly by a 1.5% income tax levy (with exceptions for low-income earners), but mostly out of general revenue. An additional levy of 1% is imposed on high-income earners without private health insurance. As well as Medicare, there is a separate Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme that considerably subsidises a range of prescription medications.

Health care in Australia is universal. The federal government pays a large percentage of the cost of services in public hospitals. This percentage is calculated on:

Whether the government subsidizes this service (based on the Medicare Benefits Schedule. Typically, 100% of in-hospital costs, 75% of General Practitioner and 85% of specialist services are covered.
Whether the patient is a concession or receives other benefits[5]
Whether the patient has crossed the threshold for further subsidised service (based on total health expenditure for the year)

Where the government pays the large subsidy, the patient pays the remainder out of pocket, unless the provider of the service chooses to use bulk billing, charging only the scheduled fee, leaving the patient with no extra costs. In some countries, this is commonly referred to as a copayment. Where a particular service is not covered, such as dentistry, optometry, and ambulance transport, the patient must pay the full amount (unless they hold a Low Income Earner card, which may entitle them to subsidised access).

Individuals can take out private health insurance to cover out-of-pocket costs, with either a plan that covers just selected services, to a full coverage plan. In practice, a person with private insurance may still be left with out-of-pocket payments, as services in private hospitals often cost more than the insurance payment.

The government encourages individuals with income above a set level to privately insure. This is done by charging these (higher income) individuals a surcharge of 1% of income if they do not take out private health insurance, and a means-tested rebate. This is to encourage individuals who are perceived as able to afford private insurance not to resort to the strained public health system.

In addition, citizens of Australia are also often encouraged to use the private insurance system as a matter of convenience since "public hospitals may have long waiting lists [for elective surgery], whereas you could get your treatment more swiftly in the private system."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Australia

Gob wrote:

The government encourages individuals with income above a set level to privately insure. This is done by charging these (higher income) individuals a surcharge of 1% of income if they do not take out private health insurance, and a means-tested rebate. T

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Australia

Gob wrote:Ok, what has to go first, our intelligence or our taste or culture?

The federal government will pour $4 billion into a dental package to provide millions of children and millions of adults on low incomes or in rural areas access to government-subsidised dental care.

Health Minister Tanya Plibersek this morning announced that more than three million children would be eligible for the scheme, which will begin in 2014.

For adults on low incomes, $1.3 billion to fund an additional 1.4 million services will be available in the six-year package.

The changes have been made possible with the support of the Greens, who have insisted on big expansion as grounds for axing the current Medicare chronic disease dental scheme costing about $1 billion a year.

The funding comes on top of the $515 million announced in the 2012-13 budget.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political ... z24tgbjpke

Gob wrote:Definitely not, I'll tip my hat to you as world leaders in that Jim!