I must admit when i first heard about it i thought it was acceptable.

That is that the people on good incomes dont recieve rebates on private health cover.

But after lsitening to the pros and cons i think its yet another Julia Gillard plan that will,

1. Suck money out of the tax payers
2. Overload our public health system.

By taking away the rebate she will force many of the people that had private health insurance to down grade or onto medicare, this will overstress the system.

With people coming of the private health scheme or down grading this will cause private health cover to rise.

She will also incerease the medicare levy surcharge on people with good incomes to force them on private health cover.

I tell you what these bloody politicians will pass the bill because it doesn't affect them.

I have said this many times before and i say it again.

WE NEED MORE AVERAGE AUSTRALIANS IN PARLIMENT.

FFS get rid of these doctors and laywers.

I cant wait for this PM to be tossed out on her ear.

Hail Gillard
http://i41.tinypic.com/nowtih.jpg

Ajax wrote on Feb 14^th, 2012 at 6:11pm:

I cant wait for this PM to be tossed out on her ear.

And which "Average Australian" from the ALP would you like to see replace her?

Or, if she makes it to the next election, which "Average Australian" from the Liberal Party?

Everyone knows I have no political barrow to push, I think the entire political class is reprehensible including JuLiar - but these reforms are critical and necessary because the tax payers and the people who cannot afford Private health cover have been subsidizing the private health insurance of the rich and that has got to stop.  Kudos for a correct decision, do not expect anything more from me unless it is decent policy. 8-)

Ajax wrote on Feb 14^th, 2012 at 6:11pm:

I must admit when i first heard about it i thought it was acceptable. That is that the people on good incomes dont recieve rebates on private health cover. But after lsitening to the pros and cons i think its yet another Julia Gillard plan that will, 1. Suck money out of the tax payers 2. Overload our public health system. By taking away the rebate she will force many of the people that had private health insurance to down grade or onto medicare, this will overstress the system. With people coming off the private health scheme or down grading this will cause private health cover to rise. She will also incerease the medicare levy surcharge on people with good incomes to force them on private health cover. I tell you what these bloody politicians will pass the bill because it doesn't affect them. I have said this many times before and i say it again. WE NEED MORE AVERAGE AUSTRALIANS IN PARLIMENT. FFS get rid of these doctors and laywers. I cant wait for this PM to be tossed out on her ear.

There may be some people who dump their private health cover, but then those people will have to pay the medicare levy surcharge. So any extra burden will also come with extra funding for medicare. That makes your second point moot.

Lets face it, the rebate for those on high incomes is beyond middle-class welfare. Means testing it is well past due. We're not talking about "struggling aussie families here. The rebate will begin reducing at >$160,000 and not go completely until $250,000.

Do you really think that families on $50,000 a year (who really can't afford private health cover) should be subsidising it for people earning $250k? Because that's what is happening now.

Oh, and the reforms will effect the pollies, because they fall into the income bracket that would mean they will lose (or have reduced) their private health rebate.

NBNMyths wrote on Feb 14^th, 2012 at 6:44pm:

Ajax wrote on Feb 14th, 2012 at 6:11pm: I must admit when i first heard about it i thought it was acceptable. That is that the people on good incomes dont recieve rebates on private health cover. But after lsitening to the pros and cons i think its yet another Julia Gillard plan that will, 1. Suck money out of the tax payers 2. Overload our public health system. By taking away the rebate she will force many of the people that had private health insurance to down grade or onto medicare, this will overstress the system. With people coming off the private health scheme or down grading this will cause private health cover to rise. She will also incerease the medicare levy surcharge on people with good incomes to force them on private health cover. I tell you what these bloody politicians will pass the bill because it doesn't affect them. I have said this many times before and i say it again. WE NEED MORE AVERAGE AUSTRALIANS IN PARLIMENT. FFS get rid of these doctors and laywers. I cant wait for this PM to be tossed out on her ear. There may be some people who dump their private health cover, but then those people will have to pay the medicare levy surcharge. So any extra burden will also come with extra funding for medicare. That makes your second point moot. Lets face it, the rebate for those on high incomes is beyond middle-class welfare. Means testing it is well past due. We're not talking about "struggling aussie families here. The rebate will begin reducing at >$160,000 and not go completely until $250,000. Do you really think that families on $50,000 a year (who really can't afford private health cover) should be subsidising it for people earning $250k? Because that's what is happening now. Oh, and the reforms will effect the pollies, because they fall into the income bracket that would mean they will lose (or have reduced) their private health rebate.

What is this crap that people on lower incomes are subsidizing people on higher incomes......

Do you NOT think it is the other way around!!!!

If we do not pay taxes than lower incomers will get nothing....

Middle and higher incomers are subsidising lazy, unmotivated people to to nothing and become nothing!!! We are paying them to breed, rto parent their children to get an education,,, the list goes on and on.

Goodbye Lizzard.....YOU HAVE GONE!!!!!

A long-overdue move.

And listen to the wealthfare-pigs SQUEAL!!!!

.




When "Miss Piggy" Rinehart and "Porky" Palmer - the Rudds and the Turnbulls - are receiving government assistance to help them "make ends meet" on the cost of private medical insurance - there is OBVIOUSLY something VERY wrong with the Howard Government introduced rebate model



The portion of the health budget being given to the wealthy ( ... and MEGA-wealthy), could be WAY better allocated ELSEWHEREi

Susan Posted at 7:35 PM February 09, 2012

I hate this government so much. I live pay to pay but they think I'm rich. Can we please please have an election and boot them out. This will make me seriously consider whether to continue with private health insurance, I don't think I could afford it. Guess that will only make the public hospital system even more overloaded. Gosh his makes me so angry they would remove it from me. I actually feel hate.

Comment 6 of 99


Payback Posted at 7:37 PM February 09, 2012

JUL-iar-loser-take it all away. Went stupid and spent big, won an election, now its payback time. Thankyou Loser Labor voters I didnt deserve this crap

Comment 7 of 99


Ahhhh Posted at 7:53 PM February 09, 2012

Oh come on now. Labor doesnt have any money, they are still borrowing. Oh my another 18 months of these incompetent idiots, Poor old Coalition they are going to inherit a 200 billion dollar debt plus. Then the Coalition will be the worst in the world as they cut services and all other things trying to reign this debt in. Labor and Green voters are Brainless. How can you support a pacvk of losers that has done and will continue to do destroy the country we call Australia. $125 billion debt nationally. Locally ANNa has got Qld into debt to the sum of $78 Billion. Those moneys have to be paid back. Just think of the interest payments on those debts.

Comment 8 of 99


had to come Posted at 8:02 PM February 09, 2012

Oh well there it goes. Bugger being in private health cove. Im joining the queue of dole bludgers, low income earners and pensioners on the Public health system. No sense trying to do the right thing here. Just get slapped in the wallet. Screw you JUL-iar-loser

Comment 9 of 99

More about families Posted at 8:04 PM February 09, 2012

Another government decision that discriminates against singles! A family on $160,000 has one mortgage, one rates bill, one phone line connection.... etc. Same as a single on $80,000. So why do a couple get double the limit before the rebate cuts out? Ok, I know someone on $80,000 is on a good wage (I did 6 years at Uni while working to get to $85 k) but this is yet another policy that doesn't recognise that two wages into a household saves people money. No offence, but I am so sick of hearing about working/battling/struggling families when they get so many rebates.

Comment 11 of 99

Bob of Gold Coast Posted at 8:47 PM February 09, 2012

What next? This Commie Fabian Govt knows no bounds when it comes to wealth redistribution.

Comment 17 of 99
The Bear of Brisbane Posted at 8:58 PM February 09, 2012

Bludgers get their hands further in to our pockets. I am sick and tired of paying for people who don't pull their weight.

Comment 20 of 99
Sick of the waste Labor Posted at 9:47 PM February 09, 2012

Another Robin Hood policy by a government that expects the educated & hard-working amongst us to bail them out. All they have done since coming into government is waste billions of dollars on poorly managed projects and now they expect the middle classes to bail them out.

Comment 50 of 99
Futureguard of bundaberg Posted at 10:52 PM February 09, 2012

Moral of the story- don't even try to work hard,the more you earn,the more this government will take off you and give to the dole bludgers.This system promotes mediocrity,there is absolutely no incentive for hard working people in this country!!

Comment 73 of 99

.




A few FACTS - to dispel a lot of MYTHS



From 1 July 2010, the Government will introduce three new ‘Private Health Insurance Incentive Tiers’ –



• Tier 1: for singles earning more than $75,000 (couples $150,000), the Private HealthInsurance Rebate will be 20 per cent for those up to 65 years (25 per cent for those over65, and 30 per cent for those over 70 years). The Surcharge for avoiding private healthinsurance will remain at one per cent.


• Tier 2: for singles earning more than $90,000 (couples $180,000), the Private HealthInsurance Rebate will be 10 per cent, for those up to 65 years (15 per cent for thoseover 65, and 20 per cent for those over 70 years). The Surcharge for avoiding privatehealth insurance will be increased to 1.25 per cent.


• Tier 3: for singles earning more than $120,000 (couples $240,000), no Private HealthInsurance Rebate will be provided. The Surcharge for avoiding private health insurancewill be increased to 1.5 per cent.



All income thresholds would continue to remain indexed to wages, keeping these changesfair and sustainable into the future.


These changes will affect around 10 per cent of Australian adults.




http://www.health.gov.au/internet/budget/publishing.nsf/Content/D150DB5236393187CA2575B2003B5C8E/$File/hmedia13.pdf

corporate_whitey wrote on Feb 14^th, 2012 at 6:35pm:

Everyone knows I have no political barrow to push, I think the entire political class is reprehensible including JuLiar - but these reforms are critical and necessary because the tax payers and the people who cannot afford Private health cover have been subsidizing the private health insurance of the rich and that has got to stop.  Kudos for a correct decision, do not expect anything more from me unless it is decent policy. 8-)

How is this going to improve the health system?
I,am a retiree on less than $50,000 a year for my wife and myself combined and I pay into a private health fund.
Why, because I consider that the waiting list for many treatments is too long, luckily being reasonably healthy I have not taken much use of it, or have I wasted my money?
Here is an example.
Had a problem with a tooth, which needed a crown, with the associated root canal treatment, a private dentist quoted me $1,000.00, so I applied for a consultation with the government dental system and was lucky to get an appointment within a month, because it was painfull.
I attended a government dental clinic, which removed the filling from the troubled tooth and after draining it, put in a temporary filling; cost for a part-pensioner $15.00.
The waiting list for a crown was 2-3 years.after two weeks the temporary filling dropped out and I was back at the dental clinic to have another temporary filling put in, and this was repeated another 3 times.
Total cost to me 5 times 15=$75 and I still had the same problem.
Went to another private dentist, who suggested to remove half the problem tooth and fill it from the side; cost $450.00 half of it I had to pay myself.
Now the government dental service is in a mess.
Wouldn't it have been better to charge me some $ and $200 do the job properly in the first place.
What the government should do with the health system is, introduce three categories of medicare cards; a green card for the lowest income earners, yellow for medium earners and a red card for the high income earners.
The green card holder pays 10% of any medical or dental treatment,the yellow card holder 20% and the high income earner pays 30-40% of any treatment.
The bulk billing by doctors is just another rort, because some people go to a doctor often for a social visit.
I,am no capitalist, but anything free will always be abused and I see it all the time, like people bragging, that they always get more out of the private health insurance than they pay into.
No insurance can work with this sort of attitude.
 

Private health insurance should not be tax payer subsidized period this is illegally diverting desperately needed funds from the public heath system and is simply economically unsustainable.  Do the math - if you want Private Health insurance - you can afford to pay for it - why should the rest of us foot your private business, bail you out for your greed, corruption, massive bonuses salary increases and economic insanity? ;D ;D ;D

It's about time someone did something about the inequitable healthcare system. Why should the poor subsidise the wealthy? Pay for your own private health insurance, you sponges.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 15^th, 2012 at 5:52am:

It's about time someone did something about the inequitable healthcare system. Why should the poor subsidise the wealthy? Pay for your own private health insurance, you sponges.

Then get off our tax dollars and give back the family tax benefit, child care rebate, maternity leave, baby bonus......... I must have missed some because you are all nothing but  a bunch of LAZY, unmotivated welfare dropkicks!!

beware wrote on Feb 15^th, 2012 at 6:17am:

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 15th, 2012 at 5:52am: It's about time someone did something about the inequitable healthcare system. Why should the poor subsidise the wealthy? Pay for your own private health insurance, you sponges. Then get off our tax dollars and give back the family tax benefit, child care rebate, maternity leave, baby bonus......... I must have missed some because you are all nothing but  a bunch of LAZY, unmotivated welfare dropkicks!!

Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed.......

Time the Rich paid their own medical bills I would have thought and stop biting the poor.  The tax payers money is not their bonus. ::)

corporate_whitey wrote on Feb 15^th, 2012 at 6:32am:

Time the Rich paid their own medical bills I would have thought and stop biting the poor.  The tax payers money is not their bonus. ::)

They THINK it is......

Uncle Meat wrote on Feb 14^th, 2012 at 6:24pm:

And which "Average Australian" from the ALP would you like to see replace her?

Peter Slipper. I would add this caveat: someone must be at Peter's side day and night to prevent him from falling into the trough.

Kat wrote on Feb 15^th, 2012 at 6:35am:

corporate_whitey wrote on Feb 15th, 2012 at 6:32am: Time the Rich paid their own medical bills I would have thought and stop biting the poor.  The tax payers money is not their bonus. ::) They THINK it is......

Their behavior and thinking needs to change. 8-)

beware wrote on Feb 14^th, 2012 at 7:02pm:

What is this crap that people on lower incomes are subsidizing people on higher incomes...... Do you NOT think it is the other way around!!!! If we do not pay taxes than lower incomers will get nothing.... Middle and higher incomers are subsidising lazy, unmotivated people to to nothing and become nothing!!! We are paying them to breed, rto parent their children to get an education,,, the list goes on and on. Goodbye Lizzard.....YOU HAVE GONE!!!!!

It's not rocket science.

The private health rebate is funded from consolidated revenue. Therefore, all taxpayers contribute a portion of their tax to fund that programme.

So if you are a taxpayer earning $30,000 a year, you are helping to fund the private health insurance for someone earning $2,000,000 a year.

You think that's fair?

Ajax your photo of Giilard, is the photo of the Century and fairly depicts Julia Gillard and her hidden agendas. Hitler like, she stands with a Seig Heil! stance.

That says it all about a conspirator amongst conspirators. The only problem for Julia Gillard is that whilst she is intelligent, she lacks a modicum of common sense, not unusual in clever people.

She also grossly underestimates, the intelligence and the will of the people. This will be her great undoing.

She is going  sooner, rather than later.

The heavies in the Party are in a state of panic and confusion because they cannot bring back Rudd but if they leave her there it will resemble slaughterhouse 5 at the next Federal Election for them

The sands is running through the tunnel and next year's election looms already, heavily on the horizon.

Don' worry yourself too  much corporate_whitey, the bottom feeders who suck off the system and feed like parasites off hard working people, all their life, will still have their bills paid.

beware wrote on Feb 15^th, 2012 at 6:17am:

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 15th, 2012 at 5:52am: It's about time someone did something about the inequitable healthcare system. Why should the poor subsidise the wealthy? Pay for your own private health insurance, you sponges. Then get off our tax dollars and give back the family tax benefit, child care rebate, maternity leave, baby bonus......... I must have missed some because you are all nothing but  a bunch of LAZY, unmotivated welfare dropkicks!!

Benefits, benefits, benefits, that's all you want. Get off the government tit and look after yourself.

We can thank Howard for getting a generation of Aussies and his favoured private businesses addicted to welfare

adelcrow wrote on Feb 15^th, 2012 at 9:30am:

We can thank Howard for getting a generation of Aussies and his favoured private businesses addicted to welfare

And all the while completely ignoring those most in NEED of welfare.

Kat wrote on Feb 15^th, 2012 at 9:37am:

adelcrow wrote on Feb 15th, 2012 at 9:30am: We can thank Howard for getting a generation of Aussies and his favoured private businesses addicted to welfare And all the while completely ignoring those most in NEED of welfare.

Yep..the poor got programs slashed and the middle class and Howards favoured businesses got money thrown at them packaged up as election bribes.

adelcrow wrote on Feb 15^th, 2012 at 9:30am:

We can thank Howard for getting a generation of Aussies and his favoured private businesses addicted to welfare

The Howard/Abbott health setup is an absolute disgrace, and its a disgrace that labor have left it in this state for so long.

It is a system where everyone gets screwed except doctors, and health fund managers.
It screws the very people its supposed to help.

Its screws both rich and poor people.  It screws the tax payer, playing $X billion to prop up private companies (health funds), and it screws the rich who have private health cover, but are again forced to pay outrageous gaps.   
Its like getting charged twice.   And who gets that money, well the good old doctors who have a choice of getting $100/hour in public, or charging $600/hour for private (hence gap, as even the funds wont pay that).  Doctors have become snake oil salesman. The first question they ask you is "do you have health insurance".  What they are really asking is, "can I charge this sucker $600 instead of $100 and hope that his complicated health insurance policy hides its true cost (the gap) form him, until he's well gone ?"

Scam.  Just like any tax payer funding of private industry.  Should never be done.

Doctor Jolly wrote on Feb 15^th, 2012 at 9:41am:

adelcrow wrote on Feb 15th, 2012 at 9:30am: We can thank Howard for getting a generation of Aussies and his favoured private businesses addicted to welfare The Howard/Abbott health setup is an absolute disgrace, and its a disgrace that labor have left it in this state for so long. It is a system where everyone gets screwed except doctors, and health fund managers. It screws the very people its supposed to help. Its screws both rich and poor people.  It screws the tax payer, playing $X billion to prop up private companies (health funds), and it screws the rich who have private health cover, but are again forced to pay outrageous gaps.    Its like getting charged twice.   And who gets that money, well the good old doctors who have a choice of getting $100/hour in public, or charging $600/hour for private (hence gap, as even the funds wont pay that).  Doctors have become snake oil salesman. The first question they ask you is "do you have health insurance".  What they are really asking is, "can I charge this sucker $600 instead of $100 and hope that his complicated health insurance policy hides its true cost (the gap) form him, until he's well gone ?" Scam.  Just like any tax payer funding of private industry.  Should never be done.

The money the taxpayers threw at private health funds was quickly eaten up in price rises. It was inflationary and saved no one any money.

To all those posters who think it necessary to write their messages big enough to put on a billboard - WE are not short sighted and I am sure that the excessive fonts are eating up the memory of the server provider. Photo's videos, fine but limit  the BIG, BIG WRITING WILL YOU?

After all we are not reading THE MAGIC PUDDING.

red baron wrote on Feb 15^th, 2012 at 12:46pm:

To all those posters who think it necessary to write their messages big enough to put on a billboard - WE are not short sighted and I am sure that the excessive fonts are eating up the memory of the server provider. Photo's videos, fine but limit  the BIG, BIG WRITING WILL YOU? After all we are not reading THE MAGIC PUDDING.

I only use big writing when enforcing politically correct discipline on immoral, sanctimonious, inconsiderate, slanderous, judgmental posters on my "Whitney" thread - nowhere else. :-? ::)

Ignore them, Whitey. These people are insufferable.

Forgiven.

My insistence on the discipline code on my own thread is stronger than their drive to violate my sovereign will. 8-)

Karnal just by the by, do you have a television screen that is as wide and as long as your lounge room wall, no? Then kindly stop shouting at us on this site you di.k!

Corporate-whitey, ahh my little beehive of energy, time for your tabs now whitey, just lie down on the grass and think of a  serene quiet lake. The light breeze is pushing the willows across the edge of the water. On the lake a  single swan dips its head and sends a single ripple out......

That feel better little buddy?

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 15^th, 2012 at 9:08am:

beware wrote on Feb 15th, 2012 at 6:17am: Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 15th, 2012 at 5:52am: It's about time someone did something about the inequitable healthcare system. Why should the poor subsidise the wealthy? Pay for your own private health insurance, you sponges. Then get off our tax dollars and give back the family tax benefit, child care rebate, maternity leave, baby bonus......... I must have missed some because you are all nothing but  a bunch of LAZY, unmotivated welfare dropkicks!! Benefits, benefits, benefits, that's all you want. Get off the government tit and look after yourself.

So how much do you suck every year!!!  :D

red baron wrote on Feb 15^th, 2012 at 12:46pm:

To all those posters who think it necessary to write their messages big enough to put on a billboard - WE are not short sighted and I am sure that the excessive fonts are eating up the memory of the server provider. Photo's videos, fine but limit  the BIG, BIG WRITING WILL YOU? After all we are not reading THE MAGIC PUDDING.

But we COULD BE !




http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-abUw9ZtRGpc/TqXX2Ob1PtI/AAAAAAAAAO4/SwdIWdCzdDQ/s1600/The+Magic+Pudding+-+Page.JPG