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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 223826" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>Our Aussie system is better, but not perfect. Most of the services we need, cost. We have a nationalised health system called Medicare which is paid for out of a tax levy. We also have the option of private health insurance to cover some extras. Those on higher incomes pay a higher tax levy if they don't have private insurance also.</p><p></p><p>If we see a GP or a medical specialist, it's paid for by Medicare - to a point. Often we have to pay up front and then claim it back. A lot of doctors though have put their fees up higher than Medicare pays back, and so we're left out of pocket. Also Medicare (until recently) wouldn't pay for psychology, physiotherapy, or similar. I've found that I should have claimed my glasses on Medicare (because my eyes are short-sighted beyond a defined level). Also we can now get a doctor to write up a Health Care Plan which (if it's worded right) can help us get psychology services (or physiotherapy, or podiatry) for a limited number of sessions. It won't cover a psychometric assessment. if we're lucky we can get a government clinic to do this, or a hospital/university clinic. Otherwise private insurance will cover a small percentage of it. Less than half, depending on fees charged.</p><p></p><p>Then there are the waiting lists. Horrendous!</p><p></p><p>If your child has a physical disability, it's much easier to get assistance. If it's a less visible disability, it's much more difficult and the forms that have to be filled out are tedious. The government body you have to deal with, Centrelink, is so huge it's a nightmare. They treat people horribly (individually, their staff are polite; you just get steamrollered by the paperwork). When someone who has been getting a Centrelink payment gets a job, they're supposed to give Centrelink copies of their pay slips. Centrelink are supposed to stop all payments at that point. But so often, they don't - and then they come after you to pay it all back. They have very wide powers, they will take it out of any tax returns, they will garnishee your wages, they can do a great deal. And everything you earn, they can find out about. They can even find out about interest earned in your bank account.</p><p>BF2 recently got what SHOULD have been his tax return - Centrelink had finally realised they hadn't stopped payment when they should have, they had overpaid him for a year. So instead of getting $500 in his tax return, he has a bill for $5,000. He's a kid, he never checked his bank statements. Besides, they all went to his parents' place and they never forwarded his mail. All payments go into your bank accounts so if you never check statements online (and how can you do that if you don't have a computer?) then you wouldn't know.</p><p></p><p>So although we have a good system in place in many ways, it does have its loopholes and drawbacks. And a physical disability is a lot easier to see, so you get a lot more credibility and a lot more support. Less scepticism.</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 223826, member: 1991"] Our Aussie system is better, but not perfect. Most of the services we need, cost. We have a nationalised health system called Medicare which is paid for out of a tax levy. We also have the option of private health insurance to cover some extras. Those on higher incomes pay a higher tax levy if they don't have private insurance also. If we see a GP or a medical specialist, it's paid for by Medicare - to a point. Often we have to pay up front and then claim it back. A lot of doctors though have put their fees up higher than Medicare pays back, and so we're left out of pocket. Also Medicare (until recently) wouldn't pay for psychology, physiotherapy, or similar. I've found that I should have claimed my glasses on Medicare (because my eyes are short-sighted beyond a defined level). Also we can now get a doctor to write up a Health Care Plan which (if it's worded right) can help us get psychology services (or physiotherapy, or podiatry) for a limited number of sessions. It won't cover a psychometric assessment. if we're lucky we can get a government clinic to do this, or a hospital/university clinic. Otherwise private insurance will cover a small percentage of it. Less than half, depending on fees charged. Then there are the waiting lists. Horrendous! If your child has a physical disability, it's much easier to get assistance. If it's a less visible disability, it's much more difficult and the forms that have to be filled out are tedious. The government body you have to deal with, Centrelink, is so huge it's a nightmare. They treat people horribly (individually, their staff are polite; you just get steamrollered by the paperwork). When someone who has been getting a Centrelink payment gets a job, they're supposed to give Centrelink copies of their pay slips. Centrelink are supposed to stop all payments at that point. But so often, they don't - and then they come after you to pay it all back. They have very wide powers, they will take it out of any tax returns, they will garnishee your wages, they can do a great deal. And everything you earn, they can find out about. They can even find out about interest earned in your bank account. BF2 recently got what SHOULD have been his tax return - Centrelink had finally realised they hadn't stopped payment when they should have, they had overpaid him for a year. So instead of getting $500 in his tax return, he has a bill for $5,000. He's a kid, he never checked his bank statements. Besides, they all went to his parents' place and they never forwarded his mail. All payments go into your bank accounts so if you never check statements online (and how can you do that if you don't have a computer?) then you wouldn't know. So although we have a good system in place in many ways, it does have its loopholes and drawbacks. And a physical disability is a lot easier to see, so you get a lot more credibility and a lot more support. Less scepticism. Marg [/QUOTE]
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