tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004263.post977914433678971131..comments2024-03-13T20:01:36.738-07:00Comments on Yarnivorous: Oz Medicareyarnivoroushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04253817840476574619noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004263.post-15697506080889137892010-02-02T05:38:23.665-08:002010-02-02T05:38:23.665-08:00Interesting write-up of Australian Medicare. Quite...Interesting write-up of Australian Medicare. Quite a few similarities with our NHS - funded by taxes (that is technically what we pay national Insurance for, on top of Income tax), free stuff for benefits etc. recipients.<br /><br />Here we don't pay for any GP appt., hospital procedure, tests, operations, anything if we are using the NHS. We do pay for prescription drugs, a set fee, currently £7.20 I think. However there are many people who get free 'scripts, benefits recipients, children etc. Apparently the minority actually pay for them, including me. Ther is some talk about not having to pay for ongoing/indefinite meds, as opposed to one-offs like antibiotics, I'll be surprised if that actually hits the statute books. Make sit worse that in Wales and Scotland they are free for everyone, the power of regional assemblies.<br /><br />Lots of places exhorting us to buy medical cover, BUPA being the big player. Exactly the same as Aus in that if it isn't a life-threatening thing you can end up on a long long waiting list, so some people do go private. However for serious stuff the NHS are pretty good and get you sorted out. Can't imagine a system where people can't afford healthcare, we got rid of that last century.dreamcatcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06512623516755804881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004263.post-11839882947004607382010-01-28T21:16:26.301-08:002010-01-28T21:16:26.301-08:00Hi Lynne,
Just remember, you can always come and ...Hi Lynne,<br /><br />Just remember, you can always come and swap the Barina for the Astra for longer trips; anything'd be better than trying to PT to Frankston. Also - there is great power in grumpiness - harness your pissedoffness for the greater good.Mantohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11244251630228670765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004263.post-81664664205773430892010-01-27T03:59:07.523-08:002010-01-27T03:59:07.523-08:00Lynne, I am way behind on blog posts and just read...Lynne, I am way behind on blog posts and just read your news today. You are doing the only thing you can do, which is to keep on going. <br /><br />Our local fitness center does a Lance Armstrong Foundation fund-raiser for cancer victims and survivors every year and they have a big banner posted that says "Attitude is everything!" At first I thought that was silly, as attitude doesn't cure cancer. But then I realized that the situation is what it is; you can curl up and do nothing, or you can keep moving ahead and make the most of your life as it is. I guess I'd strive for the latter, as you seem to be.<br /><br />As for your Medicare system, wow. I am so jealous. The US is sooo messed up. My family currently is without health insurance but there's nothing we can do; the economy is bad, our income is suffering, and here insurance is tied to employment so the self-employed get a raw deal.<br /><br />When we had insurance, we were paying between 5-10 percent of our income for it, with a $5,000 deductible! That's a "major medical" policy that only covered serious problems; regular checkups were charged at full price and didn't even count toward the deductible! Now we have nothing and we're still paying out of pocket for doctor visits but with no premiums. That can't go on but in the short run we're saving money; we cross our fingers and hope for good health. <br /><br />Not sure why the US is so against universal care but taxes are considered a sin here for some reason. Vermont is very progressive and with any luck we'll institute a state health care system that can be a model for the rest of the country. Soon, I hope.<br /><br />As for you, take care and take good care of yourself. I'll keep reading.jessiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16948708228576485703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004263.post-81229611960130998592010-01-25T19:19:25.737-08:002010-01-25T19:19:25.737-08:00Have you asked the grease monkey if you can get a ...Have you asked the grease monkey if you can get a reconditioned part? Doesn't cost to ask...<br /><br />Also, don't forget to talk about the cost of the ambulance (versus ambo subs), when you talk about a trip to hospital.<br /><br />As far as fleece processing goes, do you know about Supa Soft? They specialise in alpaca, but advertise regularly in Treadles, and I think they will do fleece too. No idea on costs, sorry, and NAYY. www.supasoft.com.au<br /><br />And I hate the idea that we're "not allowed" to be grumpy, especially when you have good reason. Since when has there been a rule that these emotions are "unfeminine" but not "unmasculine"? Grump away, you're entitled ;)Moorecathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04231619758940001287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004263.post-16301340825029480622010-01-25T10:57:02.620-08:002010-01-25T10:57:02.620-08:00Hi Lynn
thanks for answering my question about Med...Hi Lynn<br />thanks for answering my question about Medicare in OZ. Re your grumpiness and your feelings about the road you now have to take -- I remember being at some nursing seminar about childbirth and the instructor talking<br />about helping people face the fact that their child is born with a disability. She likened it to being on a plane (that's the pregnancy) and heading off to live in a foreign country (childbirth)after taking language lessons, and reading up on the culture and psyching yourself up and being prepared and all excited only to discover that for some inexplicable reason the plane has landed you in a DIFFERENT foreign country, where you don't know a word of the language and the people are strange and the customs are not what you studied up on and this is not what you prepared for at all. It's as if you've been swept up and kidnapped against your will and now you have to try to adapt and cope. <br />I feel for you, although of course I can't even begin to understand every aspect of your experience. Of course having a sulky little car that keeps conking out on you is not helping matters either. Hope it's easily fixed and that it behaves better.<br />cathy underscore loughman at yahoo.com --- email me if you want me to bring you a treat from California --- I will be arriving in Melbourne on Monday Feb 1 staying with my sister in Glen Iris before heading up to the Riverina for the rest of the week.Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05762944680421218676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004263.post-24204940075639093002010-01-25T01:30:35.391-08:002010-01-25T01:30:35.391-08:00Nice precis of Medicare!!!
Bah humbug about the ca...Nice precis of Medicare!!!<br />Bah humbug about the car though. <br />12 boxes of fleece and other nice things?? What fun!!!<br />Try to get used to the waiting: there will be a lot. It is strange and unnerving the way your life is pottering along nicely and then whammo, it isn't any more. <br />(Now I am forced to hum that Take On Me song by a-ha: thank you very much for the ear worm!!)2pawhttp://cindy2paw.typepad.com/2paw/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004263.post-28038608593876300852010-01-25T00:18:12.959-08:002010-01-25T00:18:12.959-08:00Yep I agree!!Go ahead and have a grumpy even a yel...Yep I agree!!Go ahead and have a grumpy even a yell or two!!!This came from my MIL when she was treated!Also when you start Chemo your immunity is stuffed up so you wont be able to wash those fleeces or so Im aware.<br />I love your Chemo hat,Ive just finished the one I was working on,hoping to to do a sock head one in Cashmere,in eletric blue<br />Great peice on Medicare!!I was talking to a lady at school today whose come through Breat Cancer treatment,she was a +2 level,the treatment was free at the new Cancer place in Perth as a Public patient but another lady was out of pocket $4000 after claiming her insurance.My MIL sat in Centrelinks office and refused to leave until they gave her a health care card and sickness benefits 'cause she couldnt afford to travel to Sydney for her treatment.Its what you know and how to use that info.<br />Thinking of you!My Five Sonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10369103021745393399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004263.post-86316509065189376702010-01-24T23:33:33.304-08:002010-01-24T23:33:33.304-08:00I think you are well and truly entitled to have an...I think you are well and truly entitled to have an off day, man you have had a lot to face in the last few weeks. Any wonder you are out of sorts. Give yourself a break,you're the only one that can.Leoniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07081197188456558450noreply@blogger.com