Guns and Healthcare - an Aussie Perspective

Yesterday I saw a doctor for the first time in Australia, as the result of falling off a kerb (Aussie for 'curb') while walking to work back in December. Every Australian has Medicare, which is their public health insurance, paid through taxes. As a foreigner, I don't have access to Medicare, but I do have private insurance because it is required as a condition of my foreign visa. I pay $199 a month for full public coverage (basically the equivalent of Medicare ensured services) and limited private coverage. 

As a new patient at the University Health Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital Radiology I got in the same day I called for an appointment, saw a doctor, then went radiation without an appointment and got on the table 15 minutes after walking in the door. It cost me $60 for the exam with a doctor and $43 for 4 xrays. This cost was what a person without insurance would get charged. I can submit the bills to my insurance to get reimbursed/apply to my deductible.

In the interest of full disclosure I will share the following:

• My insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions during the first year. So good thing this is my foot and not my perpetually cranky right knee.
• I had to walk my xrays back to the doc's office on the other side of campus. 
• I didn't get a lead vest in xray; they seem quite blithe about radiation here. Maybe it's because of the hole in the ozone.

Anyway, I was chatting with the cashier at the radiology desk about how the doc visit and xrays would have cost 10 times as much in the US. She said to me, "Is it true it would have cost you even more if you didn't have insurance?"

"Yes."

"Here it costs me more because I have Medicare - the xrays would have been $80."

"Still WAY cheaper than in the US."

"Is it true that if you don't have insurance in the US, they might not treat you at a hospital? Because when we travel there we are always advised to purchase insurance before we go."

"It's possible, but Aussie accents are so charming that they'd probably still take care of you."

She laughed. Then, "So you don't have Medicare like we do?"

"We have it, but it's not the same."

"I don't understand the US. Your people want to shoot each other, but they don't want to pay for each other's health care?"

"Basically, yes."

"Well, I don't want to shoot you, and I do want to pay for your health care."

"Why do you think I live in Australia now?"

Her laughter and mine accompanied me all the way out of the office.


BTW, the bones in my foot are awesomely long. [Shocking.] Xrays are cool!