Boloney! The insurance companies do a dandy job of grinding down the
providers. Maybe not perfect, but far better than would happen if we
each had to haggle for ourselves with no clue about market rates and
some pressing medical condition waiting to get fixed.

In OZ, the cost of being in the TOP health insurance cover, (HBF),
almost equates to a mortgage payment on your house. I was obliged to
opt out of HBF 15 yrs ago when the housing Interest rates rose to 19%.
(I chose the house as all car-boxes are NOT waterproof ;p.)
You have a pre-qualification period of 12 months plus you cannot get
it if you have any current ongoing pre-existing medical condition/s.
It all ceases when you turn 65, unless you take additional cover.
So, in essence, you need to be a relatively young uninjured Olympic
Athlete!

So I'm on Medicare (Commonwealth Govt. Health Scheme), where I still
pay a small % Levy, as I am classed as a "self funded retiree".
In some Medical Services, Medicare refunds 85% of the Schedule Fee and
we pay the Gap. (A big day at a Radiologist can set ME back $450.00 =
15% of $3,000.00.)  
No-one would give me a regular job as an employee, so I work as a
Consultant/Contractor and take care of all the on-costs.

To receive the Age-Pension, I have to close down my Business and prove
Abject Poverty for 6 weeks! If I qualify, I can get from approx AUD
$795.00 to $1.00 per fortnight, dependent on how much Private Income I
make and declare. (even if I make the 1 buck, I, at least get the
concession cards, which help out on all Medical Expenses, plus free
Bus Rides etc. (big deal.)

Conversely, the Commonwealth Government Department of Social Security
(CentreLink) wants all us old bastards to work till we're at least 75
yrs of age, so they can give the handouts to the great unwashed,
unempoyable aboriginals and dopeheads.

We DID have co-payments about 10 yrs ago, but they were scrapped.
Many of the GP (PCP) doctors will not Bulk-Bill under Medicare as the
Govt Fees are below what they want to earn. The ones who DO Bulk-Bill
tend to over-book their Appointments and under-service their Patients.
Because they work on the clock, you can just about get a Prescription
Drug for anything, albeit possibly Lethal.

We DO have a Senior's concession card that allows us a break on
Prescription Drugs, plus a Safety Net, after reaching a certain annual
amount, where we pay NIL for them, till the end of the current
Calendar year.

Some write-offs have been evident, where "free" State run Medical
Services claim against the Commonwealth Medicare and are prepared to
absorb the Gap. This is possibly why I now am suffering from
Lymphedema in the legs, due to the LARGE daily thruput in the EBRT
Unit.

Invest in Medical Services and Prescription Drugs if you want to make
a "killing" (Cox 1 Inhibitors excluded.)

-- Reader to complete...
-- Please reply to this ng as my email adress is fake:

-- Regards

-- CC