Guaranteed Healthcare

Hi I've been following your campaign since being blown away by Mike Moore's film. Since 1984 in Australia we have had a health scheme funded by a taxation levy. It's called Medicare Australia,and I work for them, in an office where we pay out claims for our clients. We are expected to do everything possible to pay claims. When a claim restricts, we could spend half an hour or so making phone calls, reviewing item numbers, doing all we can to make sure the client can be paid.

So the stories of the rescinding of health insurance policies I found astounding. Why would a nation allow their citizens to be treated like that? Why would a government in the First World, that hopefully is not corrupt, that has professionals working its budget, not promote the best possible health result for all its people?

Why are people expected to have what we call in Australia, private health insurance. Why isn't there a safety net like our Medicare Australia so that everyone, regardless of income or employment status or previous health status, can access top quality healthcare in an emergency? What is your government thinking that it doesn't supply one of the most basic needs of its people, but goes to war to rescue the downtrodden of other nations?

In Australia we have two systems. Medicare Australia if funded by a 1.5% taxation levy. You are still covered if you don't need to pay taxes. You go to a doctor and Medicare will pay you 85% of the fee the government has decided is correct for that procedure. Doctors are free to charge what they wish and usually it's over the schedule fee. But it's affordable, while allowing doctors a high income. Public hospitals are wholly funded by Medicare for everyone.

Of course there are waiting lists, but in an emergency such as a heart attack or a brain tumour, you go to the front of the queue.

We also have private health insurance. We can choose to pay premiums to different health insurance companies. Most of them are not-for-profit. They all have a clause about pre-existing conditions, but that only excludes you for one year. After one year of membership you can claim on a pre-existing condition. So if you do find out you need a hip replacement operation, you have the option of waiting two years on a public list, or beginning private health insurance and waiting one year. Not everything is covered, there may be some out of pockets, but I have never heard of anyone being refused treatment or having to mortgage their house to pay for medically necessary treatment.

A young friend of my daughter's recently developed a brain tumour. Though she has private health insurance, her surgeon informed her that her operation would only be delayed by one week if he treated her as a public patient. She will have no bill for her treatment in a public hospital. That will greatly aid her recovery. She will have the same surgeon who would do the operation if she was in a private hospital being covered by her private fund.

If people present with medical emergencies in Australia, everyone involved seems to put themselves out for the best possible outcome. Your American system seems to have lost that basic compassion that understands people don't get sick because they want to, it just happens. It's distressing enough to develop something like cancer without being denied health care.

Your stories I have read have brought tears to my eyes. I cannot understand that a wealthy democratic country that gives so much to the rest of the world is unable to offer health care to all of its citizens.

Can we in Australia do anything to help your campaign?

Kind regards, Teresa Murty