# Socialised health care, Australia style **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 1, 2025, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741 "2025-05-01T07:06:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/121 "2025-05-07T00:44:55Z")
I skimmed this. Didn’t read it word-for-word. And it’s five years old. But … I think it’s an excellent overview of the Australian model of UHC: [**International Health Care System Profiles - Australia [Commonwealth Fund]**](https://www.commonwealthfund.org/international-health-policy-center/countries/australia) And Aus delivers their UHC on the cheap, relatively speaking (just over half the %GDP cost of the US, for example): > **[Government health spending as a share of GDP](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/public-health-expenditure-share-gdp)** > > This metric captures spending on government funded health care systems and social health insurance, as well as compulsory health insurance. They also kick international ass in the outcomes and overall healthcare performance rankings (third, only behind such august company as Norway and the Netherlands): [**Mirror, Mirror 2021: Reflecting Poorly: Health Care in the U.S. Compared to Other High-Income Countries [Commonwealth Fund]**](https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2021/aug/mirror-mirror-2021-reflecting-poorly) Y’all are doing something very right. Good on ya! ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/122 "2025-05-07T00:55:24Z")
You see @Beckdawrek, that is your singular experience in the US. And sure, I’m aware that many people are extremely happy with the care they receive, but unfortunately your experience is not universal. From my understanding, many more people are spectacularly dissatisfied with the US model of health care. My experience however is the norm in Australia. As an example (which I alluded to in one of my earlier posts) take a car accident, where two people are seriously injured. One person is a homeless person, run down by a car (accidentally) driven by a multi-millionaire. The driver is also injured after then veering off into a light pole. Ambulances and paramedics are despatched. The nature of the injuries means that the victims need to be transported to Critical Care facilities, meaning the top tier public hospitals in the area. They will NOT be taken to private hospitals. Both are admitted, receive the best of possible care and both survive…but need ongoing physiotherapy and perhaps occupational therapy in the future. All of this is covered by Medicare (and depending upon which state you live in (example here in Victoria, the Transport Accident Commission) ) you will not get any out of pocket expenses apart from ongoing medications. Those covered by the government cost around $27 (IIRC) or for the homeless person, around $7. The quality of care is EXACTLY the same for every patient admitted to hospital after an accident. Now for chronic, ongoing health issues, sometimes the outcomes can be different, and many people feel a need to take out private insurance to ensure they don’t wait around too long for elective surgery or care. That’s fine, our system can handle both. BUT, if you are seriously ill, your care, my care, my expenses, your expenses will be identical no matter who you are or where you are in the country. That is Universal Health Coverage. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/123 "2025-05-07T01:00:29Z")
I cannot respond. Sorry. Again I’m very happy your care was great. That pleases me as much as yourself. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/124 "2025-05-07T01:07:20Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > No money changed hands. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Bank account intact. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Private insurance. Beck, I’m glad you received treatment. But the difference between the USA and Australia (and every other country with Universal Health Care) is that we don’t need **private insurance** to get help. UHC is usually paid for out of taxation (spreads the load.) If you don’t mind saying, what does your insurance cost? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/125 "2025-05-07T01:32:54Z")
This is Australian thread. (See the mod note). I have no problem telling you. I cannot. Here. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/126 "2025-05-07T01:49:17Z")
@Beckdawrek, you weren’t told to stop posting, only to dial it back a bit. I too would be interested to hear what the cost of your insurance is. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/127 "2025-05-07T01:55:41Z")
Are you sure? I don’t need any more trouble on the board. It will cause a firestorm, I fear. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/128 "2025-05-07T03:29:57Z")
For-profit hospitals can indeed do this, especially for non-emergency care. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/129 "2025-05-07T03:47:31Z")
Pre-Affordable Care Act, I knew someone who had to have an emergency colostomy. It was several years before he could save up enough money to pay for the surgery to close up the colon and not have to wear a colostomy bag anymore. It was considered non-essential medical care. Now we all have to worry about you-know-who dismantling the ACA and making cuts to Medicaid/Medicare. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/130 "2025-05-07T04:16:43Z")
My family caught the flu while visiting Australia. Well, two of us did, and the other two were sharing beds with those two. We went to a clinic, saw a doctor that day, got the diagnosis, and those of us who weren’t sick, yet, got prescriptions for tamiflu, which prevented us from becoming ill. And we paid about $70. I was extremely happy with the price and availability of care. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/131 "2025-05-07T12:20:45Z")
Kudos to Australia and the other advanced nations with sensible health care systems. We older Muricans like our Medicare; it saves many of us from poverty. Perhaps a modern political party could campaign on lowering the age of eligibility by a year. And then promise to do so again every year it is in power until we reach the tipping point. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/132 "2025-05-07T17:19:58Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > America has weathered some shit in our short history. You could say, maybe more than our share. And came out ahead. I am at a loss to know to what you are referring? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/133 "2025-05-07T17:34:19Z")
It doesn’t matter. This is the “Australian socialized healthcare thread”. Must stay on topic. (Refer to mod note, up-thread) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/134 "2025-05-07T20:04:21Z")
Moderating: This is ridiculous. Beck, you are banned from this thread. Everyone else, please don’t respond to her posts. Mods will discuss further action. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/135 "2025-05-07T20:16:11Z")
Is dental and eyecare\* part of the universal healthcare in AU? In the UK, a weirdly separate-but-not-separate-but-actually-not-free - I think because there were already a huge number of small private dental and optician practices when the NHS was created and it just wasn’t practical for the NHS to simply absorb them. \*that is, things like specs and contact lenses and eye tests; health care for acute and chronic diseases of the eyes, IS part of the regular NHS ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/136 "2025-05-07T20:28:00Z")
My late husband came to the US most recently from Aus, and while my observations based on his experiences are empirical, I do think they are informed. He was utterly bewildered by our health care system. He couldn’t understand why one of us had to work for a substantial company for the health insurance, and struggled to grasp why employers were made to shoulder this burden instead of government. He didn’t understand co-pays, or why some things were covered and others weren’t. He didn’t grasp the concept of referrals – why not just go to a specialist if you needed to? And he really was appalled that anyone would profit on the backs of the sick and elderly. In the end, his ignorance may well have contributed to his death. He had a PCP who was very cavalier about his vascular issues. He had been given a glowing review of good health after a physical just 6 weeks before he died, most likely from a pulmonary embolism. The doctor hadn’t even put him on prophylactic aspirin and/or blood thinners, despite many obvious warning signs of vascular concerns (varicose veins, family history, etc.). I learned a lot about the Australian health care system in my time with him. In my opinion, there’s no comparison between the US and Aus. We do not excel at good or accessible health care in the USA. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/137 "2025-05-07T20:47:10Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Is dental and eyecare\* part of the universal healthcare in AU? In the UK, a weirdly separate-but-not-separate-but-actually-not-free - I think because there were already a huge number of small private dental and optician practices when the NHS was created and it just wasn’t practical for the NHS to simply absorb them. Canada is in the same boat. Eye exams are covered for under 18s, seniors, and those with health conditions that warrant it like diabetes. There is no coverage for glasses. Dental coverage was just introduced here and rolled out in phases, so under 18 and over 55 are covered with the 18-54 only if you are disabled. It’s being expanded to all later this year. Unlike medical coverage which is universal, dental coverage is means tested and has limits. > **[Canadian Dental Care Plan - Canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/dental/dental-care-plan.html)** > > The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) will help cover some of the cost of various oral health care services for eligible Canadian residents. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/138 "2025-05-07T21:14:55Z")
Eye testing is free in Australia for everyone. Any medical eye conditions are also treated free under Medicare. Glasses are NOT free, but for kids and pensioners, I believe one can access cheaper specs through the hospital system. Dental care is free for kids through the school dental programs (administered by the state governments) but for anyone else, it can be a long wait on a public health waiting list to access care. That is the one thing that really undermines the full glory of UHC in Australia, and the quicker TPTB realise dental health is as important as general health the better. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/139 "2025-05-07T22:45:34Z")
I’ve long heard that medical transportation in Canada is free, and to some extent, it is - if you use an ambulance, air or ground. However, getting to a hospital or clinic otherwise is not, and one of my favorite YouTubers has done his version of “Angel Flights” for Canucks who need medical transportation. He starts discussing it about 7 minutes in. > **[I Made a Vintage Laura Secord Recipe... “Grunt”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_nwJ-egDOs%2F)** > > Brighten up a snowy Sunday morning with a taste of Canadian nostalgia! In this episode of Sunday Morning and the Old Cookbook show, we dive into my beloved 1... ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741/140 "2025-05-07T23:10:08Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I’ve long heard that medical transportation in Canada is free, and to some extent, it is - if you use an ambulance, air or ground. Parking can be $40 a day at hospitals in Toronto! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialised-health-care-australia-style/1017741.md?page=8)