It's not socialised health that is the problem. It's our society!

We are sicker today simply because we work too much, eat food that is anything but natural, drink liquids that are designed to fatten us up and try and live in more and more enclosed spaces that are like little boxes.

Indeed I get the impression that we are becoming more and more like battery hens or lot fed animals than human beings.

THEY don't know that they are a commodity to be exploited.

As supposedly intelligent human beings we should look around, take a break and become aware.

One COULD argue that all of the wonderful industries that make some people very wealthy are in place at the expense of the rest of us.

To exploit us further and try and make us pay for the privilege of staying healthy is ridiculous - let those who get rich on the back of our labour pay - just so we can stay healthy and so can continue to make them rich!

Maybe it's the other way around.
Isn't it the Medicare co-payment gap that drives so many people to clog up Hospital Emergency Wards with minor ills instead of seeing their GPs?

Isn't it the lack of funded concessional aged care centres that keeps an ever-increasing number of old and infirm patients in hospital beds because they have nowhere else to go?

If the alternative to "socialised medicine" is to have old and/or sick people begging and dying in the streets, then I don't think it's too hard a choice to accept.

Arjay,

Tony Abbott has just admitted on the ABC today that the states are increasing their spending on health faster than the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth's % has dropped from 45% to 41% over the last few years .

That 4% extra could help a lot.

Last time I went to the doc's [in a bush community], cost me an extra $20.00 .Probably get some of it back from the fund-No complaints from me and he does bulk bill for the needy .

My only concern was the thought of those big Fijiian "brothers" of the doc that we may have to play in the World Rugby Cup .

I suspect the French Health System could well be tested.