A very,very interesting article, particularly as my private health fund premium is due; some $2,800 plus, and I'am only a part pensioner who has paid tens of thousands of dollars for private health insurance, yet luckily enough has been healthy enough not ot use it much.

The health system is a joke, and a better service could be provided if everybody was prepared to pay a certain portion for health services.

How many people are aware of this loops in being treated as a private patient in a public hospital and pay very little ,while another, being ill advised by a surgeon pays through his/her nose.

Seggie. Hawil, does that huge amount cover just you? If it's one person, I guess you have top cover which covers almost everything? $1,200 covers me but that includes optical and dental. I still have to pay a gap fee for specialists,etc. and as I've said in a previous note, it will now cost $500 to get into a private hospital but that will cover a year. Only once in my life did I ever find a specialist who bulk-billed. Another visit to a back specialist was 5 minutes when after studying my husband, he said 'nothing I can do' and opened the door for us to leave. The bill was $300. We found another wonderful back specialist who said he could help and did. Half the price this time. Best thing now I've found is to actually ask their secretary when you book in what the cost will be. One bitten!

I recently heard from a friend who paid to be a private patient but there was no trainee for that doctor in any case so he could have had it done under Medicare and it would have been done by his doctor in any case. This hurt him financially but the Medicare system is meant to be there for people who cannot afford to pay.