Medicare covers the cost of going to see a doctor not involving...

Medicare covers the cost of going to see a doctor not involving hospital care.

A privatised medicare system is where there is no system in place to cover visits to a doctor not involving hospital care. When we have to pay the doctor from our own pocket that is a privatised component.

Medicare is under threat because it is not being funded properly and doctors are in many practices charging substantial excesses over and above the medicare scheduled fees.

I pay an extra $20 a visit which my doctor also applies to health card holders. Others here claim they pay as much as a $50 excess.

So Labor is right to put the pressure on the govt over its intentions on medicare. Its the only thing that will protect and ensure that it is not rendered a crock by stealth.

Its obvious the mediscare campaign has put the govt under pressure to be seen to supporting it. We may now hopefully see it restored to improved effectiveness and coverage.

Its amazing that some here that are anti Shorten’s save medicare campaign have posted that medicare should be privatised. Its clear that some conservatives would prefer a user pay system rather than a universal health care coverage for all. We need to be vigilant to make sure these conservatives don’t achieve that end.

Shorten must keep the heat on the govt on medicare and scream loudly whenever govt action serves to undermine it.