Patients should pay us, say doctors

[Still Waters]

More than half of GPs want to charge a fee of up to £25 per appointment in order to discourage patients from making needless visits, according to a new survey.

Health policy experts said the flat rate, which could include exemptions for groups like the elderly and unemployed, would bring British health care in line with successful systems in France, Germany and Scandinavia.

But ministers insisted the NHS would be kept free at the point of use and said the government would resist any move to introduce fees for GP appointments.

http://www.telegraph...ay-doctors.html

[Mr.United_Nations]

every visit is important, could be something serious. They should encourage people to see the doctor

[ReaperS_ParadoX]

I wasn't aware that doctors weren't getting paid

[spud the mackem]

Well if Docs relied on me they would starve to death,I have a phobia about visiting the "Germ Cupboard"(Docs waiting room),I guess I'm scared of picking up something nasty.

[kannin]

I wasn't aware that doctors weren't getting paid

me neither my friend, i never knew either, i must have been blinded by there sports cars or 7 bedroom houses in the burbs, those poor doctors.........pompous f---s

[diablo_04]

i hope no doctor will see this from my country, I don't want they getting any funny ideas

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

In Oz, we have a system that's best described as "mildly insane".

Basically, the GP can charge whatever fee they like (yesterday the fee for my "short consultation" was $50au (it was ten minutes long), an "after hours" consultation is $75au etc).

However, Medicare covers a percentage of that depending on the level of cover Medicare assigns you (low income people nearly 100% cover/rebate, me at about 60% etc). So you'll be out of pocket a small amount.

However some GPs "bulk bill" Medicare and you pay nothing at all - which is what my GP did without being asked to (which was really nice of him), they get paid by the government via Medicare (however it usually takes ages for them to get the cash, it's the Australian government we're talking about after all), whereas me paying at the counter would have had the $50 in the coffers straight away).

[Mikko-kun]

Well if Docs relied on me they would starve to death,I have a phobia about visiting the "Germ Cupboard"(Docs waiting room),I guess I'm scared of picking up something nasty.

I go there all the time and I'm pretty healthy.

Oh wait, does that make sense?

[Arbenol]

In Oz, we have a system that's best described as "mildly insane".

Basically, the GP can charge whatever fee they like (yesterday the fee for my "short consultation" was $50au (it was ten minutes long), an "after hours" consultation is $75au etc).

However, Medicare covers a percentage of that depending on the level of cover Medicare assigns you (low income people nearly 100% cover/rebate, me at about 60% etc). So you'll be out of pocket a small amount.

However some GPs "bulk bill" Medicare and you pay nothing at all - which is what my GP did without being asked to (which was really nice of him), they get paid by the government via Medicare (however it usually takes ages for them to get the cash, it's the Australian government we're talking about after all), whereas me paying at the counter would have had the $50 in the coffers straight away).

We have something a little similar here. We pay for GP consultations but kids are free. What winds me up is that the practices seem to be able to dictate their own fees and there are wide disparities in charges.

The situation in the UK is that GP visits are free. The problem they have is how much time is taken up by malingerers and people who needlessly take up appointment times. It's been a longstanding issue and - as the OP article says - has got worse. If you have a genuine need you have to wait to get an appointment. I don't know if that's improved since I left, but if you needed an appointment in the UK, it would be nothing short of a miracle to see your GP within 48 hours. I can guarantee getting in the same day here.

[Mikko-kun]

In Finland we have many companies having their staff go private medicorporations instead of public hospitals, so the staff wouldn't have to pay. It works for staff, but in a sense it's still off our pocket because we might as well receive that as a part of our salary. Just like the pensions, they force us to pay them assuming we'll live long enough, or thinking enough of us assume they assume that. And pension companies make big bucks while taking a cut from us, a cut which those who die before retirement age wont be seeing. It's like saying we'd be stupid enough to save up money for the old-timer times ourselves so let the government do that for us. Except it's not the government but a private corp government assigned for that, or maybe not even a government-assigned one. Bullcrap.

But here in a way it's still you who pays it off your wallet, and the problem is we dont think so much of taking sick-leave for reasons other than being sick. Having to pay on the counter would counter that a bit. But only if we'd have some of our pay back because of that, because we already have enough people taking from us for nothing.

[Ashotep]

If you have good insurance you might get to see a doctor here for only $25. That is if you have your deductible in otherwise you are talking about a couple of hundred dollars by the time you pay for your medicine.

[Michelle]

If you have good insurance you might get to see a doctor here for only $25. That is if you have your deductible in otherwise you are talking about a couple of hundred dollars by the time you pay for your medicine.

A couple of hundred dollars a visit, once a year, is great opposed to six or seven hundred dollars a month for health insurance.

[Mikko-kun]

Sheez, why would you even go a doctor there if your boss allowed you to take unpaid sick leave otherwise? I think that's far more sensible in your country unless you have something which does require medical treatment. Not bone fractures, fever, diarrhea nor something like that but a tumor or something. Are people seriously paying that much there for just taking a check-up or for getting an antibiotics/painkiller recipe?

[Michelle]

Sheez, why would you even go a doctor there if your boss allowed you to take unpaid sick leave otherwise? I think that's far more sensible in your country unless you have something which does require medical treatment. Not bone fractures, fever, diarrhea nor something like that but a tumor or something. Are people seriously paying that much there for just taking a check-up or for getting an antibiotics/painkiller recipe?

If you have a regular physician you can simply call in to tell them your symptoms and ask them to phone in a medication, if you go in for yearly check-ups. If it's been longer than a year they will usually ask you to come to the office.

[Mikko-kun]

Ah, that's good then. Here you actually go to see a doctor for that small stuff because you need to prove you're sick. In other words, show your face at the doctor and pick up the paper. Though some workplaces give more leniency in this.

[Michelle]

Ah, that's good then. Here you actually go to see a doctor for that small stuff because you need to prove you're sick. In other words, show your face at the doctor and pick up the paper. Though some workplaces give more leniency in this.

That has always been one of my pet peeves. If something like the flu is going around even doctors don't want to see you if you have the classic symptoms It isn't usually life threatening and will blow over in a few days...but I don't want someone coming to work, while they are contagious and giving it to everyone else. There have been times when it was so bad even the schools close for a few days because about 50% were infected.

[Mikko-kun]

That has always been one of my pet peeves. If something like the flu is going around even doctors don't want to see you if you have the classic symptoms It isn't usually life threatening and will blow over in a few days...but I don't want someone coming to work, while they are contagious and giving it to everyone else. There have been times when it was so bad even the schools close for a few days because about 50% were infected.

We can bring in the papers later too, I think it's recommended or a must here if you have something contagious, though those things are more seasonal here. You catch it anyhow or dont catch it, unless it's a thing like bird flu. But I guess you got a tad bit different set of germs down there.

[skookum]

Still there is this misconception that healthcare is free in the UK. It isn't we pay for it via taxes and national insurance.

Hence why we have some of the highest fuel prices etc.

[spud the mackem]

I took my wife who is a disabled pensioner, to the Dentist,it was a 1 hour session and she was charged £270 ($405). Doctors get paid more than Dentists,so if they start charging there is gonna be a lot of sick people around in future.

Just imagine a visit ,the Doc charges you for a half hour, £135($202) and gives you a packet of pain killers worth £1($1.52),its a rip off.

[Moon Gazer]

Still there is this misconception that healthcare is free in the UK. It isn't we pay for it via taxes and national insurance.

Hence why we have some of the highest fuel prices etc.

Yeah exactly! It isn't free, the people who pay their taxes already pay. So for the average working person they would have to pay twice (yet the people who don't work would get it for free). This country is getting well screwed up

[Guest]

I Ireland we operate a similar system where unless you are on a medical card (means tested free healthcare) you pay a flat €25.00 fee per visit to the GP. Its not so bad and I can see the point the GP's are making. However in the climate of creeping privatization this seems like the start of a very slippery slope which will lead to the same place the dentists are currently at where it has become all but impossible to get NHS treatment.

Br Cornelius

[Aggie]

In the UK we pay the doctor's salaries with our taxes, and their salaries are excellent.

I don't mind paying £25 to see my doctor, if they stop taking my National Insurance contributions, cause I will not pay them twice.

[Still Waters]

I don't know if that's improved since I left, but if you needed an appointment in the UK, it would be nothing short of a miracle to see your GP within 48 hours. I can guarantee getting in the same day here.

I think it depends on the practice and how many Dr's they have. In the one I go to it is possible sometimes to get a same day appointment if it can't wait. They have an 'on duty' Dr for that purpose. Otherwise the next day is the earliest.

Our practice also has an online registration system so we can book our own appointments, request repeat prescriptions etc. online. It's extremely handy.

[ReaperS_ParadoX]

me neither my friend, i never knew either, i must have been blinded by there sports cars or 7 bedroom houses in the burbs, those poor doctors.........pompous f---s

At least in the U.S. doctors are not hurting financially no matter what type of medicine they practice, so I don't see any reason why they should be complaining, even if it is a useless appointment for the patient that patient is still paying so what do they care

[kannin]

At least in the U.S. doctors are not hurting financially no matter what type of medicine they practice, so I don't see any reason why they should be complaining, even if it is a useless appointment for the patient that patient is still paying so what do they care

exactly i dont charge people to walk through my computer repair shop doors and trust me i get stupid apointments