Zing here we go again....

Health costs set to rise
Andrew Tillett Canberra, The West Australian Updated February 10, 2012, 3:06 am

Health insurance premiums will jump for two million Australians with Julia Gillard on the verge of winning parliamentary support to means test the 30 per cent private health insurance rebate.

Nearly two years after it was first mooted and twice rejected by the Senate, the likely passage of the means test next week will help Labor meet half of its $1.5 billion Budget surplus in 2012-13.

Means testing the rebate for high-income earners from July will save the Budget $2.4 billion over three years.

The change means singles earning more than $83,000 a year and families on $166,000 will have the rebate scaled back.

The Medicare levy surcharge - which penalises high-income earners without cover - will be raised to stop an exodus of members.

Treasury modelling expects just 29,000 people will drop their cover but the funds warn millions will dump or downgrade their policy.

Labor's task of passing the means test through the Lower House was made easier after turncoat Liberal MP Peter Slipper became Speaker, meaning the votes of just three of the six crossbenchers are needed.
While the Greens want an extra $185 million to boost public dental care in return for backing the rise in the surcharge, Health Minister Tanya Plibersek ruled out horse trading yesterday.

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Funny looking German Subaru

The parliamentary debate was the most vitriolic rubbish I've seen in years. Abbott was accused of being against the package to help his mates "like Gina Rinehart and Clive Palmer" by Juliar and our youngest member of parliament thrown out of the chamber by Slipper for asking Juliar "when was the last time a Labour government brought in a surplus budget".

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[COLOR=Black]Liberty GT Spec B tuned 240 HP & 372 Nm at the hubs.[/COLOR] "Instead of banning high performance cars - ban low performance drivers"

Did Craig Thomson and Fair Wank Australia get a mention ?

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Funny looking German Subaru

Given how little you can claim with private health insurance, I'll be one who will be scaling back.

Nothing worse than paying for top cover and then all you can do is claim a couple of bux on some glasses lenses.

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[COLOR="Gray"]550Nm off a 2L... Just wish it was in the dak dak...[/COLOR]

I'll be doing the same. I already pay $125/month for fuckall... ie. seeing the dentist every 6-12 months of which I get about 1/3 back. I pay for private health insurance mainly so that if something "non-urgent" but still fairly serious and painful comes up, I won't be put on a waiting list and will be out of pocket slightly less with a bit of luck.

I think they're going to drastically underestimate the number of people who drop their cover entirely, and thus put even further pressure on the public health system. Muppets.

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[I]trolololol[/I]

This is one of there answers for achieving a balanced budget. Does anyone trust the Welsh Witch ?

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Funny looking German Subaru

April Fools came to mind when I heard this on the radio this morning.

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[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

Bring back Rubbery Figures. At least we can get some comical relief from the buggers.

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MY00 WRX. 89 Prelude. 99 CRV

She's simply running on thin air, prostituting Labour principles whilst being bent over by Brown on oft an occasion, whilst giving happy endings to the likes of Oakshot, Windsor, Wilkie and Slipper.

Throw in banks that raise interests rates against the trend ...

Bring on an election.

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[COLOR=Black]Liberty GT Spec B tuned 240 HP & 372 Nm at the hubs.[/COLOR] "Instead of banning high performance cars - ban low performance drivers"

moot

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http://www.trapster.com - spot da haterz