Posted by Michael Wonder on 24 May 2019
Doctors warn Australia's private health sector is heading towards a US style system
24 May 2019 - "Have you got insurance?"
It is one of the first questions any patient is asked when they walk into an emergency room in the United States, no matter how sick they are.
And now Australian doctors are warning our own health system is shifting towards a similar US managed care model — a patchwork of private and public systems, where health insurers hold an increasing amount of power.
The president of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Tony Bartone, made the comments as he addressed the group's national conference in Brisbane on Friday.
