Hi
@Jim Lahey, in Australia we have universal health insurance called Medicare (as distinct from the name in the US). This will be a rant !!
Those that wish, and can afford to, may take out private health insurance in addition.
Taking out private insurance also helps to ease the financial pressure on Medicare a bit.
So for those on Aussie Medicare only, the provision of insulin pumps is quite sparse and so many of us opt for the addition private health insurance and as long as we meet the criteria can obtain an insulin pump.
Also whatever insurance I have, Medicare plus private, say, that only pays for the Medicare allotted amount per GP visit
(my GP or specialist can charge whatever he/she likes, in theory) and it does not cover blood tests and Xrays etc cost over and above a Medicare-decreed level when performed in the community as opposed to being a patient in hospital where such tests/scans are free..
I think the Aussie Medicare tax levy is about 2% of taxable income which is paid in addition to usual tax, with full or partial exemptions for those below certain income levels. Private health insurance costs varies with level of cover, whether one wishes to add in some cover for dental, physio etc but is approx. AUD 1200 per person per annum.
The Medicare dental system only really covers low income persons.
Medicare has introduced various incentives through GPs such as Chronic Disease Plans which enable me, under the Diabetes Care plan one, to be subsidised for 5 visits per year collectively to health professionals such as diabetes nurse, dietitian, podiatrist, exercise physiologist. If I need mental health care, another plan will subsidise me for 5 visits to a psychologist/counsellor.
Whilst certain items we buy in general are exempt from Goods and Services Tax (GST) (approx like your VAT) other things including certain foods have GST added. There is a quip used about tax: One (AUD) dollar a day (minus 10 cents as GST).
Mind you the first pump still cost me about AUD 9000 in 2011, even with private insurance, but nil for insulin pumps thereafter.
The consumables of the pump, or syringes, pen injectors and test strips are subsidised. CGMs are subsidised for a restricted number of persons on insulin pump too.
Also the Aussie Govt negotiates directly with pharmaceutical and medical device companies to lower the price of devices and commonly used medications. Called the PBS - Pharmaceutical benefits Scheme). So my Novorapid insulin 25 ampoules of 3 ml ampoules (100 Units /ml) has a Government cost price of AUD 206.59 but I only pay AUD 39.50. And if I was on a Disability Support or Old Age pension that payment would be AUD 7.50.
If not for the PBS I too would perhaps be struggling to afford my current insulin and pump and would be back to the 'good, old' Soluble insulin and long-acting NPH insulin which was first prescribed for me in 1966!!
So yes we have a different system to your NHS but far, far better than most of what US citizens have to contend with!!
The LCHF doet situation here is complicated by the fact that (and I allege this) the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA), who register dietitians (rather like the GMC register doctors), also control University Dietietcis course by being the accrediting body and also oversee post-graduate education. They have de-registered dietitians who prescribed LCHF diets to T2Ds, tried to also do this to an Aussie doctor and r to a NZ dietitian both active in prescribing LCHF diets. It turns out that DAA has been heavily sponsored by Big Food for years. They have actively used scientific literature with biased results and statements to denigrate LCHF diet in keeping with Big Foods agenda. The Big Food agenda the world over is centred on religious beliefs of a century ago which promote vegetarianism (with veganism as an offshoot). And this is also at the root of the EAT- lancet diet and similar rubbish.
What does adoption of LCHF diet do to Big Food? Lowers their sales of cereals etc = reduced profits.
The tide seems to be turning here in Oz toward LCHF (and the retirement of the past CEO of DAA is a blessing (fingers crossed) but there are generations of Aussie dietitians who either know little about LCHF diet or are too afraid to prescribe it. The lack of oversight of bodies like DAA and APHRA (part of your GMC equivalent) is woeful and I contend fits into their Big Foods agenda. Punish those who speak out.
Big Food cries to the Aussie Gove that their food sales are down and that affects employment. Big Food knows that they control DAA so whatever in Food Guidelines for Aussies needs manipulating can be done.
Big Food is happy along with shareholders, DAA is being 'funded' and maintains a position of power, the Govt is happy that employment is stable and that crop farmers are happy (never mind dairy, egg and cattle farmers where they occupy non-arable land and when they sell up who buys then out ? Govt/ foreign investment).??
