• Taleya
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    2 days ago

    Eh it can be useful in certain situations. His lordship uses it quite heavily for his glasses, psychology appointments, meds, and we both use it for dental.

    Forcing people onto it via punitive tax can piss right off though. And they need to tell private insurers they can’t use public infrastructure, the double dipping little fuckholes

  • tombruzzo
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    3 days ago

    I’m over 31 and make enough to get hit with the Medicare levy surcharge. I don’t really want private health insurance but is there something I can get to cut down on how much I’d get stung for the surcharge every financial year?

    • Cypher
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      3 days ago

      You can basically get the cheapest plan around and try to use whatever benefits it does provide.

      I went with a non-profit.

    • Salvo
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      2 days ago

      Alternatively, you can make voluntary Superannuation contributions to lower your taxable income.

      The problem is that with the Cost of Living crisis, we all need that increase in our wages and salaries to be able to survive!

      • tombruzzo
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        2 days ago

        I looked into this at an old job. I could contribute $500 a month to super and only take home $250 less a month. I’ll definitely do this if I can pick up some side work again as that’s 6 grand a year in one of the safest investment vehicles you can use

    • Geobloke@lemm.ee
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      3 days ago

      I was in the same boat at your age. The government has a health insurance comparer for a bunch of situations. Just go the barest of bones insurance and sort by cheapest. Ignore the meerkat one and other copycats when you search for it

      • tombruzzo
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        2 days ago

        I’ll see if I can find something cheaper than my monthly repayments for my last tax bill. The repayments will add up if I don’t do anything as I can stretched it out to go over 24 months

  • Sgt_choke_n_stroke@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    US American here private insurance is going to be why the next deadly pandemic will kill all Americans we don’t have the infrastructure to help people.

    • x4740N@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      How is this relevant at all here to american stuff

      This is Australian news

      • Salvo
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        2 days ago

        Because certain political powers in Australia think that the US model has no problem’s whatsoever.

        It is how the NHS is being pushed in the UK so we need to fight against these profiteers and their mates.

      • Zagorath
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        1 day ago

        It’s a warning to us if the dangers of this path. I think it was quite relevant.