The Federal Government is walking backwards from its original plan to cut the Medicare rebate for cataract surgery.

The decision announced by Health Minister Nicola Roxon today, was forced upon the Government after non-Labor senators vetoed a regulation that would have halved the rebate to $312 from this Sunday.

The Government will now make a new regulation providing a rebate of $340.50 for standard procedures and $731 for more complex procedures.

The new rebate levels are safe until November 16, at which time the Senate will have another opportunity to veto the latest regulation.

According to The Telegraph, the Medicare rebate for cataract surgery has been scrapped by the Senate and from Monday 2600 patients a week will have to pay up to $3000 to have their sight restored.

Australia’s largest health fund Medibank Private also said it will no longer be able to provide any rebates to its members who have cataract surgery. Doctors say they will have to cancel operations because patients will not be able to afford the bill.

“It’s not just the doctor’s fee. Health funds won’t be able to provide a refund for the implants, the theatre fees, the hospital bed fee and the anaesthetist,” ophthalmologist Dr Russell Bach said.

The Opposition and all the minor parties in the Senate yesterday moved to axe the rebate as part of a fight with the Rudd Government.

In the May Budget, Health Minister Nicola Roxon announced plans to slash the Medicare rebate for cataract surgery in half from $623 to $312 because she said technological advances meant the surgery now took just 15 minutes to perform.

The measure was designed to save $100 million over four years. But the Opposition and minor parties objected, claiming the move would leave pensioners and retirees facing out-of-pocket expenses of $313 when they had cataract surgery. Yesterday they blocked the cuts in the Senate – the consequence is that there is now no Medicare rebate for cataract surgery.

And I thought Fred Hollows said it only cost $25.

The old saying goes you don’t choose your pet, your pet chooses you. LadyFlash explains to Heads Will Roll how his pet chose him and what it means to be a pet owner in 2009.

Every morning climbing into the shower presents a challenge. I am one of the many people who are short sighted and the shower is one of the few places that my spectacles fail me. Recently shower time had taken an interesting turn. Not long ago I climbed into the shower and out of the corner of my eye I spotted a dark blurry mass huddling in the corner of the shower. As I turned to see what it was the mass had disappeared. I went back to my usual shower ritual but I could sense the mass, again I spotted it but this time it was drifting around me getting closer and closer with each sweep. I wasn’t sure if it was a stranded animal or a massive clump of my housemates hair, ever growing with each shower. I was petrified of touching it. As the days passed by I thought possibly the humane thing to do would be set it free as I was worried the RSPCA would soon bang down our door and haul us away for keeping an animal we weren’t feeding, though I was positive this thing had grown big enough to hunt for itself. In fact I was positive he was sneaking out at night and feasting on the neighbours pets as every morning when I climbed into the shower he seemed to have grown and I was worried one day he would be large enough to feast on me, defenseless as I am when I climb into the shower half asleep partially blind and naked.

I decided I needed to start treating the hairball as a proper pet if I was escape the wrath of the authorities. The first thing he would need would be a name. What’s in a name? Well according to Bow Wow (bowwow.com.au) 20% of all pet names are based on the Pets appearance or personality. So I needed to think what characteristics the hairball had been displaying. Well it was hairy, it was sneaky, it liked to eat, and it was squishy. That’s it! I shall call him squishy because he is my squishy!

Now that I named Squishy I decided that he was lacking style. I didn’t want squishy to get teased by all of the scene pets when we played down at the park. What I really needed was some designer clothes for squishy to wear but where to look? Well celebrities tell me what clothes I should wear so why not Squishy? I found a dress set from the Beverly Hills Chihuahua movie for $53.99 and collar from the Legally Blonde movie for $46.32 but how do I know if these movies are still cool in the movie pet the world?

I don’t want Squishy to get left out of pet playtime because I made the fashion faux pas and purchased last seasons threads. If only there was some sort style leader in the pet world that Squishy could look to. Well luck would have it Elle Macpherson’s dog, Bella, has become the first ever canine supermodel. I found Bella modelling this stylish coat, it was available in XS and was only $38.75 (bargain!)

After all the stress from shopping Squishy needed some pampering. I found a boutique retreat in Perth for small pets called Snips and Snoozes. I chose the Gold room that included:

* Private King Size
* Size – 4.5m x 2.3m
* XL Luxury Bed
* Play area view
* Room is made from very light hand made bricks
* Air Conditioning & Heating coming soon
* Snooza Multi Mat (very soft & snug; velcros to the trampoline bed in winter so it doesn’t fall on the floor)
* Heating from 1800 watt Infra–Red Radiant Heater – Refer to Extra Services for Rates

A deluxe Pamper pack that included:

* Maximum Play (8 hours)
* 2 Super Premium Quality Meals
* 1 Daily Cuddle Time (15mins)
* 1 Daily Brush
* 1 Daily One-on-One Play Time with Toys
* Yummy Treats- Liver Treats, Raw Hide Chews, Steamed Chicken
* Weekly Chicken Necks
* Weekly Hydrobath & Blow Dry

And off course I needed a Pet taxi to pick up Squishy, so that was going to cost an extra $55 to pick up plus $1.65 for every km the taxi needed to drive Squishy. The retreat cost $52 for the room for the night, $55 for Squishy to get groomed, as he was looking a bit scruffy and $159.50 to get picked up and dropped off by the pet taxi. In total one night of indulgence cost me $266.50 but how can you put a price on happiness?

Leaving Squishy to sneak out at night to feed didn’t feel adequate now Squishy was a stylish and pampered pet. What Squishy really needed was a meal that was free from any artificial colours, grain free, which balances all the necessary proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Squishy needed a holistic approach to good health and vitality and definitely food it could normally catch and eat in the wild. I found company that creates Maximal meals for pets. One particular chicken meal contained the following basic ingredients…

Chicken Meal, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Peas, Potatoes, Potato Protein, Chicken, Natural Chicken Flavour, Choline Chloride, Methionine, Taurine, Dried Chicory Root, Kelp, Carrots, Apples, Tomatoes, Blueberries, Spinach, Dried Skim Milk, Cranberry Powder, Rosemary Extract, Parsley Flake, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Green Tea Extract, Barley Grass Extract, L-Carnitine, Enterococcus Faecieum, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Saccharomyces Cerevesiae Fermentation Solubles, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid.

I started to become fairly attached to squishy, not only had some of his hairs become entangled into the fibres of my jumper, I had a fairly large emotional and financial investment in him so I decided I needed to insure him, just in case something “happened”. I decided to go with a reputable human insurance company for Squishy so I chose Medibank Private for an online quote.

Step 1. What is your pet’s name? Squishy
What type of Pet is Squishy? Dog or Cat (hmm Squishy is super loyal so dog it is)
What Breed is Squishy? Curly Coated Retriever (that’s sounds about right)
When is Squishy’s birthday? It says he needs to be at least 8 weeks old
What is your postcode? 6000
Are you an existing Medibank Private Member? No

Step 2. Choose your level of cover:

Bronze Paw cover (accident injury only) $17.70 p/month, with annual maximum of $8 000

Silver Paw cover (accidental injury & illness) $37.20 p/month, with annual maximum of $12 000

Golden Paw cover (comprehensive cover and routine care) $48.30 p/month, with annual maximum of $15 000

Well that’s easy, how could I go with anything less than comprehensive cover?

Now that Squishy is fully fed and looked after I don’t have to worry about the wrath of the RSPCA. My only concern is now I can’t afford my own new clothes or health insurance.

One of the conditions required by the authorities for expats to live here is to have medical insurance. This is not only a quasi-legal requirement to obtain a KITAS, it is prudent. I would go so far as to say it is essential.

I’m not talking about your standard expat ailments here like Bali belly, or a hangover where you are afraid that you are not going to die, or your garden-variety sniffles, insect bites or post-village-arak queasiness. I’m talking about appendicitis, dengue fever, avian influenza, motorbike road trauma – stuff that is potentially life-threatening. For such occasions, you need high-level medical help. While this can sometimes be accessed in Bali, it may well be that life-saving treatment may be required in Singapore or Australia. But of course you need to actually get there somehow. Commercial airlines won’t take you, so medical evacuation, provided by private companies at vast expense, may well become a necessity, not an option. Of course, you have put aside a lazy $30,000 – $50,000 USD just for this contingency, right?

Most people I know don’t have a mate with a spare Lear jet, or enough reserve Bintang money lying around in their sock drawer to bail them out of trouble. They get medical insurance.

I looked at perhaps five or six medical insurance plans which covered Bali and included medical evacuation. None were cheap, with annual premiums ranging from about $2,500 – $10,000 USD. The cost didn’t make sense. A cynical person might suggest that the insurance companies looked at their actuarial tables to assess the risk – then increased the required premiums by a whole order of magnitude. Great for companyshareholders; tidak bagus for those who actually need the cover.

Then I saw that there is actually an alternative. Travel insurance covers you not only for inconveniences such as cancellations and lost luggage, but also for medical cover and evacuations. I compared the medical cover component of my chosen travel insurance with straight medical insurance cover and found that there was no effective difference. Bingo!

My plan covers me for travel and medical expenses and medical evacuation anywhere in the world  that I want to travel for 13 months. It is renewable online. It cost me $700 AUD. It is exactly what I need. Security, and peace of mind for emergencies.

As an added bonus, I found out that my Australian Medibank Private cover could be placed in suspension for up to three years while I am travelling overseas, simply by paying one month’s premium and requesting a suspension. No loss of benefits, no waiting periods when you get back. If I’m back in Australia for a visit, I simply reactivate it, then suspend it again when I leave.

It’s good to feel protected while in a different country. If you can do that without paying through the nose, so much the better. Mind you, I’m sure I will manage to whinge about paying $700 AUD if I don’t fall off the motorbike in the next 12 months … !

No, not the grammatically-challenged American rapper who infamously, is still alive. Rather, that’s how much I’m paying a day for my private health insurance.

They don’t advertise it on their website, but Medibank Private has a really amazing extras cover that covers my high-risk and hazardous lifestyle (sitting at my PC for hours, watching Foxtel in the lounge, thumb-twitching on the Playstation 2) for a measly $3.50 a week. That’s the cost of a latte with change leftover.

How far have I detoriated over these years? The overweight and unpolicied author, watching telly. Get your act together fat boy!

Danny from Medibank called up in the middle of December to check up on Michele’s policy. Until recently, both Michele and I were on Medibank until my jobless state and the new house (coupled with the wedding funds) took precedence. Which meant we both ran the risk of copping a massive hospital bill.

We chatted for a bit, and he said he’d call up early January to follow up. Just this arvo (on my off day as well), he called again and was I glad to hear from him because I’ve been messing with the thought of getting private health insurance.

I’ve always been covered by private health and been a stickler for insurances. Many people live their whole lives without it, but others, like me swear by it. I was brought up to take care of myself first, followed by my family. Everyone else is spare ribs and bones. Yes, it does sound rather selfish, but it did teach me to always look out for myself, my interests (particularly finance), and my future.

So it isn’t much of a surprise when I started dabbling in some stocks and had two investment funds under my belt by the time I was 22. My folks had also covered me under some kind of life insurance, on top of an investment fund. Over the top much?

Last year, with money so hard to come by, I was forced to sell my policies for a price that hasn’t fully matured (making a loss), but my fiscal matters are much better this year what with the job and having paid off most of the wedding essentials.

Michele, on the other hand, is from the other camp. Until she met met, she’s never had a policy, insurance or considered investing money. Imagine my amazement when she had a tidy sum of money in her savings account just sitting there, earning lousy interest rates and thinking it’s the be all and end all of money.

Suffice to say Michele’s opinion on policies have since changed. We’ve been unpolicied for awhile now, and there’s always a little thing at the back of my head, telling me to get back on a basic health insurance. I just thought it’s best to put it off until the wedding is over and done with. But the fear is always there. What if something happened to Michele or me?

So imagine my surprise when Danny called up this week, holding up his end of the bargain. I didn’t think he’d call again, considering it’s no longer ‘early January’.

I’m very keen on a Singles + Hospital cover for Michele. That would cover her for the duration of her pregnancy as well. It will come in very handy as Michele and I intend to start a family really soon.

As for myself, until I became a slack ass jowl recently, I’ve always had an active sports life. I’m in good shape and health, and only really need a dental check up, some optical cover and definitely some sort of ambulance cover as well. At 50 cents a day, I don’t think I could go wrong with First Choice Extras. Danny even waived the two months waiting period, a norm with new policies. This means I could have my teeth checked and have a new pair of glasses next week! Yay!

I’ll be having a chat with Michele this weekend on her options.

It’s that time of year again!!!

Each May of every year, JDRF Australia and the Type 1 Community celebrates Jelly Baby Month.

The humble Jelly Baby has become quite the unsung hero, even pulling Lance out of a severe early morning hypo at 7am this morning!!! (8 Jellybabies later, and I could gradually see my son returning from the brink of unconsiousness.)

Every year, thousands of JDRF staff, Youth Ambassadors, JDRF Advocates, volunteers and many other generous souls go doorknocking, approach hospitals, businesses, passersby, friends and family, selling packets of Jelly Babies, pens, keyrings, teddybears-all baring the simple but poignant message:

Jelly Babies Save Lives.

Last year, almost $858 000 was raised in the month of May. This year, for the tenth anniversary of Jelly Baby Month, JDRF is aiming for $1 million, that would be donated directly to finding a cure!!!

How can YOU help??? If you shop at any of the 700 Woolworths/Safeways stores within Australia, you will notice at the checkouts colourful boxes, jam packed with the “Jelly Baby” featured everywhere, as well as groovy, fun examples of colourful, exciting merchandise. All products are $10 or less, and anything over $2 is tax deductible.

Amcal Chemists,Medibank Private and Wendy’s also help us out by selling our merchandise.

Who do you contact if you want to make a donation on behalf of a loved one with Type 1 Diabetes???

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation — All States (Australia)
Tel 1300 363 126
Email info@jdrf.org.au

(If you would like to support make a donation exclusively in Lance’s name, please contact our Queensland JDRF Government Programs Manager:)

Queensland - Georgina Duncan on (07) 3221 1400 or gduncan@jdrf.org.au

If every person with Type 1 Diabetes donated $1, we would instantly have over $140 000. ( In 2007, Lance and I raised $2500 on our own, simply by doorknocking from house-to house in our neighbourhood!!!!!)

This is a fantastic project to get involved in. If your children receive pocket money, how about suggesting that they contribute just $2 during JellyBaby Month, explaining that people with Type 1 Diabetes must have numerous needles AND fingerpricks, in order to survive?

Jelly babies save lives – and so can you!