Hi CLKD,
No I'm from Australia,
we have the Medicare system over here. You can get doctors that do bulk bill, but I find from experience they are crap doctors that don't know what there talking about, or only 10 minutes appointments. In the pass I have gone with different doctors because mine was busy and 90% off time I end up going back to my doctor. I had one bulk billing doctor told me to get a ultrasound because she said my ovary had burst. I thought what a load of crap and went to my doctor two days time. I told her what the other doctor told me, she thought it was funny and told me if my ovary had burst I would be in so much pain when she felt my stomach that I would of hit the ceiling.
Another doctor i went to because I couldn't get in with mine, I told her I thought I had internal piles. She asked me if I was bleeding I said no, she did a internal with her finger. I went to the toilet after the appointment and there was blood. She had rip me open I bleed from my ass for a whole month after that the pain was terrible. You do get the odd great doctor that bulk bills but can be booked out weeks ahead.
My doctor fee is $75 and I get $37 back from Medicare. I'm lucky she doesn't change me for every appointment, only when I got a new problem (a lot of new problems since premenopausal). Her appointments are 15 minutes and she knows my history (been with her for about 10 years) and she listens to me and she always on time with her appointments. I have to pay for other medical appointments too, some are covered by Medicare, some you get a little bit back, others your totally out of pocket. Last year I payed for blood test, specialist like rheumatologist and some types of scans. Then there's all the medicine and vitamins that add up.
My goal in life at the moment is to pay my mortgage off. We do have another property that my parents rent. But they won't pay much rent and it left up to my husband and I, to pay for all the repairs, mortgage rates and body corporate. That's why I want my mortgage payed off, with the cost of living money is getting tight, it would be nice to have our house mortgage free and I can stop cleaning peoples houses it's killing my back.
I'm glad your feeling better squeaker99, I had a hysterectomy one and half years ago and I know exactly when I would be due for my periods and have couple days of terrible pain.