The cunningness of a conniving Government
@innertalks (22344)
Australia
January 7, 2025 4:13pm CST
After a long, lengthy, and protracted, almost painful, application process, I was finally approved for the pension, and a pensioner discount card.
I was rather annoyed that I would not be getting a full pension, as the rules have changed, and after working for the best part of 50 years here, I am now only entitled to one-half of a couple's pension, instead of, to my greater in amount, single pension.
Most of my working life, I was single, having married late in life, and as the good woman, I married is a lot younger than I am, I will have to put up with this lower amount for a long time, until she is pension age too.
And worse, in the meantime, any money she earns in her job, it reduces the amount of the half-pension that I will get too. So, I end up getting nothing much at all.
Now, the concession card is designed to get me cheaper medical costs, but due to the cunningness of the Government, it actually ends up costing me, and other pensioners, more to see a medical specialist.
I found this out yesterday, when I had to go to a specialist.
The full cost of seeing this guy for a short consultation, of around 30 minutes was $330, with a refund/rebate from our medical scheme of $260, so an out-of-pocket expense of $70.
I showed my pension card, and so the fee reduced to $230, but imagine my chagrin, when the rebate now was only $148, and so overall, I was out of pocket here, $82.
I was worse off by my using my pension card, here, in other words.
You cannot win with this conniving Government here then, it seems.
The doctor, who looked very old too, was obviously winning big though, at the exorbitant rate he charged me.
Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com
The specialist was already obviously well past retirement age.
4 people like this
3 responses
@innertalks (22344)
• Australia
8 Jan
Yes, they continually try to find new ways to tax, and to punish, and to abuse their people, and to lessen any benefits currently being given to the citizens.
They would like to give us nothing, while taking all they can.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (82591)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
7 Jan
That is why I am lucky not to have to deal with professionals,
2 people like this
@innertalks (22344)
• Australia
7 Jan
Unfortunately, I have had a few health concerns, so I thought that I should see some of these specialists, that have cost me an arm, and a leg, and in the end, they never ended up helping me much either.
I should have, perhaps, in hindsight, tried to put up with the problems, but they were stopping me sleeping at night, so I wanted to try to do something to try to fix the problems.
For $330, this guy just told me to do a few stretches, to relieve the pain in my legs, and I have been doing those anyway, by googling the exercises on YouTube, beforehand.
2 people like this
@Shiva49 (26925)
• Singapore
8 Jan
I am sorry for your predicament.
That is a cruel joke indeed.
I recall how a multinational insurance company played me out.
It was promising a higher return till my amount fell due.
I got a much lesser payout and their reply got me stumped giving lame excuses.
One should not be penalized if the spouse is still earning.
They can't expect your wife to compensate for your legitimate dues.
Being retired myself, I can understand your angst
We should not be left in the lurch when we can no longer earn a living.
Where is the empathy and compassion when we need them most?
1 person likes this
@innertalks (22344)
• Australia
8 Jan
And to make it even crueller, I had to wait another two years before I could apply too, as they recently increased the pension age from 65 to 67, also.
To be penalised like this, after working for nearly 50 years here, is almost criminal, but the Government here is all about penny-pinching, from its inhabitants, who are not citizens, but more cripples, from the extortion of the Government here.
They crucify citizens, but criminals are allowed out on bail, up to 50 times in a row, without a flinch, and are then committing more criminal acts while bailed, and then rapt on the knuckles again with a feather, before being released once again.
1 person likes this
@innertalks (22344)
• Australia
9 Jan
@Shiva49 Yes, I know that a lot of countries have it far worse than here, and it is hard to know where the fault lies there too, after so many years of unchange there, and nothing ever improving.
My wife puts it down to high levels of corruption, that exists from the upper echelon of Government right down the line to the everyday worker too. Nobody wants to do an honest days work, and so, her country, the Philippines, keeps going further backwards, and nothing ever improves there.
You cannot even get clean water there, and need to buy bottles of distilled water to drink.
To appeal here, we need to write up an epistle, and go through so much red tape too, that it is hardly worth it, and in the end, it turns out to be a waste of time, as you cannot move elephants, by pricking them with toothpicks.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (26925)
• Singapore
9 Jan
@innertalks The law-abiding citizens get played out while the criminals hide in safe havens away from the long arms of the law.
Maybe, you can make a strong appeal detailing how unfairly you were treated.
In many countries, those living on savings without even a pension have no choice but to look for a quick exit. They are ignored for no fault of theirs.
And with nuclear wars being bandied about, is it a wonder many choose not to have children at all?
1 person likes this
