16
Jul
Published by MacDoctor on July 16th, 2010
3 Comments »
The MacDoctor often refers to the pharmacy as the $3 shop (All funded script items cost $3.00). And, yes, patients often stare at him blankly, but one has to get one’s fun from somewhere. A recent Herald article claims that this fee is sometimes too much for low-income people causing them not to pick up [...]
18
Mar
Published by MacDoctor on March 18th, 2010
6 Comments »
Two US surgeons have offered some commentary on Why US Healthcare Costs Are Out of Control. It is a highly revealing read. They cite six reasons: The Building of Shrines for Hospital Administrators – buildings constructed out of desire to make a mark rather than out of necessity. Unnecessary Duplication of Services – Often added under [...]
02
Feb
Published by MacDoctor on February 2nd, 2010
2 Comments »
Teen sells virginity for $45,000 online So that’s the going price on the open market is it? I did wonder (academically speaking of course). I know many will find my sentiments archaic, but I find that very, very sad. And Lisa Lewis is no longer the most expensive prostitute in New Zealand… Add a Comment
01
Feb
Published by MacDoctor on February 1st, 2010
13 Comments »
De Beers, the diamond merchants, and specialists in certain disciplines are wealthy for exactly the same reasons. They both have something that is rare. It De Beer’s case, it is diamonds. In the doctor’s case it is his skills as a physician. I earn a salary way above the average for no reason other than [...]
12
Dec
Published by MacDoctor on December 12th, 2009
3 Comments »
The Abortion Supervisory Committee are pushing for more use of the abortifacient, RU486. They say that it is being used in only 6% of abortions while the “standard” overseas is 20 – 30%. Now I don’t have a problem with RU486 being used instead of a surgical termination of pregnancy (leaving aside the whole abortion [...]
28
Nov
Published by MacDoctor on November 28th, 2009
3 Comments »
Dame Margaret Bazley has released her damning report on the legal aid system and it is everything we feared – and more. Not only does it appear that some lawyers are ripping off bith the taxpayer and their legal aid clients, it also appears that they are a considerable part of the reason why the [...]
16
Nov
Published by MacDoctor on November 16th, 2009
4 Comments »
And with the the words of Pink Floyd’s Money echoing in our ears, we comment on the the Herald’s somewhat exaggerated headline GP clinics stash reserves of $115m. While the total is correct, the word stashed has the same pejorative meaning as Pink Floyd’s version – a pile of money that someone is hoarding. This [...]
11
Nov
Published by MacDoctor on November 11th, 2009
6 Comments »
The left’s pointless inquiry into bank rates has now been released and can be accessed here. It says it is the Report of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Banking but it is not, of course, an official parliamentary inquiry, it is a Labour/Jim’s Vanity Party/Green inquiry and has no official government sanction as far as I [...]
09
Nov
Published by MacDoctor on November 9th, 2009
16 Comments »
My little amphibian friend over at FrogBlog is having a whine (or would that be a croak?) at ACC proposed increase in motorcycle levies. He dismisses this ACC explanation as “spin”. As usual with the motorcycle debate, there is much heat and misinformation, but I thought ACC’s new release was remarkably non-spin, considering the amount [...]
20
Oct
Published by MacDoctor on October 20th, 2009
2 Comments »
Tim Hazledine (professor of economics at the University of Auckland) seems to think that ACC is just fine. He uses the example of putting money aside for you child’s future university studies, the total cost of which he places as $500 thousand: And you haven’t got that, have you? You’ve got about $20,000 in KiwiSaver accounts. [...]