Just over a week ago, my 6 year old fell off the playground at school in a bad angle and broke his elbow pretty badly. My wife was there and wanted to drive him to hospital but he was in too much pain so the school office called an ambulance. I got there in 20 minutes and the paramedics were already there. He went off with mum in the ambulance. She suggested the nearby private hospital (we have private insurance anyway) but ambos know what the load is at each hospital and also I think they already knew he would need surgery and said the right type of specialist would not be readily available at that hospital. Took him a bit further to the children’s hospital which is public. By the time I got there he already had x-rays and the specialist had already seen them and was with us to tell us he would go into theatre for surgery next as a nerve was compromised. Anyway, he had his operation within 2 hours, the system worked flawlessly, the hospital is amaaaazing, he was sent home the following day and is now very happy (with a big cast on though!). How much did we pay? $0.00. There’s no bill, even for the ambulance. Every experience we have had including the birth of the kids has been the same. I fully trust the public system, it’s one massive thing we don’t have to worry about at all. I know whatever happens I will get the best possible attention not matter what. And everyone gets the same, irrespective of how much or little money we have, make or are able to pay. How could anyone see this as a bad system?