Zen & The Art of Public Health Insurance: Why we co-created a Community-Health Model

onenaturaltherapie
Nov 2
2 min read

It took all of 30 seconds to decide NOT to renew my $3,800 annual membership with BUPA. Why?

Because, I advocate for public health

Australia’s public health system will only remain one of the best on the global stage IF funds and support are directed from the less-than-ideal private health system toward public health facilities and programs.

I remember the first time I heard in Traditional Chinese Medicine “A good doctor is paid to keep you well, not to treat you when you’re sick”

As a private practitioner trained in public health, it’s been a lifetime goal to “let” the synergistic strengths of the community contribute to the whole.

The silo-ist approach of our “specialist” model, means double the number of appointments (one for the referral, and one for the specialist) and little ability to treat “two birds with one stone” eg relieving constipation by treating stress.

Given that medicine in Australia is an hourly-service, to leverage time, a practitioner in any field must be able to reach more than one person. The majority of GPs don't have the time to invest in patient education.

A community-only model enables patient's themselves to demonstrate, advocate and prove living case-studies to other patients.

Think for a moment of all the subscriptions you pay on a monthly basis

For me, it’s House & Car Insurance, Mobile phone, Internet, Microsoft Office, Spotify, Canva, RACQ and Apple Care.

For many, it includes Netflix, Stan, Disney and Amazon+, Meditation and Wellness Apps, gym memberships and "Fresh" but still-needing-A-LOT of preservatives and packaging (!) meal boxes.

I can tell you, it felt so good to tell BUPA I would NOT be renewing our $3,800 annual bill.

It feels bloody fantastic to redirect the resources AWAY from organisations whose values are out-dated and TOWARD the very immediate organisation with whom I live and breath daily.

Apparently this is what grandmother trees do, via the mycelial network.

Every day that I invest directly in the community who share my values of human-to-human connection, is another day dedicated to Zen & the art of public health insurance.

Here, we support public health, and are keen to see Australia avoid the failings of the American over-privatised system.

That's why we (the NVC, CI and IM communities) co-created the Experience Lab model.

It's Public Health Insurance....as it always should be.

I'm Alexis Dennehy

I write and reside here at 'Dhamma Gamil' (Place of Safety) held by the banks of the Maiwar River

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