DefendMedicare.info News http://www.defendmedicare.info/news/index.htm
Friday 22 August 2003 **** Health Reform - Government snubs Health Summit On Wednesday 20 August the Government put full page ads about its health package in newspapers around the country. This was roundly criticised by doctors and health proffessionals as well as by opposition parties. Sarah Russell, a former critical-care nurse who has worked in public and private hospitals, explained If you really need care, public is the way to go in an opinion piece in the Age. A health summit in Canberra was snubbed by the Minister for Health and Health Department officials. 200 health proffessionals marched to Parliament House in Canberra to deliver their demand for urgent changes to the health system. At the start of the week Victorian Premier, Steve Bracks joins calls for health reform. Queensland Labor Premier accused the Federal Government of Defence 'bleeding' healthcare. There was also Call for bulk-billing clinics in hospitals to alleviate the crisis in Public Hospital Emergency Departments with the reduction in bulk billing. **** Most Australians back Medicare hike: Survey A survey released on Saturday 16 August showed that Most Australians back Medicare hike, with Greg Combet of the ACTU explaining the importance of the results on Lateline. At the same time the Prime Minister, John Howard dismisses calls to increase health funding, while it is reported that there are Doctors working 70hrs a week and the Doctor crisis hits home in regional Victoria. Sharan Burrow, President ACTU, argued that people want Services, not tax cuts. **** Private Health cover is at a three-year low It was revealed on the 15th August that Health cover is at a three-year low. Young people are quitting private health cover in droves. Official figures showed almost 60,000 people quit health funds in the June quarter, leaving just 43.4 per cent of the population covered by private hospital insurance, the lowest rate since June 2000. Labor Shadow Minister, Julia Gillard, says the figures chart a continued decline but says Labor will not yet say whether it will cut the 30 per cent health insurance rebate. **** Country and regional people suffer lack of bulk billing and doctor crisis In Victorian country regional areas it was reported that Families battling to pay GPs' bills and Health system crisis predicted. The crisis in health care extends to regional towns such as Bendigo in Victoria, and Goulburn in NSW. Country areas in particular lack bulk billing clinics, especially Northern Territory. Bulk-billing dropped to its lowest rate in Tasmania. In more lies the Prime Minister, John Howard said the Medicare changes will boost rural services. See what John Howard has previously said on medicare and bulk billing. http://www.defendmedicare.info/howard.htm **** Bulk Billing Crisis The Senate Committee on Medicare meeting in Hobart was told by a GP of survival practice - six minute medicine. An Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) report showed that Bulk-billing overloads GPs. In Goulburn people who can't afford dentist fees face a long wait for public dental services. A reason why bulk billing needs to be extended to cover dentistry. A Senate inquiry into poverty was told the growing gap between the rich and poor in Australia must be tackled as a matter of urgency. Uniting Care Centre for Social Justice director Dr Noel Preston said "The social wage is something I think that's slipping off the agenda, and by that I mean protecting public health systems such as Medicare, more resources to public education and more affordable housing - that sort of thing." Dr Joe Toscano of The Defend and Extend Medicare group says it will hold one mass rally in every state, every month, until the next federal election, to pressure the Federal Government into abandoning proposed changes to Medicare. The Doctors Reform Society says the Federal Government's current Medicare policies are impacting dramatically on society's poor. ------------------------------------ Full references for all the above are available on the website. consumers (at) defendmedicare.info http://www.defendmedicare.info/index.htm . -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
