• Prime Minister Julia Gillard, ABC Online:
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has launched the Government’s hospital funding agreement with the states and territories, describing it as “the most fundamental change since Medicare”.
Under the deal, the states will get an extra $175 billion over the next 20 years and the Commonwealth will fund 50 per cent of public hospital costs.
The agreement has come 15 months after former prime minister Kevin Rudd announced he had the support of all states except Western Australia.
Ms Gillard says the new agreement will provide:
2.9 million extra cases in emergency departments
2 million additional in-patient services, such as major surgery or treatment for severe conditions
19 million more outpatient consultations, such as minor surgery or physiotherapy.
Ms Gillard says the deal will enable faster access to emergency department and elective surgery procedures, through the establishment of a 4-hour target for emergency waiting times, greater local control of hospitals, and less wasted funding.
The Government first said it had struck a deal on health more than a year ago.
Since then, the Government has backed down on plans to use some of the state’s GST money to pay for the changes.
It has also dropped a guarantee to give public patients access to private hospitals for elective surgery.
Ms Gillard says it is the biggest change to the health system since Medicare was introduced.
“The days of the blank cheque are also gone,” she said.
“This money is being devoted to get major reforms to our hospital system.
“Indeed this agreement delivers the most fundamental change to health care in this country since Medicare.
“What this new deal means, put simply is more money, more beds, more services, more local control, greater accountability, less waste and less waiting times around the nation.”
She says the agreement will give states and territories certainty on funding, and avoid the regular squabbles over the hospital budget.
“This agreement places an obligation on the Commonwealth to properly fund its share of hospital services,” she told a press conference.
“When we came to Government, the Federal Government was funding nationally less than 40 per cent of hospital services.
“We will become a equal partner in the growth cost of hospitals funding firstly 45 per cent of growth and ultimately moving to 50 per cent.
“What that means is that states and hospitals can reliably plan knowing that the Federal Government will be there and will be an equal partner in growth.”
Ms Gillard says the funding will be “transparent and accountable” and the public will be able to access the details on the My Hospital website.
She says there will be more local control of hospital funds through local hospital networks and Medicare locals.
Key initiatives:
A 4-hour target for emergency waiting times
A target that 100 per cent of elective surgery patients get their operations on time
Less waste, with hospitals funded for what they actually deliver
Greater local control of hospitals
Improved levels of public reporting on health services and expenditure
Read the full story, ABC Online, HERE
• Andrew Wilkie MP Independent Member for Denison MR.
The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, has called on the Australian Private Hospitals Association to stop misleading the public over the impact of a means test of the private health insurance rebate.
“This is just another case of big business using fear tactics to try and protect its bottom line,’’ Mr Wilkie said.
“But the sky is not going to fall in. These reforms will in fact redirect taxpayer funds to where they are desperately needed in our public hospitals.
“The $5 billion the Federal Government spends on the rebate is set to double within eight years and that is clearly unsustainable. Good financial management demands it be reined in.
“In the circumstances it’s fair enough that people on high incomes chip in a little extra for their private health cover.’’
Mr Wilkie said the proposed means test would not impact heavily on constituents in his electorate of Denison.
“Nine out of ten adults in Denison won’t be affected at all,’’ he said.
The Australian Private Hospitals Association is running misleading advertisements claiming Mr Wilkie’s support of a means test of private health insurance will create longer queues at public hospitals.
“Treasury has estimated that only about 0.3 per cent (27,000) of the 10.2 million Australians with hospital cover will drop out with the introduction of a means test,’’ he said.
“The Australian Health Insurance Association’s claim that 1.6 million people will drop out is hysterical disinformation.
“Moreover the private health care lobby conveniently glosses over the fact the reforms will actually free up money to invest in public hospitals.’’
Mr Wilkie said it was offensive to suggest he would support a measure that would disadvantage public hospitals.
“Poker machine reform and the Royal Hobart Hospital were the two flagship issues I took into my negotiations with Prime Minister Julia Gillard,’’ he said.
“After securing $340 million for the Royal Hobart Hospital, I’m hardly going to support reform that will increase waiting lists.
“A means test will simply ensure that people who can afford to pay more for private health insurance do.
“Singles earning more than $80,000 and families earning more than $160,000 can afford to chip in a bit more for private health insurance.’’
