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Health Legacy
Retiring federal health minister, Dr Wooldridge, did make some useful contributions to community health (Editorial Sept 8). Increased immunisation ranks among these. The 30% private health insurance rebate does not. Spending billions to relieve pressure on Medicare and public hospitals is worthwhile but the rebate is an inane way to attempt this. The typical private health insurance holder is not exactly a little Aussie battler. Flooding the private system with money encourages doctors to work where that money is - and that is not public operating theatres. The $2.5 billion spent every year on the 30% private health insurance rebate could instead open and operate an extra 16 large (500 bed) public hospitals. Surely this would be more effective in reducing pressure on existing public hospitals.
Dr Andrew Gunn |
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Doctors Reform Society of Australia home page]
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