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It is a fallacy that modest patient
co-payments are useful to contain patient overuse of health services
It
is a fallacy that modest patient co-payments are useful to contain patient
overuse of health services (Editorial, 19/11). Research has consistently
demonstrated that co-payments restrict necessary visits for lower income
patients.
Evidence-based medical practice is being
encouraged. The same should apply to health policy. Co-payments are not good
public health policy. They do not contain costs or improve efficiency. They are
simply an alternative payment method to taxes that reflect a user-pays
ideology.
Published in The
Australian
21 Nov 2003
Tracy Schrader
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