The first official figures, released by the Private Health Insurance Administration council yesterday, show that only 57,000 Australians have taken up private health insurance.

"This is a far cry from the 100,000 figure announced by the private health funds only two weeks ago" said Dr Con Costa, President of the Doctors Reform Society.

"This amounts to $28,000 dollars per new member, paid for by the Australian taxpayer ($6 billion over four years) and is a massive and irresponsible waste of taxpayer money" said Dr Costa.

"Despite the 30% rebate, a taxpayer funded advertising blitz, the abolition of community rating to frighten people into taking out private health insurance and the inundation of elderly Australians with a confusing and unnerving mailout, this is all the Government can come up with" said Dr Costa.

"People are clearly happy with Medicare insurance" said Dr Costa.

" As Doctors, we are concerned that if the Government continues to pour billions of public money into the failed private health insurance industry then it is inevitable that Medicare will suffer. If the Government continues its present course they will destroy Medicare over a short period of time and all we will be left with is the high cost, inequitable and low quality private system" said Dr Costa.

" Why doesn’t the Government stop this fiscal irresponsibility and fund Medicare and public hospitals properly so that the majority of us have access to decent, solid and hassle free health care" said Dr Costa.

21 May, 1999

Dr Con Costa