"The Leader of the Opposition, Kim Beazley's statement that any future Labor government would retain the 30% private health insurance rebate is effectively saying that there would need to be significant cuts to Medicare under a future Labor government" said Dr Peter Davoren, National President of the Doctors Reform Society.

"It is incredible that in the one statement, Mr Beazley admits that the $10 billion dollars of public money going into the pockets of the private health insurance industry over the next four years is a 'monumental waste of money', but that a future Labor government would continue the rebate to help pensioners afford private health insurance!" said Dr Davoren.

"What my pensioners need is a properly funded public hospital system when they are really sick and their little green and yellow Medicare Card when they need to visit their doctor" said Dr Davoren.

"The Doctors Reform Society is concerned that Mr Beazley's statement that Labor would continue the private health insurance rebate, when there is clearly no benefit from this expenditure, is a clear signal that Labor is abandoning its policy of support for Medicare" said Dr Con Costa, National Vice President of the Doctors Reform Society.

"The Coalition Government, and any future Government, cannot afford to fund two health systems" said Dr Costa.

"If the Federal Government is really concerned about taking the pressure off the public system then they would either give the money to the public hospitals where it is needed or to the private hospital system to pay for the care of public patients" said Dr Costa.

"The only thing being achieved by giving such massive amounts of tax payers money to the private health insurance industry is to slowly bleed Medicare and our public hospitals to death" said Dr Costa.

"Is Labor's vision for health in Australia moving closer towards the notorious, user pays American system where costs and medical care is totally out of control?" asks Dr Costa.

" The Doctors Reform Society calls on Mr Beazley and the ALP to affirm its commitment to a universal public health system, with equal access for all Australians" said Dr Davoren and Dr Costa.

24 February, 2000
Dr Peter Davoren
Dr Con Costa

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