DRS National President Dr Tim Woodruff today called on John Howard to declare his party's intentions on bulk billing and Medicare should he retain Government after the election. Dr Woodruff stated that the Greens, the Democrats and the ALP had given a commitment to fully retain and bolster Medicare.

`However no such commitment has come from the Mr Howard,' said Dr Woodruff `We ask the Prime Minister to unequivocally pledge (in a core promise) to maintain Medicare and ensure the viability of bulk billing Australia wide. This must include a commitment not to allow co-payments or surcharges, not to means test access to bulk billing and public hospitals and a commitment to the viability of bulk billing by ensuring it remains economically viable for GPs and specialists to provide their services by this method.'

`Mr Howard had never been a fan of Medicare,' said Dr Woodruff. `His statements of last week that the introduction of Medibank (the original version of Medicare) was a `cardinal mistake' and that we had `a perfectly functioning health system' before Medicare (SMH 27/10/01 p 17) casts a grave doubt over his desire to maintain this great Australian institution beyond this coming Saturday,'.

The Question for Mr Howard:

`Will the Prime Minister commit his party unequivocally and as a core promise to the full retention of Medicare and bulk billing? The people of Australia deserve an answer.

8 November 2001

CONTACT: Dr Tim Woodruff
President, Doctors Reform Society

Dr Con Costa
Vice President, Doctors Reform Society

Dr Peter Davoren
Vice President, Doctors Reform Society

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