DOCTORS REFORM SOCIETY

MEDIBANK PRIVATE SALE MEANS MORE TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR PRIVATE HEALTH

 

 

“Today’s Cabinet decision to sell Medibank Private and allow private health insurance (PHI) to cover more non hospital services means Australians who can’t afford PHI will be further subsidising the rich in a Howard Government extension of middle class welfare,” said Dr Tim Woodruff, President, Doctors Reform Society

 

“Already over 30% of the cost of private health insurance is covered by taxes through the PHI rebate,” said Dr Woodruff. “This decision to expand what is covered by PHI to, for example, cancer treatments and dialysis, will mean that those who can afford PHI will get better care than those left at the mercy of the underfunded public system, and they will get that better care because taxes fund so-called private health insurance.”

 

“This is not about fair care, but about credit card care”, said Dr Woodruff. “Why is the Federal Government promoting taxpayer subsidised private care for the rich, whilst leaving the majority of Australians with an underfunded public system?”

 

“More competition is what is promised, supposedly delivering better care, but in reality a profit driven company, owning Medibank Private, and private hospitals, pathology, radiology, and corporatised general practices may emerge, to tell patients what their treatment will be, where they will have it, and which doctors will delivery it, irrespective of the quality of care. That’s the United States way. Will that be our way?”

 

“In addition, we now hear of ‘less upward pressure on premiums’ which is about as believable as the promised ‘downward pressure on premiums’ announced when the PHI rebate was first introduced,” said Dr Woodruff. “Even those who can currently afford PHI need to start saving as premiums continue to rise well above inflation”.