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“Instead of announcing bold new funding initiatives to meet the historical federal commitment to 50% funding of the public hospitals – (federal share of funding has been lagging dramatically since the times of the Howard government and their push for hospital privatisation) – the Rudd Government has simply frittered around at the edges of the wasteful PHI rebate,” said Dr Tim Woodruff, President, Doctors Reform Society. Even then, any meagre savings from some minor reductions to the PHI rebate ($500 million out of the wasteful $3 billion annually) will not be going to the cash strapped public hospitals.”

“Addressing the worst inequities of the Private Health Insurance (PHI) rebate and the Medicare Safety Net are welcome,” said Dr Woodruff, “but the PHI rebate was a waste of money in the good times. It is now simply obscene.”

Our public hospitals have always carried the burden for major illness and injury for ALL Australians – regardless of ability to pay. How many of our sick children are treated in private hospitals?? Yet this government seems determined to hang them out to dry while continuing privatisation via public subsidies to the failed private health insurance industry.

“Where is the immediate investment in the desperate public hospital and health system to guard against the increased demand for public services which are likely as we move further into recession and un and under-employment deepens?,” asked Dr Woodruff. .”Much of the ‘new’ money for hospitals had been promised already, and most will not be available for several years despite it being obvious that it’s needed now to address the 2 year waits for elective services and the days long wait in emergency departments which our public patients endure.”

“Money has quite rightly been found for pensioners, but many pensioners will find copayments and private hospital charges will quickly eliminate these benefits as they struggle to choose between an under-resourced public health system and the expensive expanding publicly subsidised private health industry.”

Dr Tim Woodruff
President
Doctors Reform Society

Dr Con Costa
Vice President
Doctors Reform Society

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