Medicare
is under threat. The Federal Government wants to destroy it.
The
Howard Government is giving $3.6 billion each year to private health funds,
but wants you to pay when you see a doctor.
They
are shifting health costs onto families and individuals.
Many
doctors no longer bulk bill...they want an increase in the Medicare
rebate...the Federal Government refuses,
so doctors are forced to charge patients.
Local
family doctors are finding it very costly to run their practices and many are
selling up to the large health care corporations. Global multinational health
corporations are pushing their way into the health area, displacing the family
doctor.
The
extra charges, including the so-called “co-payment”, will force people to take
out private health insurance.
We’ll
become like America: no private health insurance, no treatment.
In
America, whatever treatment you need has to be approved by your insurance
company...the decision is based on profits.
It’s a system of “managed care”
with the insurance companies doing the
managing.
Health
care must remain universal, paid for by a progressive taxation system, where
the rich pay more. Taxes should be increased to pay for health. Most people
would support an increase in the Medicare Levy to pay for health care.
If
universal health care is lost, it’ll be hard to get back.
Affordable
medicines also under threat. The Federal Government has been willing to bargain
away subsidised costs, under the so-called Free Trade Agreement. This will
allow the big multinational drug companies to set prices of medicines. The
details of the FTA have yet to be made public.
Hospitals
are also suffering...they too are under funded. All states are being starved of
money by the Federal Government. Hospitals are under pressure, with not enough
staff, a shortage of beds resulting in many medical errors throughout the
system.