Medicare levy hike to pay for the NDIS :(

[nero_bolt]

THE average worker could be hit with an increased Medicare levy of about $300 a year in next month's budget to help pay for the national disability insurance scheme.

The federal government is seriously considering increasing the Medicare levy from 1.5 to 2 per cent after Prime Minister Julia Gillard warned "urgent and grave" decisions were needed to cope with a $12 billion hit to tax revenue.

The Daily Telegraph understands while the higher Medicare levy would be presented as a reasonable form of "insurance" to protect families from the huge costs of coping with a disability, no final decision has been made whether to include it in the May 14 budget.

Ms Gillard will face attacks that it is another broken promise after she last year ruled out increasing the Medicare levy to pay for DisabilityCare

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/medicare-levy-hike-to-pay-for-the-national-disability-insurance-scheme/story-e6freuy9-1226631862091

[cherry*135]

$75000 p.a. extra 1/2% Medicare Levy = $375 p.a more

Is $70-75,000 p.a. an average workers wage in Australia? I tend to think not.

[azureline**]

I am happy to pay more.... I won't need the NDIS....... as we already have nursing homes for older people who are assessed as needing a bed.

What we don't have is a place for younger people.... children..... 😐

[crystal**flake]

Another reason I'm not voting labour.

[monman12]

[polksaladallie]

I am happy to pay more.... I won't need the NDIS....... as we already have nursing homes for older people who are assessed as needing a bed.

What we don't have is a place for younger people.... children..... 😐

Lets not go back to the old days when children with disabilities were put away in homes, out of sight.  There are places now for those who are severely disabled and for respite care, perhaps not enough for the latter.  This new money will be used to help the parents cope at home.  I recall seeing a programme where an Australian family with a disabled child returned to the UK because they could not get help here, but could receive lots of help there.

[azureline**]

There are families who are struggling to provide care, respite is hard to find and many young people require respite on a regular basis, it is just not there. There is still a need for nursing home care for younger age groups.

[newstart2380]

Plans like this may have helped her from needing to have her legs amputated.

From getting sores and infections n her sacrum 3 times...each time she had surgery and was sent home...without sufficient care to help her...resulting in another infection and readmission and surgery....now she has a huge fragile area (hole) and the infection has gotten into her hip bone...it is not the best care or the most budget friendly care she could have been given.

As much as I am trying to understand your sister's plight does her condition fall under the umbrella of the NDIS ?. I was of the understanding it is to be set up for people with a disability, physical and mental who have little chance of being able to care for themselves and the families who have to care for them 24/7. I would have assumed your sister would have been cared for through the "normal" medical schemes such as medicare or a private health provider.

Saying that I also think people in her condition do deserve special care.

[newstart2380]

Just listened to Eddie McGuire and what he said was so "spot on" and I for one have no problem at all with a levy to pay for the NDIS as long as ALL the money raised is put towards the NDIS and not syphoned off in other directions. He said a plan (maybe contract) should be put in place to give people confidence and an assurance that the money will be spent on the NDIS.

The government should account for every cent raised and where it is spent.

We don't want to hear later down the track "Oh we needed some money for XYZ so we are using some of the money raised for the NDIS for XYZ.

This is why this government is no longer credible, one mistake, maybe but not this continuous barrage of lies and broken promises.

[izabsmiling]

As much as I am trying to understand your sister's plight does her condition fall under the umbrella of the NDIS ?. I was of the understanding it is to be set up for people with a disability, physical and mental who have little chance of being able to care for themselves and the families who have to care for them 24/7. I would have assumed your sister would have been cared for through the "normal" medical schemes such as medicare or a private health provider.

Saying that I also think people in her condition do deserve special care.

she has a physical disability ....and the hospital admissions,surgeries,rehab admissions and now the admission to an aged care facility...the result and cost of her 'caring for herself' 

[newstart2380]

she has a physical disability ....and the hospital admissions,surgeries,rehab admissions and now the admission to an aged care facility...the result and cost of her 'caring for herself' 

Is there any reason she cannot be cared for at home ? like the family I am involved with who have a child with a disability who is cared for by the family 24/7 at home. I understand there may not be anyone able to assist you however I may be able to give you the people to contact so you can apply for home care. This family has home care 5 days a week for 3 hours every afternoon which is a necessity not a luxury.