"We will never, never compromise on Medicare"

[boris1gary]

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/we-will-never-never-compromise-on-medicare-...

'We will never, never compromise on Medicare': Opposition Leader Bill Shorten tells National Press Club

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has flatly ruled out compromising with Tony Abbott on Medicare payment changes.

In his first National Press Club speech of the year, Mr Shorten declared: "There are no circumstances under which Labor will pass the GP tax."

Mr Shorten was alluding to recent speculation that the Coalition might introduce a $6 co-payment fee for GP visits.

The Prime Minister, Mr Abbott, has denied he has any plans to do so. But the Opposition Leader went further, removing any hopes the Health Minister, Peter Dutton, might have held to pursue bipartisan reductions or changes to Medicare funding arrangements.

"We will never, never compromise on Medicare," Mr Shorten said on Wednesday.

"Prime Minister, give up the fight on the GP tax – you will lose."

[spotweldersfriend]

"It is our policy,without qualification,to retain Medicare.Not only does Medicare stay,so does bulk billing-John Howard. 1996.

No one can guarantee bulk billing.....without conscrupting the medical profession.Medicare has never been about universal
bulk billing- ever.Tony Abbott

During the 2001 election campaign Howard stated his government's policies would lead to reduced health care premiums.

From 2001 until 2007 the government approved premium increases totalling 21%.Lies galore from this mob.

While they were in office,bulk billing declined by 12%

[freshwater-2]

Spoiler

r

Mr Shorten was alluding to recent speculation that the Coalition might introduce a $6 co-payment fee for GP visits.

Boris, I am a huge supporter of our Medicate system.  I think it is one of the best in the world.

However, I am kinda in favour of the $6 fee per visit.

The system is rorted at the moment with people going to a doctor with a splinter in their finge because it is free.

Maybe a compromise with $6 for the first visit on a specific medical problem...and bulk billed thereafter.

I understand  that a lot of doctors in my area now only bulk bill those on any type of pension.  A recent innovation.

I don't know much about the system (I haven't been to a doctor for many years)......but these are my thoughts.

[azureline**]

I don't know anyone who goes to a doctor for a splinter in a finger or a common cold or any minor issues. I have health issues but rarely go to the doctor and appointments are not available as walk ins (unless an emergency).

Some parents won't take children to the doctor if it costs and some self funded retirees would also not go.

[freakiness]

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@azureline** wrote:

I don't know anyone who goes to a doctor for a splinter in a finger or a common cold or any minor issues. I have health issues but rarely go to the doctor and appointments are not available as walk ins (unless an emergency).

Some parents won't take children to the doctor if it costs and some self funded retirees would also not go.

---

I don't know anyone that goes to the doctor on a whim either.  It sounds like a generalisation such as all newstart recipients are long term dole bludgers who need punishment.

[boris1gary]

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@freshwaterbeach wrote:

Spoiler

r

Mr Shorten was alluding to recent speculation that the Coalition might introduce a $6 co-payment fee for GP visits.

Boris, I am a huge supporter of our Medicate system.  I think it is one of the best in the world.

However, I am kinda in favour of the $6 fee per visit.

The system is rorted at the moment with people going to a doctor with a splinter in their finge because it is free.

Maybe a compromise with $6 for the first visit on a specific medical problem...and bulk billed thereafter.

I understand  that a lot of doctors in my area now only bulk bill those on any type of pension.  A recent innovation.

I don't know much about the system (I haven't been to a doctor for many years)......but these are my thoughts.

---

From all that I have read from Dr's themselves they are generally opposed to the $6 fee.There are few bulk billing medical centres in my area and the few that exist are overflowing with more patients than Dr's available. Where I go it is non bulk billing and it's also hard to get an appointment and quite pricey.

below is from the AMA - hardly a "left wing" group -

https://ama.com.au/ausmed/6-co-payment-illusory-health-saving

Either way, Dr Hambleton warned that targeting GP services for savings was a false economy that would lead to greater costs down the track.

General practice was the most efficient part of the health system, he said, helping minimise the number of people who ended up needing far more expensive hospital or chronic care.

Dr Hambleton said it was unclear that there was much of a problem with unnecessary use of GP services, and the greater concern was putting barriers in the way of people seeking relatively inexpensive GP treatment for health complaints that might develop into much more expensive and serious problems if not treated early.

“The main problems we’ve got with our health system are the growing amounts of chronic disease and our ability to treat lots of diseases that we couldn’t treat that well in the past,” he said.

“Our concern is that both people who need to go [to the doctor] and who don’t need to go, will not go [because of the co-payment],” he told ABC radio.

[monman12]

"'We will never, never be defeated perhaps B1G? I suppose you could draw a tenuous line between medicare and RED blood.

"Mr Shorten was alluding to recent speculation that the Coalition might introduce a $6 co-payment fee for GP visits.

How does he love to put it,  let me count the ways: " alluding", "speculation",  "might".  A litany of qualifications from the rarely heard Leader of the Opposition. I guess he  has not read  Wilde's comments about "not being talked about". or:

"In the health department’s only official statement prior to Dutton’s recent speech, acting health minister Kevin Andrews dismissed speculation on introduction of a GP fee as a “scare campaign”, and said it was a “blatant attempt [by Labor] to distract from their woeful record in government

Abbott told reporters in early February that nothing had been considered, proposed or planned. Foreign minister Julie Bishop said the proposal was not before the Cabinet.

The government was criticised at the time for refusing to explicitly rule out changes to the Medicare system, but a litany of ministers did distance themselves from the co-payment proposal, remembering perhaps that Bob Hawke lost the Labor leadership in 1991 largely due to his announcement of a similar plan."

[silverfaun]

They never let the facts get in the way of a good scare campaign. Shorten must be taking lessons from the 'Great Verballer' Plibersek.

[spotweldersfriend]

Where's the scare campaign? They said they were going to do it.

[monman12]

"'Great Verballer' Plibersek"   Perhaps I will be kind and say she is somewhat selective in her statements.

"While bulk-billing rates can fluctuate, the government is pleased to see they have been trending up for some years and are now at record highs" ... Health Minister Tanya Plibersek."

I think she overlooked this  past gem : "The ACT has the lowest bulk billing rate in Australia, with only 48 per cent of GP appointments fully charged to the federal government, compared to a national rate of 81 per cent. That if I remember  is a somewhat pink territory.