by Chris Becker
I think they might be listening to the electorate for a change.
From the ABC:
Health Minister Sussan Ley has announced the Government will scrap plans to cut the Medicare rebate for short doctor visits.
The rebate for GP consultations less than 10 minutes was due to be cut by about $20 from next Monday.
However, the move was set to be struck down by the Senate.
“As a result, I’m announcing today that the changes to level A and B Medicare consultation items will not commence on Monday as planned.
“However, it remains critical that we implement changes to ensure quality care for Australians and a secure future for Medicare.”
Australian Medical Association president Brian Owler welcomed the announcement.
“I’m pleased for grassroots GPs and particularly for their patients because they were the ones that were going to bear the brunt of these changes and I think clearly common sense has prevailed,” he told the ABC.
“What we will be doing is going through with the Minister a process of consultation, the process which should have happened previously to come up with ways that we can actually enhance general practice and make our healthcare system more sustainable in the future.”\
Well let’s not stretch the “common sense has prevailed” meme too far Professor. If the Abbott government really wanted to save Medicare it could start restructuring the Budget by reducing or eliminating the tens of billions of dollars in concessions, namely negative gearing and superannuation tax breaks.
One would think that going down the road of a US style healthcare “system” (sic) doesn’t make common sense either.