Australia — The National Medicare Alliance - a coalition of peak community and health groups - called for the Coalition and Labor to put access to health care at the centre of their election platforms. All major parties must commit to universal access to health care as the central focus of their policies rather than a user-pays system, urged the National Medicare Alliance. The Alliance today released its Election Agenda calling for reform to make health care more equitable. "Unless political parties commit to reform, those who now struggle to find the time and money for health care will be further disadvantaged by increasing doctors fees, prescription copayments, and inadequate access to public hospitals, dental care and allied health care," said Andrew McCallum, ACOSS President. "Cost control in our health system is also being lost," said Tony McBride of the Health Issues Centre. "The 30% rebate for private health insurance simply props up the grossly inefficient private health insurance industry and the new Medicare safety net will lead to a blowout in health costs as doctors capitalise on the incentive to charge more and reap the benefits. Today's announcement by the Government of an increase in the rebate to 35% for people aged 65 to 69, and to 40% for people over 70 would only add to the cost problems and increase the unfairness of the system." "We call on politicians to put genuine reform on the agenda," said Prof Peter Sainsbury of the Public Health Association of Australia. "Major structural problems which impact daily on the health of many Australians are being ignored in national politics as the health system moves closer to a user pays US style system." For more information contact Andrew McCallum, ACOSS 0419 626 155 Nicola Ballenden, Australian Consumers Association ph 0411 788 076 Prof Peter Sainsbury, Public Health Association ph 0293635420(h) & 0295159563 (w) Tony McBride, Health Issues Centre, 0407531468 or 03 9479 5827 Victoria Gilmore, Australian Nursing Federation ph 0409 221699 Dr Tim Woodruff, Doctors Reform Society ph 0401 042 619 Dr Gwen Gray, Australian Women's Health Network ph 0261253584 (w) National Medicare Alliance Australian Consumers' Association Australian Council of Social Service Australian Nursing Federation Doctors Reform Society Health Issues Centre Public Health Association of Australia The Australian Women's Health Network. Election Agenda National Medicare Alliance The National Medicare Alliance calls on all political parties to Commit to the following principles for the healthcare system. 1.1 Universal access for the entire population to an agreed set of medical and allied health benefits. 1.2 Equity of health outcomes as an aim 1.3 Tax based funding as the means to achieve these goals Extend any Medicare rebate rise to all patients who are bulk billed, irrespective of their health care card status or age. Establish a Healthcare Reform Commission with input from State and Federal Health Departments and Governments, the community, and healthcare providers. The immediate task of such a Commission would be to address the huge inefficiencies in healthcare due to the cost and blame shifting and lack of transparency and accountability of the current funding model. Re-examine the value of the Private Health Insurance rebate and the Medicare Levy Surcharge Exemption Develop a National Primary Health Care Strategy to promote the integrated care of patients in this setting through providing timely access to all appropriate primary healthcare providers, not just doctors. Increase public hospital funding to enable them to 6.1 address excessive waiting times both for elective admissions, and for emergency attendances 6.2 implement adequate quality control 6.3 employ more medical staff to provide adequate public hospital outpatient access to specialist services, thus reducing out of pocket costs for patients in the community Reject the Australia/US free trade agreement in order to protect the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Freeze PBS copayments at current levels and commission research into the impact of copayments on the utilisation of medicines for low income groups. Consider the provision of a No Fault Medical Indemnity package. This would increase the likelihood of open disclosure of medical errors leading to a much greater reduction in such errors, and would also lead to much more equitable outcomes for patients affected by medical mishap and error. Source Anouk Ride ACOSS Media and Publications Officer Tel 02 9310 4844 Ext 215 Mob 0419 626 155 ###