Tony Abbott’s first budget will slug residents in Corio more than $5.8 million a year in taxes for doctor visits.
Shadow Minister for Health Catherine King and Member for Corio Richard Marles learnt of the effects this tax will have firsthand when visiting an aged care facility in Geelong.
The idea that GPs will be forced to tax pensioners in nursing homes for health checks is ill-conceived and impractical. It is already hard enough encouraging GPs to work in nursing homes and this ill-conceived new tax will only introduce a disincentive to do so.
‘Last week Department of Health officials confirmed that no modelling had been done the effects this tax will have on chronically ill patients, GPs and emergency departments in Australia’s public hospitals’ said Shadow Minister for Health Catherine King.
“This is going to discourage doctors from visiting nursing homes, which is a huge concern for elderly Australians and everyone who has a loved one in an aged care facility,” Richard Marles said.
All this comes off the back of Tony Abbott’s plans to cut $80 billion from health and education.
Some of Australia’s most senior doctors have already warned that the changes Tony Abbott wants to make to Medicare will set Australia’s healthcare system back by more than 50 years.
Labor will stand up to Tony Abbott’s new taxes and billions of dollars’ worth of health cuts. Labor is the party of fairness and will not let Tony Abbott destroy Medicare.