The Turnbull Government is so desperate to distract from the fact that Australians will continue to pay more under their Medicare freeze that they have resorted to lying point-blank about their Budget.
In a lie-riddled interview late yesterday, Greg Hunt claimed that:
“We’re indexing diagnostic imaging.”
[GREG HUNT, SKY NEWS, 13 MAY 2017]
But Diagnostic Imaging Association of Australia makes clear that the Budget breaks a promise on diagnostic imaging:
“Scott Morrison’s Budget presentation… has fallen well short of guaranteeing anything for millions of Australian patients. Despite publicly committing prior to the last election to unfreeze Medicare rebates specifically to reduce patient costs for MRIs, x-rays, CT scans and ultrasounds… the Government has broken its promise.”
[AUSTRALIAN DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING ASSOCIATION, 9 MAY 2017]
The last time Medicare rebates for GPs, specialists and allied health service were reindexed was in July 2014 – as Labor had Budgeted.
The Liberals introduced a four year freeze in December 2014 – which Malcolm Turnbull extended in last year’s Budget.
The freeze on diagnostic imaging items continues for another three years.
The freeze is of their own making and their failure to drop it is a continuing insult to patients and medical professionals.
No amount of lies, no amount of desperate distractions can hide the fact this government continues to cut billions from Medicare and patients continue to pay the price.
SATURDAY, 13 MAY 2017