THE HON JULIE COLLINS MP
ACTING SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND MEDICARE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR AGEING AND MENTAL HEALTH
MEMBER FOR FRANKLIN
TURNBULL MUST DROP FREEZE FOR ACTION ON HEALTH OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES
If Turnbull really cared about Australians’ out of pocket expenses when they access the health care they need, he would drop his entire Medicare freeze immediately instead of leaving parts in place until 2020.
In every state and territory, Australians are paying more than ever out of their own pocket to see a GP or specialist than they were before the election. This is despite Turnbull promising that no Australian would pay more to visit the doctor:
SAMANTHA ARMYTAGE: CAN YOU GUARANTEE OUR VIEWERS WILL PAY – WILL NOT PAY MORE TO SEE THE DOCTOR DUE TO THIS FREEZE?
PRIME MINISTER: SAM ABSOLUTELY.
(SUNRISE – 1 JULY 2016)
Even worse, Turnbull is yet to lift any part of his Medicare freeze – rebates for GPs, specialists and allied health services all remain frozen. The freeze won’t be fully lifted until 2020.
As a result, Turnbull is cutting $2.2 billion out of Medicare over the next four years – on top of the savings he has already banked.
Turnbull’s $2.2 billion Medicare cut is $2.2 billion out of the pockets of patients every time they visit a GP, every time they visit a specialist and every time they receive a Medicare allied health service.
Turnbull has zero credibility on health and he can’t even try to pretend to care about out-of-pocket expenses while any part of his freeze is in place.
TUESDAY, 2 JANUARY 2018