John Smith wrote on Jan 13
th, 2015 at 9:13pm:
Pantheon wrote on Jan 13
th, 2015 at 9:05pm:
this is why both parties have suggested a Co-payment
wrong... it was looked at and rejected ... why do you keep trying to make it sound like labor wants to introduce it? theres a reason it was rejected
The only reason why the Co-payment never made it because it was a Bob Hawke and it was seen as poison to be holding it, otherwies we would of had a Co-paymetn years ago.
Quote:the former Labor government’s health strategy said a co-payment would protect universality and address the “structural budget” problems with health funding first recognised 20 years ago.
It also warned of the over-use of medical services and the “inappropriate” use of the system.
“The 1991-2 Budget contains measures that entrench Medicare as a sustainable, efficient universal health insurance system,” the document says.
“In establishing the strategy the government recognised that there were substantial structural problems in the health system.
“These have to be addressed if equitable access to health care for all Australians is to continue in the 21st century through an affordable system.”
The main measure was the introduction of a $3.50 Medicare co-payment, which in today’s dollar terms would have been comparable to what is being proposed by the Abbott government.
Labor saw medicare realise it was unsustainable, and a Co-payment was one idea on how to save it and make ot sustainable, althought Labor never went though on it, it doesn't change the fact LABOR REALISED MEDICARE WAS UNSUSTAINABLE.
It was needed then as they realised and it is needed now.
John Smith wrote on Jan 13
th, 2015 at 9:11pm:
Pantheon wrote on Jan 13
th, 2015 at 9:05pm:
remove the "rich" and medicare will still be in the same shape
why remove the rich from medicare? I was talking about susidies to super ... due to out cost Medicare this year ($29B v $26B) and projected to increase to $50 B by 2020. Put that extra $50B into medicare and you could keep it going until 2050m not 2020
Sorry, mis-read your post, the issue is by 2050 (although with the speed of the increase and speed of pop increase and the fact our projection are contently wrong about bloody everything, it will be more around 2030) , you'll be back where you started, even with a $7 Co-payment, it doesn't solve the problem, it only delays it, the reality it medicare is unsustainable.