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Calls for Government to Pay for Elderly Health
Sydney Morning Herald
be
Australia
August 27, 2007
The Catholic health lobby has called on both sides of politics to take full responsibility for the health of people over 75 and provide vouchers to anyone needing out of hospital treatment.
Catholic Health Australia (CHA) CEO Francis Sullivan said rising health costs are causing economic hardship particularly for chronically ill patients and the elderly.
"Out of pocket expenses are going up for GPs, they have gone up by 34 per cent in the last year and a half, for medical specialists they have gone up by 42 per cent," Mr Sullivan told ABC radio.
"Home care fees, private nursing fees, support services ... all these out of pocket expenses are falling on middle and low income earners."
CHA are proposing a $1,000 voucher for anyone needing out of hospital care and a commonwealth takeover of the health aged care and support of elderly Australians over the age of 75.
Mr Sullivan said the proposal would reduce health care costs and improve access to treatments and services.
"When individuals have money in their hands all of a sudden providers pop out of nowhere, put the power in the hands of the consumer," he said.
Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott said rather than committing to new initiatives the government needs to look at problems within the existing health system.
"Without pretending that our existing system works perfectly I think that the way to address it is to look at the deficiencies of existing programs rather than to invent a new program which might end up allowing the states to wriggle out of their responsibilities," Mr Abbott told ABC radio.
Opposition spokeswoman for health Nicola Roxon said Labor would consider the voucher proposal.
"This (vouchers) is a very interesting proposal which we will consider closely," Ms Roxon told ABC radio.
"We have just made two health announcements in the last few days and of course there will be others between now and the election, we have always said that health costs area a major concern to us.”
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