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Elderly patients paying for Labor's spending
03-November-2009
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
ELDERLY PATIENTS PAYING FOR LABOR'S RECKLESS SPENDING
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Elderly patients in need of life-changing cataract surgery will be forced to pay the price for Labor’s reckless spending.
To help the Rudd government save $98 million, hundreds of thousands mostly elderly patients in need of timely access to cataract surgery will have to pay at least $286 more per procedure. Once private health funds have adjusted their rebates as a direct flow-on from the government's changes, additional expenses will be as much as $600 per procedure.
"This will sadly make access to this procedure unaffordable for many and push thousands into the already overburdened public system," Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley said.
"For those who can no longer afford access to the private system and cannot get into the public system it now means they face the possibility of going blind because they cannot have the operation. This is a total disgrace.”
"It is unbelievable that any government be wasting billions of dollars on advertising Julia Gillard Memorial Halls and yet cut $98 million from a program which helps fund access to this life-changing surgery for hundreds of thousands of Australians? she said
The Senate last week disallowed government plans to cut the rebate for cataract surgery in half and sought to force the government to reinstate the previous rebate through a private members Bill.
“Cataract surgery is also recognised as a very effective preventive health measure reducing falls and fractures for the elderly and preventing isolation and the subsequent mental impact which is quite common in those who have cataracts”, Ms Ley said.
"Obviously Nicola Roxon doesn’t care as she didn't take any notice. She did not respond to any of the rational arguments against her plan during the debate in the Senate, instead arrogantly pressing ahead making just a trivial change to her original measure.” Ms Ley said
The Coalition with the support will continue to fight for patients against this budget cut when the Senate resumes on 16 November.
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Media contact: Debbie Brown (02) 60213264 0428 297 699