media releases

 “Figures about publicly funded private health insurance (PHI) released today show that 45% of Australians don’t trust governments to deliver timely access to high quality hospital care in public hospitals,” said Dr Tracy Schrader, President, Doctors Reform Society.

 “Rich patients take out PHI because they can. Middle income earners and some people on lower incomes who are very concerned about their health take out expensive PHI because they are afraid not to,” said Dr Schrader. “Those who can’t afford PHI just have to live or die with their fear and their pain waiting to get into a hospital bed, even though once they get in it is high quality care, even better than in private hospitals.”

 “These figures are a sad indictment of a Labor Party which has moved so far from the party that introduced public hospital access for all nearly 30 years ago,” lamented Dr Schrader. “Despite their talk of so called reform, they have no plan to build the public hospital system back to one which could stop fear and distrust of the public hospital system forcing people to take out PHI.”

 “Instead the Health Minister Nicola Roxon is pleased that more people are so worried that they are paying thousands a year for PHI so that they can bypass the under-resourced public system.”

 “Whilst means testing the PHI rebate is half a good idea, the other half would be to commit to building the public system back to a position such that fear and distrust is not a reason to take out PHI.”

 Dr Tracy Schrader    Dr Tim Woodruff                              

President   Vice President      

Doctors Reform Society             

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