Sat 11th Jan 2014
Giveth and taketh
Published in The Australian on Saturday, January 11, 2014
PRIVATE health insurer Australian Unity funds a centre to produce a proposal for a GP co-payment to give a price signal to consumers and reduce overuse and Medibank Private funds a scheme to avoid GP co-payments (“Fund to pick up costs in trial”, 10/1). Confusing? The former is directed at all patients but will have minimal impact on the well-off.
The latter is directed only at those who can afford insurance and are unlikely to be much affected by co-payments.
Thus the claim that this will improve primary care for insurance holders is probably false. Premiums are likely to rise, more taxes will go to the insurance rebate, and the divide between those who can afford insurance and those who can’t will increase.
Just what a good neoliberal might want.
Tim Woodruff, vice-president