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30th Mar 2016
Progressive Equitable Public Hospital Policies Welcome
DOCTORS REFORM SOCIETY
PROGRESSIVE EQUITABLE PUBLIC HOSPITAL POLICIES WELCOME
“The announcement today by the Australian Greens that the Private Health Insurance (PHI) rebate should be abolished and redirected into our under resourced public health system is welcome news for all Australians”, said Dr Tim Woodruff, Doctors Reform Society.
10th Feb 2016
Medicare Sell Off: Now its Mediprofit
MEDICARE SELL OFF: NOW IT’S MEDIPROFIT
“Reports today that the Coalition Government is considering the privatisation of the Medicare billing system should send a shudder through the hearts of every Australian,” said Dr Peter Davoren, president, Doctors Reform Society. “Does this Government have any idea of the challenges for the elderly and disadvantaged in our community when faced with new technology? Will a Chinese company own access to all the personal data of Medicare?”
18th Jan 2016
Government Should Act to Regulate Chiropractors
The article in the MJA Insight calling for the sacking of the Chiropractic Board because of inadequate regulation of their members will hopefully give the Federal Government a stimulus to act to protect the public from potentially dangerous advice and practice, said Dr Peter Davoren, president, Doctors Reform Society. For several years some (but not all) chiropractors have been advertising the ‘dangers’ of vaccination in complete disregard for the policies of the Australian Government and its Department of Health. The Chiropractic Board has failed to act to control their rogue members and the Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Authority (AHPRA) has failed to appropriately regulate the Chiropractic Board, suggesting it doesn’t have the legal power to do so.
15th Dec 2015
Federal Government Kicks the Poor and Middle Class Again With More Copayments for Health
“The announcement that bulk billing incentives for pathology and radiology will be cut is a kick in the guts to those who struggle daily and weekly with their medical bills”, said Dr Tim Woodruff, Doctors Reform Society. “As doctors we need to have our patients undergo tests to diagnose their problems, to keep them safe when we start potentially dangerous treatments, and to ensure that the treatments we are giving are working properly. These new cuts will just make it harder to give all Australians the care they deserve.”
8th Nov 2015
Government Review of Private Health Insurance: Height of Hypocrisy
The Federal Government is considering allowing private health funds to cover GP visits. This is the height of hypocrisy claims the Doctors’ Reform Society. DRS President Dr Peter Davoren said “the Government is worrying about co-payments for people who can afford private health insurance when at the same time it is claiming price barriers are essential to reduce overuse of GPs and is forcing GPs away from bulk-billing by freezing the Medicare rebate for GP visits”.
4th Jun 2015
Is This Government sanctioned child abuse?
WHAT HAS OUR COUNTRY COME TO?
Below is reportedly the Xray of the forearm of an 11 year old boy in the care of the Australian Government as a refugee on Nauru. It shows he has 2 broken bones. It is claimed that this happened 4 weeks ago and as yet has not been treated to address the obvious deformity. Without treatment he will have lifelong deformity and decreased use. Such fractures would normally be sorted out within 2 weeks with adequate medical care.
4th Mar 2015
PM Tony Abbott is telling porkys when he states that the $5 copayment is “dead, buried and cremated”
PM Tony Abbott and his health minister Ms Ley have been keen to present the demise of the Medicare Copayment as a victory for common sense and that “the government is listening” said Dr Con Costa National President of the DRS. The public would be naive to accept Mr abbotts assertion that the attacks on Medicare bulk billing have been withdrawn. We need to be very clear that Mr Abbotts abandoning his $5 copayment policy does not mean the end of extra copayments to see the GP – because the federal governments freezing of medicare rebates for 4 years will force the end of bulk billing for many patients
3rd Mar 2015
New copayment kick in guts for working australians
NEW COPAYMENT KICK IN GUTS FOR WORKING AUSTRALIANS
The announcement that the proposed $7 GP copayment will be replaced by a $5 rebate cut to GPs when they see non pensioners and concession card holders is a kick in the guts to working Australians, said Dr Tim Woodruff of the Doctors Reform Society.
This is clearly aimed at keeping patients away from the doctor, said Dr Woodruff. This is forcing working Australians to pay twice for health care (once through taxes and then through the copayment) or not see the doctor. We doctors do not want patients to avoid seeing us with what to them might appear to be minor complaints but are really signs of serious disease, said Dr Woodruff. But this appears to be what rich politicians from the Government want.
This puts the pressure on doctors to decide who are the ‘deserving poor’ and forces doctors to cross subsidise care if they do want to bulk bill a non pensioner.
The $5 copayment may not seem like much to a rich politician but multiple $5 do mean a lot to a low income worker. In addition, many doctors will move from bulk billing to charging more than $5 as they recoup the costs of charging copayments.
This decision will please doctors who want to charge copayments but will antagonise those who want to make sure any patient who thinks they should get their problems sorted should be very welcome. It is not a way to give a fair go to all Australians. It is a way to slowly destroy Medicare as we know it.
Dr Con Costa Dr Tim Woodruff
President Vice President
Doctors Reform Society Ph 0401042619
Ph 0418400309
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