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The latest announcement by the Federal Government to entrench unpopular private health insurance ( PHI) should be seen for what it really is, a poor plan to shore up a bad product – which maintains unfairness and inequity in our health system, said Dr Tim Woodruff, president, Doctors Reform Society.

These changes completely ignore the fact that all  Australians are dependent on the public health system at some stage, and that the PHI rebate of over $6 billion is being spent on a grossly inefficient and failed private insurance system, to help those who can afford it to jump the queue for their elective surgery.

What will happen to those who choose a lesser tier of the new system?  If they get sick and have no money, they are left to a remaindered Medicare system or depending on the charity of the doctors?That’s how it was before Medicare.

This announcement sends a clear message to those who can’t afford PHI: you don’t matter, you deserve long waiting times because you can’t afford PHI.

It demonstrates the privatisation mentality of our leaders, and the complete lack of concern they have for a cheaper and more efficient universal health system.  They are simply doing the bidding of the private health insurers. The proposed PHI changes are another major step towards the Americanisation of our health system, said Dr Woodruff.

Dr Tim Woodruff                                            Dr Con Cost                                                  President                                                        Vice President

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