Don’t Abandon Families Mr Rudd

The AMA has again urged the Federal Government to keep its promise to maintain the Medicare Safety Net.

“Reducing support for families with high medical costs is not an appropriate response to the Government’s budget problems,” AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today.

There has been renewed media speculation the Government could use the budget to curtail Safety Net support for women having babies and couples accessing IVF treatment.

Dr Capolingua said Australians with large health costs should be spared from budget cuts.

“The AMA supports the Medicare Safety Net because it gives real financial relief for health costs at this time when cash is tight for most Australians,” She said. 

“This is particularly the case for families having, or seeking to have babies, who are also experiencing the expensive additional costs of setting up their household, taking leave from work and budgeting for a new baby.

“Reducing Safety Net coverage for obstetrics and gynaecological services will make having a baby more expensive. For patients with fertility problems who need to use IVF, it will put the possibility of having a family out of reach.

“The Government’s multi-billion dollar economic stimulus packages did not contain a cent of extra money for health. What better investment in our future can there be than delivering healthy Australian babies?”

Dr Capolingua said the Medicare Safety Net was not only important to people having children.

“Medicare rebates have not kept pace with rising costs of providing medical care in recent years. People with serious illnesses such as cancer need the Safety Net to help ensure they can access the medical treatment they need when they need it,” she said.

April 1 2009

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