Federal Election 2001: Answers needed on major health policy questions
AMA President, Dr Kerryn Phelps, said today that health remains a key issue for the Federal election.
Dr Phelps said the major parties are yet to release their complete fully-costed health policies and voters deserve to know well before the election which party will fix the problems in the health system.
"The Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader, the Health Minister, the Shadow Health Minister and all candidates in the Federal election must convince voters they are committed to Medicare and have solutions to the problems faced by doctors and patients every day," Dr Phelps said.
"As the politicians do the rounds of the radio stations during the campaign, they must discard the rhetoric and provide some detail about their party's intentions on health policy.
"They must answer the following questions:
How much funding is earmarked for Australia's public hospitals?
How many new aged care beds will be provided for our elderly? What plans do you have to cater for the aged care of Australia's ageing population?
What will you do to address the increasing gaps being paid by patients for their health services because of an outdated and deficient Medicare Benefits
Schedule?
Will your party increase the level of Medicare rebates for patients to ensure the poor, the disadvantaged and the elderly are not further out of pocket for
their health services?
What will you do to attract doctors to country areas and outer suburban areas and keep them in these communities for the long term?
What will be done to provide indigenous Australians with access to health services that other Australians take for granted?
What action will you take to address spiralling medical indemnity costs, which are resulting in some
regional areas losing vital specialist services like obstetrics?"
Dr Phelps has recently visited some of Australia's health 'hot spots' - Nowra (NSW) and Bendigo and Ballarat (Vic). This week she will be in Port Macquarie, Laurieton and Taree (NSW).
"The message is the same wherever I go - there are problems in the health system that need fixing. It is incumbent on our political leaders to give the Australian people a reason to vote for them on health policy," Dr Phelps said.
CONTACT: John Flannery (02) 6270 5477 / (0419) 494 761
Sarah Crichton (02) 6270 5472 / (0419) 440 076