Government Puts Value Back into the Veterans Gold Card With Access to Quality Medical Services
The AMA today welcomed the Government's announcement of an extra $600 million over five years to restore access to quality medical services for veterans.
AMA President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, said today that the AMA had worked with the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Bruce Billson, and the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) to highlight the need for a better deal for veterans' health.
Dr Haikerwal said the package is a significant move by the Government to restore the value of the DVA's Gold Card and White Card for veterans' health.
"The big winners today are the veterans who put their lives on the line for their country," Dr Haikerwal said.
"Their experiences in the armed services have left them with a legacy of poorer health and more complex medical needs than others in the community.
"The package announced by the Government today will improve access for veterans to the quality medical services they were promised, and which they truly deserve, to treat their often complex and multiple medical conditions."
The package provides more funding to boost veterans' access to GP services, specialist services, dental services, and allied health services. The AMA has held serious concerns for some time about the viability of the Gold Card Scheme because of inadequate funding and indexation.
A particular concern with the Gold Card was limited access to specialist services, with many veterans having to travel long distance for treatment. Veterans from Tasmania and regional centres were among the most disadvantaged. The AMA's most recent survey of specialists confirmed that unless specialist services were given a significant funding increase, many veterans would struggle to get to see a specialist when they needed one.
Dr Haikerwal said that while there is a lot of support in the medical profession for veteran patients, the reality is that funding for the Gold Card wasn't keeping pace with the amount of time and care needed to properly address their many health needs.
"The new funding package - the most comprehensive the Government has ever put in place - is a fitting response to the special health needs of our veterans," Dr Haikerwal said.
"Not only will it bring comfort to veterans and their families, it will assist the DVA retain specialists already in the Gold Card Scheme and attract other specialists who currently do not treat veterans."