Health Must Get Fair Share of Billion Dollar Bonanza
If the government ignores the health sector in allocating its $4.3 billion budget bonanza it will be committing electoral suicide, AMA Federal President, Dr Kerryn Phelps, said today.
"A surplus of that magnitude is desperately needed to fund our public hospital system and the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), as well as key areas of indigenous health and tobacco control," Dr Phelps said.
"Our public hospitals need a funding injection of 5.5 to six per cent - or about $600m - to get back on track.
"Growing numbers of patients are waiting on surgery queues around Australia - a record 58,000 in NSW alone," she said.
"The Federal Government knows there's also an urgent need for Medicare funding.
"The answer lies in government supporting a new MBS, being revised through the Relative Value Study - to make our public health system once again affordable for everyone.
"Health has a right to campaign for a fair share of the riches government is rolling in," she said.