Sydney
9 June 2002
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Madonna in Prayer
No ‘hush money’ paid – Dr Pell
$46m grant for embryo research: PM attacked
Don’t be seduced by funds, Catholic Health warns Govt
Changes urged to asylum seeker policy
Call to abandon ‘Pacific Solution’
Under fire from Amnesty
... with grace by His Grace?
Rich experience came at Rite time for Caringbah parishioner
Charity uncorks a real winner: I’ll drink to that
‘Team effort’ needed on social justice proposals
Editorial: A pilgrim’s progress
Letters: Open challenge to moral teachings
Conversation: After Rome 2000, a ‘leap of faith’ - Nicole Hellyer, parish youth minister
Reflections: Mary – Our Lady of Social Justice
Rain falls on their parade but can’t dampen schoolkids’ spirit at Mass
Liverpool club helps duo on way to uni
Inspirations: Painting and poetry – therapy and art
Don’t be seduced by funds, Catholic Health warns Govt
By Marilyn Kerjean
Catholic Health Aust ralia has warned the Federal Government not to be “seduced” by a bid by major private health funds to pay for GP services, because it could undermine the Medicare system to the detriment of the poor and families and people with chronic illness.
“If we are not careful, a commitment to maintaining Medicare will become a resolve to reduce it to a safety net only for the deserving poor,” says Catholic Health Australia chief executive officer Francis Sullivan.
“Too many families and people with chronic illnesses currently rely on the affordability of community-based medical services to have this access eroded by health insurers determining availability through a capacity to pay,” he said.
“Allowing health insurance to pay for extra medical services inflates the cost of health cover and places a wedge in a system where it is the Government’s responsibility to ensure access to essential medical care.”
Mr Sullivan’s comments came after a report in the Australian Financial Review on the Australian Health Insurance Association’s re-quest for wider powers in its submission to a Federal Government review of the private health care industry.
One of the changes the insurers propose to the health care system is that health funds be allowed to cover medical services outside hospitals and day surgeries – which would place them in direct competition with Medicare.
This suggestion “reveals a broader agenda to allow insured people to opt out of their responsibility to Medicare”, says Mr Sullivan.
“The Government should not be seduced by this ‘Medicare optout agenda’.
“It must ensure that health insurance funds have both the capacity and the competency to recognise quality health care, not just a cheaper product.”
Catholic Health Australia is the largest single grouping of non-government-owned health, aged and community care services in Australia.
The Australian Health Insurance Association represents 90 per cent of the private insurance industry, including MBF and Medibank Private.