Call the HACSU Helpline
1300 88 00 32

more info

Winter 2003

World’s Best Health System Under Attack

Australia’s world renowned health care system is under attack.

HACSU and the rest of the union movement have announced a major push to protect it. This follows attacks to Medicare on several fronts by the Howard government. State Secretary, Chris Brown, said the Medicare campaign was a top priority issue for HACSU.

"We view this as vital for members' health and for many members' jobs," Chris Brown said.

"Australia used to have the best health system in the world."

"Now it's dying. John Howard is forcing Australians into expensive private health insurance, letting the public health system decline."

"450,000 fewer visits to doctors were free care bulk billing last year in Australia."

"It shouldn't be that Australians have to worry about money when they are sick."

"Australians are now ringing 000, calling ambulances, for basic illnesses because they know this is now the only way to access the free public health system in their area."

"People are being forced to run around, queue up, and claim money back later."

"Under Howard's latest proposals, if we end free care bulk billing to low-income earners - those on $32,000 - when will free care bulk billing end for pensioners and concession cardholders?"

"John Howard is making people wait for surgery, wait for a hospital bed and wait in emergency departments."

"Howard's health system will see a low care, revolving door doctor's surgery for low income earners and pensioners, and a more costly system for higher income earners."

On top of this, a concerted process of long term undermining of the national health care system by the Howard government has led to a crisis point, including;

• a deliberate strategy of running down bulk billing,

• the diversion of billions of dollars away from public health to subsidise private health insurance,

• constant cost shifting from the Federal Government to the states,

• increasing numbers of public health system beds now being taken up by aged persons because there are not enough nursing home beds,

• the looming catastrophe of having to abolish subsidies (resulting in skyrocketing prices) for basic drugs and pharmaceuticals if the Federal Government signs the free trade agreement,

• increasing numbers of persons using accident and emergency and ambulance services for basic illnesses because they can't access doctors or afford the gap payments.

ACTU President, Sharan Burrows said John Howard has never shared the vision of Medicare.