Comments on: Medicare De-Select: does allowing an “opt out” mean the end of Medicare? http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/30/medicare-de-select-does-allowing-an-opt-out-mean-the-end-of-medicare/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 11:47:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: MichaelT http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/30/medicare-de-select-does-allowing-an-opt-out-mean-the-end-of-medicare/#comment-32811 MichaelT Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:18:01 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/30/medicare-de-select-does-allowing-an-opt-out-mean-the-end-of-medicare/#comment-32811 This proposal seems like a hang-over from the era of neo-liberal economics that our PM inveighs against at every opportunity. Does this mean he will reject it? I hope so, but I wouldn't put any money on it. It seems to be a solution to a non-existent problem, i.e. one that is not perceived to be a problem by anyone apart from people within the private health insurance industry - such as the Chair of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission! This proposal seems like a hang-over from the era of neo-liberal economics that our PM inveighs against at every opportunity. Does this mean he will reject it? I hope so, but I wouldn’t put any money on it.

It seems to be a solution to a non-existent problem, i.e. one that is not perceived to be a problem by anyone apart from people within the private health insurance industry - such as the Chair of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission!

]]> By: Gavin Mooney http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/30/medicare-de-select-does-allowing-an-opt-out-mean-the-end-of-medicare/#comment-32771 Gavin Mooney Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:41:17 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/30/medicare-de-select-does-allowing-an-opt-out-mean-the-end-of-medicare/#comment-32771 Ray has neatly and cogently exposed what is the most worrying aspect of this whole report. Stephen's 'defence' that the NHHRC only recommended "examining the issue" is somewhat strange. Presumably they did so on the basis that they saw at least some merit in it. I totally agree with Ray's analysis except for one point. He writes: "Opening up this ability to opt out of the government’s publicly run insurance plan and opt in to a private plan, could well spell the beginning of the end of Australia’s universal publicly funded system." No it is not enough to state that this "could well spell the beginning of the end of Australia's universal publicly funded system'. If picked up by the government, it WILL be the end of it! Stephen, this is not a purely technical matter involving 'risk adjustment and anti-competitive behaviour. This is about a valued social institution. Why does the NHHRC want such a system 'examined'? Do the members really want to examine a way of ending Medicare? Do they not believe in a universal system? Ray has neatly and cogently exposed what is the most worrying aspect of this whole report. Stephen’s ‘defence’ that the NHHRC only recommended “examining the issue” is somewhat strange. Presumably they did so on the basis that they saw at least some merit in it.

I totally agree with Ray’s analysis except for one point. He writes: “Opening up this ability to opt out of the government’s publicly run insurance plan and opt in to a private plan, could well spell the beginning of the end of Australia’s universal publicly funded system.” No it is not enough to state that this “could well spell the beginning of the end of Australia’s universal publicly funded system’. If picked up by the government, it WILL be the end of it!

Stephen, this is not a purely technical matter involving ‘risk adjustment and anti-competitive behaviour. This is about a valued social institution. Why does the NHHRC want such a system ‘examined’? Do the members really want to examine a way of ending Medicare? Do they not believe in a universal system?

]]> By: Stephen Duckett http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/30/medicare-de-select-does-allowing-an-opt-out-mean-the-end-of-medicare/#comment-32743 Stephen Duckett Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:27:12 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/30/medicare-de-select-does-allowing-an-opt-out-mean-the-end-of-medicare/#comment-32743 The Reform Commission did not recommend 'Medicare Select', it recommended examining the issue. The points you raise would necessarily be part of any such investigation (recommendations 90.12 and 90.13 for example explicitly foreshadow the need to look at risk adjustment and anti-competitive behaviour). Stephen Duckett The Reform Commission did not recommend ‘Medicare Select’, it recommended examining the issue. The points you raise would necessarily be part of any such investigation (recommendations 90.12 and 90.13 for example explicitly foreshadow the need to look at risk adjustment and anti-competitive behaviour).

Stephen Duckett

]]>