The more successful our health system, the longer Australians live — and the longer they will need aged care services of all varieties.
Medicare
Senator Fielding a proud supporter of big business welfare
Steve Fielding has been more willing to flex his legislative muscle to assist the big end of town than Mr and Mrs Average, writes Jennifer Doggett.
Steve Fielding: Defender of the wealthy
The Medicare surcharge and health insurance rebates remain the most outrageous examples of rent-seeking in the Commonwealth sector, writes Bernard Keane
A single national insurer? Sounds like healthy policy
Should we be moving away from private health insurance? Ian McAuley makes the case for a single national insurer.
A GP’s lament: the patients who get a raw deal
As a GP working in Sydney, I heartily endorse calls to overhaul the way we provide primary care, writes Simon Willcock.
Why the private health insurance changes won’t break the system
The evidence does not support claims that the budget’s private health insurance changes will break the public health system, writes Jennifer Doggett.
What will drive change in health?
Two forces are visible that will drive change in the health system and in the health debate even though both, to a fair extent, have to do with money, writes Stephen Leeder.
Crikey Says: Crikey Says
Wayne Swan’s budget was pre-announced, pre-processed pap. So why did some of Australia’s finest minds waste time covering it?
Private health insurers are such drama queens
If the private health insurance industry is totally relying on a penalty imposed by the government to get healthy members in, how sustainable is their business? wonders Michael Johnston, Senior Policy Officer at CHOICE.
Mungo: Labor government supports Medicare. Shock.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd thought the changes to the Medicare levy were important enough to warrant a separate, pre-budget announcement. But his health minister, Nicola Roxon, has spent the time since playing them down, writes Mungo MacCallum.
Private health insurance not to blame for all ills
Ian McAuley keeps finding new reasons for attacking the private health insurance industry, the latest being the industry’s contribution to inflation, writes Andrew Podger, former secretary of the Federal Department of Health and Aged Care
Tips and rumours
Lotus Notes vs. Microsoft. Re. “Tips and rumours” (Friday, item 8). ”FAHCSIA is in the middle of a transition from a prehistoric Lotus Notes platform to MS Office, which is not going anywhere near as smoothly or as cheaply as expected.” Yet again another Commonwealth Department has been wooed from an established, industrial strength and modern […]
Tips and rumours
At least one Labor candidate has spelt their name wrong on the nomination form. John Howard announced last week an increase in GP training numbers to combat the shortage all over Australia. The press failed to link this with the reduction in GP training places in 1997 that created the mess in the first place. […]
“It’s Time” or “It’s the economy, stupid?”
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this election is “It’s Time” versus economic management, writes Christian Kerr.
