5 July 2011 Nicola Roxon is resorting to deception to try to cover the harm her broken promise on private health insurance rebates will do to the nation’s health system.
The Minister has produced a report to purport to show that there was no impact from the Medicare Levy Surcharge changes in 2008.
The Minister chooses to highlight figures that show private patients receiving hospital treatment grew at a higher rate than public patients.
But as is always the case with this Minister she tells only half the story.
Analysis of hospital treatment figures across 2007-08 and 2008-09 show a totally different story – that the rate of growth in private patients receiving hospital treatment was declining significantly while the number of public patients receiving hospital treatment was rising significantly.
“These are the facts that this Minister conceals as she desperately attempts to garner support and justify breaking her promise not to change rebates for private health insurance,” Shadow Health Minister Peter Dutton said today.
Private Health Insurance Rebates
Labor lies:
“On many occasions for many months, Federal Labor has made it crystal clear that we are committed to retaining all of the existing Private Health Insurance rebates, including the 30 per cent general rebate and the 35 and 40 per cent rebates for older Australians.
Nicola Roxon – Media Release - 26 September 2007
Labor breaks its promise:
Effective 1 July 2010, the Government will introduce three new 'Private Health Insurance Incentive Tiers'.
Budget Paper No 2 – 2009-10
Minister misleads on the impact:
“….It’s in the order of hundreds of thousands who would have some adjustment because it’s a scaled proposal….”
Nicola Roxon – Media Conference – 21 June 2011
Minister forced to admit real impact:
More than 2.4 million Australians with private health insurance will be forced to find up to $935 extra a year for their premiums if the government can manoeuvre its means-test for the 30 per cent rebate through Parliament.
The Australian – 24 June 2011
Medicare Levy Surcharge increases
Minister comments on MLS rises:
“…And the projection of the number of people from Treasury that will drop out of health insurance is just under half a million, 492,000 people…”
Nicola Roxon – 16 October 2008