'Biggest shakeup since Medicare'

27 Jul 2009, 11:07 am   -   Source: SBS/AAP
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The government will take over outpatient services and all primary non-hospital health care as part of major reforms after a damning report on the medical system. (File AAP)

The government will take over outpatient services and all primary non-hospital health care as part of major reforms after a damning report on the medical system. (File AAP)

Universal dental care as well as electronic records everyone can access are part of planned reforms to the health system dubbed 'the most important since Medicare'.

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Health Minister Nicola Roxon has called proposed changes to the health system the most important since the introduction of Medicare.

The proposed changes came after a federal government health commission found hospital error lead to over 4,500 deaths each year.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Would you pay higher Medicare fees to cover a dental care scheme?

Under the new plan, Australians would have access to universal dental health care and be responsible for their own electronic health records.

The commonwealth will take over responsibility for all primary health care outside of hospitals and fund all outpatient services in hospitals.

Full takeover a possibility

The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission has stopped short of calling for a full federal takeover of hospitals, but left open the option of the commonwealth funding 100 per cent of hospital admissions further down the track.

The annual cost of the reforms is estimated to be between $2.8 and $5.7 billion, along with capital investment over five years of up to $7.3 billion.

According to the report, the changes could eventually save taxpayers and the government $4 billion a year.

Denticare welcome

The proposed Denticare scheme is likely to be one of the commission's most welcome recommendations among the 123 it puts forward in its final report.

It says more than 650,000 people are on public dental waiting lists, and children’s dental is worsening.

Costing an estimated 3.6 billion dollars a year, it would be paid for by an increase in the Medicare levy.

The report also suggests every Australian have an electronic health record to improve continuity of care.

New laws would protect the privacy of each individual's e-health record, which they would control.

No decision on government takeover

The government will take over some aspects of the health system from states and territories, but will not specify which services it will control until early next year.

However, it was "inevitable" the government would accept all 123 recommendations of a report by the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said.

He has also left open the option of a referendum seeking approval for a commonwealth takeover of the public hospital system if the states and territories don't agree to implement a yet-to-be developed reform plan.

"Fundamental decisions about the entire system must not be taken lightly and we don't intend to do so," Rudd said in a speech in Canberra.

The changes would be coordinated through a Healthy Australia Accord with the states and territories.

The federal government would put its preferred reform plan to the states and territories to a COAG meeting in early 2010.

"If there's no agreement to a comprehensive reform plan the commonwealth will proceed to seek a mandate from the Australian people for the proper reform of our health system," Rudd said.

Commonwealth to take over primary care

The commonwealth is set to run and fund all primary health care, basic dental care and aged care, as well as being responsible for indigenous health.

Canberra would pay 40 per cent of the "efficient" cost of public hospital admissions but could eventually fund 100 per cent of hospital services.

The report also suggests separating the provision of elective and emergency services in public hospitals.

There would be a bigger focus on preventative health through the establishment of a national health promotion and prevention agency.

More controversially, the commission suggests that over the next two years the commonwealth begin development of a new Medicare Select initiative.

While short on details, the report suggests the commonwealth would be the sole government funder of all health services.

Australians would automatically belong to a national or state government health plan, but could swap plans or take their funding allocation to a private health insurer if they wished.

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Your Comments

free dental treatment

Happy dental patient - from Melb, 3 years ago

are you aware that you can access FREE dental treatment at some Dental Schools ?No waitlists!!

At last!

Oliver Shumburg - from Sydney, 3 years ago

At last! It's about time dental is covered by Medicare and it should have been for a long time.
I am very fortunate to have decent job but I still struggle to pay my exorbitant dental bills. I need two implants and I have been considering traveling overseas because I can't afford to pay $20,000 in Australia!
In 2009 it's a scandal to think billion of dollars are spent on the defense budget and the average Joe can't afford to get their teeth fixed or pay their medical expenses!!

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