Medicare Gold

The Federal Labor Government will take full responsibility for the hospital costs of Australians aged 75 and over

Medicare Gold will give them a hospital bed straight away, no more waiting lists for our oldest Australians.

Public hospitals will receive additional funding to improve the services they provide for Australians aged over 75.

Labor will also pay for private hospital beds, under agreeemtns finalised with the private hospital system.

As a result, senior Australians will no longer need to take out private health insurance for hospital care. The costs will be covered by a Federal Labor Government.

It will also deliver significant benefits for Australians under 75 - taking the pressure off pubic hospitals and reducing the cost of private health insurance.

People aged 75 and over make up five per cent of the private insurance pool, but account for 23 per cent of hospital benefits paid out by the private funds.

Under Medicare Gold, these costs will be met by the Commonwealth, allowing the funds to reduce their hospital insurance premiums by at least 12 per cent.

Medicare Gold will:

• Extend medicare into unversal hospital coverage - public and private - for Australians aged 75 and over.

• Reduce hospital waiting lists for all age groups

• Provide better value for money with private hospital insurance - savings of more than 12 per cent.

Labor Government will also create a national dental program: a $300 million investment with an extra 1.3 million dental treatments for aged pensioners and health card holders.

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For full policy details on Medicare Gold see attached PDF [ rtf ]

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© 2003 Health Services Union (HSU)
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Last Modified: Wednesday, 16-Nov-2005 17:19:27 EST