Home
ACTU News Media Releases
Low Wage Singles To Suffer From Howard Government 'Medicare Plus'
Proposals
13 February 2004
Senators should refuse to pass the Howard Government 'Medicare Plus'
package while it discriminates against single people on low wages
and dismantles bulk-billing for all families, the ACTU said today.
ACTU President Sharan Burrow said:
“Low income people that do not have children, such as part
time and casual workers earning as little as $340 a week as well
as full time workers on the minimum wage of $450, are locked out
from getting the Government’s bulk billing incentives.”
“Even millionaires with children are better off under the
Government’s package than a single person who is struggling
to survive on the minimum wage. This is absurd and unfair.”
“The ‘safety net’ proposal in the Government’s
package also discriminates against low income singles. The threshold
before they qualify for the ‘safety net’ is set at $1000.
This is double the level ($500) for low income people who have a
concession card and for people with children.”
“This means that low income single people will pay more to
see a doctor while millionaire families receive a higher subsidy
from the Government.”
“Many low income singles will be young people starting out
in their working life. The Howard Government has already lifted
university fees, booming house prices are shutting young people
out of owning a home, and now they will be slugged with higher health
costs.”
“The ‘Medicare Plus’ package is also seriously
flawed because it hands to doctors and specialists a free rein to
increase the fees they charge.”
“As a whole, the Howard Government’s health proposals
will wreck bulk-billing and destroy the universality of Medicare.”
“They will create a two-tier system that will mean ordinary
working Australians and their families will not be able to afford
quality health care.”
“It is essential that the Senate especially the Independents
and Democrats refuse to pass the Health Minister’s poorly
designed and unfair package.”
