Stop Medicare rebate freeze: Greens

Sir – The Greens are calling on all Territorians to reject the Coalition’s continuation of the Medicare rebate freeze.
 
The Coalition’s plan will force doctors to reduce bulk billing rates and spend less time with each patient. This will hit pensioners and people with chronic diseases the hardest.
 
People who are unable to afford to see their GP during the early stages of an illness will later present to hospitals with an illness that has become serious and hard to treat. In the long run, this will cost the community far more than the short term savings.
 
The Coalition’s freeze will particularly disadvantage Territorians, further stressing the budgets of rural GPs and Aboriginal medical centres, resulting in more transfers from remote clinics to tertiary hospitals. It will cost Territorians more, and it will make closing the gap harder.
 
The Greens plan to help Close the Gap in Aboriginal health with equitable and culturally safe services, with a particular focus on eyes, ears and kidneys. We have a National Rural Health Plan to ensure better access to local, high quality health care in the rural and remote places, and we will continue to protect and improve the Medicare system.
 
Dr Michael Connard
Senate candidate for the Greens