LOCALS NEED CATARACT BACKFLIP

02-October-2009

Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon is under mounting pressure to reconsider her decision to slash the Medicare rebate for cataract surgery.

Sophie Mirabella MP, Federal Member for Indi, has thrown her support behind the Rural Doctors Association in their call for the Federal Government to meet with it and bodies representing ophthalmologists to ensure Australians have access to affordable cataract surgery.

“We need to ensure that the senior members of our community, and indeed anyone who requires it, have access to affordable cataract surgery,” said Mrs Mirabella.

“This is another example of the Rudd Labor Government making decisions detrimental to thousands of Australians without any consultation.”

“The Rural Doctors Association has said it has major concerns that the Rudd Government’s Medicare rebate cuts will considerably disadvantage rural patients!” continued Mrs Mirabella.

“We need urgent action on this, Peter Dutton our Shadow Minister for Health has appealed to the Rudd Government to amend the decision to cut these rebates, and I stand alongside him.  We need to ensure rural and regional Australian’s are not disadvantaged when it comes to health care.  In the country we already face so many difficulties - we do not need access to health services to be made more difficult.”

The Rural Doctors Association call for consultation with the Government follows an AMA survey showing that between 20,000 and 50,000 extra people might be forced to seek cataract surgery in public hospitals, which already cannot cope with the number of people seeking treatment.

The Rural Doctors Association is concerned that patients won’t be able to afford treatment, and it fears that the number of city-based ophthalmologists who travel to rural areas providing treatment will discontinue these services.

“For us in the North East it’s a worrying state of affairs,” said Mrs Mirabella.

“I, and my coalition colleagues, will not allow the Government to get away with this.  People cannot and should not be forced to pay hundreds of dollars more for essential health services.”

If the Government persists with the rebate cuts Independent Senator Nick Xenophon and Family First Senator Steve Fielding have announced that they will stand with the Coalition to move to disallow regulations that give effect to the cuts.

Media Enquiries: Felicity Wilkinson (03) 5721 5377