Fed: Alliance voices concern about Medicare reforms
An alliance of community groups says pensioners and health care card holders couldbe treated as second-class citizens under the government's $917 million Medicare rescuepackage.
The federal government has announced the reform package to increase the availabilityof bulk-billing and boost doctor numbers in the bush.
Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD and Health Minister KAY PATTERSON say the package will strengthenthe availability of bulk-billing and reduce upfront costs of going to the doctor for thosewho do not receive bulk-billing.
Senator PATTERSON says there's nothing in the package to encourage doctors to increasefees to patients.
But the National Medicare Alliance says it has major concerns about the reforms.
Australian Council of Social Services president ANDREW McCALLUM says pensioners couldsuffer under the changes.
AAP RTV lm/sb/rsm/rp
KEYWORD: MEDICARE ALLIANCE (CANBERRA)
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