A year after the federal election, residents in the federal electorate of Dobell continue to pay the price for the Government’s Medicare rebate freeze, according to the local member, Ms Emma McBride.
“Unfortunately, the recent Budget confirms that the Medicare freeze won’t be fully dropped until 2020,” Ms McBride said. Ms McBride said the Medicare rebate freeze had an impact on local patients and medical practitioners. “Since I was elected a year ago, I have heard from local GPs, patients and health workers, and they have sent a clear message.
“Around 15,000 people on the Central Coast say they have delayed seeing a doctor because of the cost, and around 30,000 have delayed or avoided fi lling prescriptions due to the cost. “Our community deserves local, affordable healthcare when they need it,” she said. Shadow Minister for Heath and Medicare, Ms Catherine King, said she visited the Coast to speak to the local community about the impact of increasing health costs,” Ms King said. “Every day that the freeze continues is another day that locals are paying more for the health care they need.”
Source: Media release, Jul 13 Heather Robinson, office of Emma McBride