AMA backs plea to save health rebate

Media release from the AMA (WA)

Prof Gary Geelhoed (left) at a media conference with HBF Managing Director Rob Bransby

AMA (WA) President Prof Gary Geelhoed says scrapping the Federal Government's 30 per cent health insurance rebate would put an intolerable burden on WA's public hospital system and impact on the standard of patient care.

"WA already has the worst access block in the nation; having thousands of more patients queuing to use our public hospitals would be a disaster," said Prof Geelhoed.

"Whatever money was saved by getting rid of the rebate would have to be pumped into the public health system to keep in functioning. It would be a false economy."

Prof Geelhoed joined HBF Managing Director Rob Bransby at a media conference in Perth calling on the Government to abandon any plans to remove the rebate in next month's Federal Budget.

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