Opposition statement about changes to PAT scheme completely false

29/12/95

Health Minister Kevin Prince says an Opposition statement yesterday claiming changes to the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) would benefit very few people was completely false.

Mr Prince said the decision to remove a $25 per trip contribution from health care card holders who must travel over 100 kilometres for specialist medical treatment would cost about $440,000 in a year and benefit thousands of people.

"The Opposition has claimed that most health care card holders apply for and receive a waiver on the $25 contribution. In fact, in the three months to September, health care card holders involved in PATS took 4,959 trips with only 123 waivers issued," he said.

"This means over 97 per cent of health care card holders involved in PATS paid the charge and will clearly benefit from the changes outlined on Wednesday.

"The changes have been specially aimed to assist the chronically ill and those least able to afford frequent travel.

"The changes have been recognised by key stakeholders, including the Health Consumer's Council, as addressing the most pressing concerns of country people."

Mr Prince said the Opposition was behaving inconsistently. It had first criticised the charge, yet when it was dropped, then said the charge had made little difference.

Mr Prince said PATS trips taken by health care card holders in the three months to September included:

·   Southern Health Authority - 2,333 trips with 111 waivers on the $25 charge;

·   Western Health Authority - 1,500 trips with seven waivers;

·   Northern Health Authority - 543 trips with no waivers; and -

·   Central Health Authority - 583 trips with five waivers.

Media contact: Amanda O'Brien (09) 222 9595