Labor's Medicare plan good news for Western Australian hospitals

30/9/04
Premier Geoff Gallop and Health Minister Jim McGinty have welcomed the Federal Labor Party's plan to guarantee health care for all Australians aged 75 and over.
Mark Latham's Medicare Gold package would see the Federal Government inject up to an extra $200million a year into the Western Australian health system to pay all the hospital costs for elderly patients.
Dr Gallop said that would mean the State Government could redirect funds to other areas of critical need and improve health care for all Western Australians.
"People aged 75 and over make up about six per cent of the population but account for about 18 per cent of all hospital admissions and 32 per cent of all patient days in hospitals," he said.
"With the cost of hospital care for over-75s to be paid directly by the Federal Government, the State Government will be able to put more money into providing extra hospital beds, employing more nurses and reducing elective surgery waiting lists."
Health Minister Jim McGinty said public hospital waiting lists for all Western Australians would be significantly reduced under Medicare Gold.
"Mark Latham's plan will mean elderly patients will have their surgery done at public and private hospitals, virtually eliminating the need for a waiting list for the 75s and over," Mr McGinty said.
"This in turn will boost the State Government's recent strategies to reduce waiting lists and mean even shorter waiting times for Western Australians requiring elective surgery."
The Minister said the extra funding would allow the State Government to bring forward its $1.7billion rebuilding program for WA hospitals mapped out in the Reid report.
"We will be able to start work on the Southern Tertiary Hospital sooner than anticipated which will provide an extra 600 beds," he said.
"Bed capacity at Joondalup Health Campus, Armadale-Kelmscott, Swan District and Rockingham-Kwinana hospitals could also be increased earlier."
Mr McGinty said the Medicare Gold plan would also give the State Government the financial capacity to pay for new medical equipment to ensure WA hospitals kept pace with technological advances in medicine.
Premier's office: 9222 9475
Minister's office: 9220 5000