Keep pap smears and pathology services free!

The issue

To Health Minister Sussan Ley,

We demand pap smears and pathology services remain free of charge.

It is disgusting that your government is cutting bulk billing incentives for pap smears, MRI's, urine/blood tests, X-rays and ultrasounds. According to the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia president Michael Harrison, the cuts will force patients to pay at least $30 for a pap smear, urine or blood test. The Australian Diagnostic Imaging Association claims people could pay up to $173 for an MRI scan.

These cuts are unfair to the average Australian, but will especially hurt women. Free and accessible pathology tests are key to ensuring early detection of cervical cancer, STI's, UTI's and pregnancy. Late detection will lead to MORE cost to the taxpayer in the long run. These essential services are a backbone of our world class healthcare system.

This is yet another attack by a Liberal government on Australia's already cash-starved Medicare system. Sussan Ley, stop trying to distance yourself from the inevitable outcome - by your cutting subsidies for practitioners and pathology companies, they’re forced to charge a fee to make up for the loss, which will fall unfairly on patients across the country.

We won't stand for it. We demand the Liberal government scrap this policy and ensure that pap smears and pathology services remain free.

Come along to a rally in your city on 20th February. Check specific Facebook event for details:

Sydney event: https://www.facebook.com/events/125663497809971/
Newcastle event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1545179795803249/
Melbourne event: https://www.facebook.com/events/168635080164318/
Adelaide event: https://www.facebook.com/events/497916927055345/
Perth event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1067085269989535/
Brisbane event: https://www.facebook.com/events/652340224908325/
Canberra event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1546663575624770/

Sources:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/shorten-rejects-medicare-changes/news-story/f71921dfe52f4ffefbbb80d441350019

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This petition had 218,977 supporters

The issue

To Health Minister Sussan Ley,

We demand pap smears and pathology services remain free of charge.

We won't stand for it. We demand the Liberal government scrap this policy and ensure that pap smears and pathology services remain free.

Sources:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/shorten-rejects-medicare-changes/news-story/f71921dfe52f4ffefbbb80d441350019

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This petition had 218,977 supporters

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The Decision Makers

Bill Shorten,

Shadow Minister for the NDIS and Government Services

Responded

“Thank you for making your voice heard on this important issue. A Shorten Labor Government will reverse Malcolm Turnbull's cuts to bulk billing incentives for pathology and diagnostic imaging, to make sure all Australians have access to affordable and universal healthcare. Pathology and diagnostic imaging are integral parts of our health system. The Liberals' $650m cuts will mean new out-of-pocket costs for x-rays, blood tests, pap smears. These are the scans for vulnerable Australians: $100 for a mammogram; $300 in diagnosis costs for a woman fighting breast cancer; over $1000 for an Aussie dealing with melanoma. Labor will oppose Mr Turnbull’s cuts to Medicare which will reduce bulk billing and make pap smears, CAT scans, Xrays and medicines cost more. Mr Turnbull's cut came in spite of the overwhelming evidence that the former Labor Government’s incentives are achieving their aim of maintaining or increasing bulk billing. In diagnostic imaging, for example, bulk billing rates rose 10 points in just six years thanks to Labor's measure. Labor's measure gives pathologists and radiologists a specific incentive to bulk bill. Without it, bulk billing will fall, co-payments will rise, and the cost of tests and scans will go up. I'm worried some patients will end up skipping them altogether. This would mean worse health outcomes for patients and higher costs to our health system. It is vital that patients are not turned away from care because of their ability to pay. A Labor Government will reverse them, so vote Labor on July 2 to protect Medicare. Thank you, Bill Shorten MP”

Bill Shorten

Shadow Minister for the NDIS and Government Services

Responded

Senator Richard Di Natale,

Leader of the Australian Greens

Responded

“Hi everyone, Thank you for all the work you have done defending Medicare, and our health services, from the Turnbull Government’s cuts. The Greens believe that health is an investment, not a cost. We have no greater resource as a nation than our health. The Greens have committed to reversing the Abbott-Turnbull government’s cuts to healthcare and hospitals, and we’ll reverse the freeze on Medicare indexation to provide greater access to all Australians to bulk billing. Patient access to the healthcare they need is the cornerstone Australia’s universal health system and the Government’s cut to the bulk billing incentive for pathology and imaging will mean more Australians are forced to pay to access essential pap smears, x-rays and blood tests, or go without them altogether. Your wealth should never determine your health, and the Greens will continue fight this senseless cut. More than simply reversing cuts, the Greens have a vision for a properly funded health system. That means legislating to commit the Commonwealth sharing the cost of hospitals with the states – an injection of over $4 billion dollars to 2020, and much more beyond. This will lock in a long-term funding formula to prevent reckless cuts in the future and stop cost-shifting between governments. If the Greens hold a balance of power on July 2nd we will make bringing dental care into Medicare a core negotiating priority. It was a huge disappointment to discover yesterday that the Labor Party intends to scrap medicare funded dental care for kids along with the Liberals. Oral health is a crucial part of our overall health, and it makes no sense to treat the mouth differently to any other party of the body. As a former doctor; ensuring that every Australian has access to affordable, accessible and universal healthcare is a core priority of mine and one of the key reasons why I decided to join the Greens back in 2000. Voting for the Greens on July 2nd means more than just ending the attack on our health care. It means investing in hospitals, preventative medicine, mental health and primary care. You can find out more about our priorities here: greens.org.au/healthcare Yours, Richard Di Natale Leader of the Australian Greens”

Senator Richard Di Natale

Leader of the Australian Greens

Responded