No one likes to pay extra tax.
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But what if by paying a few extra dollars a week in tax we could ensure our loved ones and friends have access to a world-class health system when they need it?
It’s a simple enough question, but one politicians refuse to ask and find all sorts of ways to disguise.
Why not just make spending on health a fixed percentage of GDP and cut the glut and famine cycles associated with the electoral cycle.
Ensuring the money is spent in the best possible way and how that is achieved can be the point of difference between the political parties.
Those needing health care would at least know that there were funds there to cover it.
The federal government’s GP co-payment has come under fire since it was mooted as a potential deterrent to seeking medical treatment.
The NSW opposition claim that an extra 12,000 people will seek treatment in the Maitland Hospital’s emergency department each year because they cannot afford the extra $7 is alarming.
Our hospitals are already under enough strain without diverting resources to those best treated by a GP.
It also raises questions about ongoing treatment options and screening of diseases and conditions at an early stage which, in the long-term, can save money, but far more importantly save lives.
It is time for a bi-partisan approach involving all levels of government in conjunction with health providers to establish how much money is needed to provide a world-class health system.
Once that figure is established, cast it in stone.
Let the debate then centre on the most equitable and efficient manner in which to fund it to ensure all Australians get access to health care without fear of not being able to afford it.