Private patients in public hospitals remains a growing concern

The Turnbull Government is very concerned about the growing practice of private health insurance being charged by public hospitals for treatments that should be free. Figures released this week by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) show that state governments and hospitals are continuing to actively encourage patients to use their private health…

‘Roads to Recovery’ sees funding flow to improve Flinders roads

Federal Member for Flinders, Greg Hunt MP, is pleased to announce a new round of infrastructure upgrades are on the way around the electorate as part of the Australian Government’s ‘Roads to Recovery’ (R2R) program. With several new projects scheduled to start in the upcoming months, Minister Hunt was hopeful that these vital road upgrades…

Major $640 million investment in Australia’s world-leading medical research

The Turnbull Government will invest $640 million to support Australia’s world-leading health and medical researchers as they continue their work in the laboratory, clinic and the community to find the next major medical breakthrough. Cancer research continues to be a major priority for the Turnbull Government with $109 million allocated to projects for research into…

Continuing to make new medicines affordable for Australians

A new medicine to treat soft tissue sarcoma will be available through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from today, giving more than 100 Australians a year access to affordable life-improving treatment. Eribulin (Halaven®) provides eligible patients with an alternative treatment to currently listed medicines.  It works by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. The independent…

Better health care for people with chronic conditions

Up to 65,000 Australians will soon be receiving improved care for their ongoing chronic conditions, with the expansion of the Turnbull Government’s trial of Health Care Homes. An additional 168 general practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) will offer Health Care Home services from today, building on the 22 clinics already in the…

$53 million to find better mental health treatments and care

The Turnbull Government will provide more than $53 million for new research into better treatments, prevention and care for Australian patients facing mental health challenges.  A total of 47 projects will be funded across Australia to support some of our nation’s brightest researchers. With four million Australians experiencing some form of mental illness each year,…

Record bulk billing numbers under Turnbull Government

More Australian patients are visiting their GP without having to pay, with the bulk billing rate for the September quarter increasing to a record 85.9 per cent.  This is the highest bulk billing rate ever achieved for a September quarter – and significantly higher than Labor’s 82.2% when they were last in Government. The Turnbull…

Keneally caught out on Medicare claims

Kristina Keneally has serious questions to answer about her claims regarding Medicare. Official data from the Department of Human Services shows that in the week before the October long weekend, not a single person waited over an hour at the Ryde Service Centre in the week that Kristina Keneally claimed she had an hour’s wait. …