Fed: Private health insurance rebate hurting battlers

AAP General News (Australia)
02-08-2000
Fed: Private health insurance rebate hurting battlers

By Elizabeth Gosch

CANBERRA, Feb 8 AAP - Patients could die waiting for surgery because of an $800 million
blowout in the federal government's private health insurance rebate, doctors warned today.

The blowout to $2.2 billion a year was robbing the public hospital system of desperately
needed funding, the Doctors Reform Society (DRS) said.

A Senate estimates committee heard yesterday the cost of the 30 per cent rebate on
private health insurance had jumped by almost 50 per cent.

Health Minister Michael Wooldridge acknowledged …