Thursday 28 July 2005
NZMA Calls on Politicians to Get Real over ‘free care’ for under-sixes
Politicians must “get real” when they are talking about “free care for under sixes” says NZMA GPC Chairman Dr Peter
Foley.
“Yesterday in parliament a question about the funding of the under-sixes led to much ill-informed discussion about
doctors’ fees and how they relate to the subsidies, “ says Dr Foley.
“The facts are that for most general practitioners, the ‘under sixes’ subsidy has never met the full cost of providing
care to these children. GPs have for years subsidised free provision of this care. In recent years, despite modest
increases in the subsidy, many doctors have felt a need to charge a co-payment. Others do not and continue to subsidise
the cost of providing this care.”
“General practitioners strive hard to provide quality care at an affordable price, however, it is important that they
protect the viability of their services.”
“It is politicians who promote this as free care for children under six, not doctors, who know that unless subsidies are
at realistic levels, somebody has to pay, and in some cases it will be the patient’s parents or caregivers.”
ENDS