REMOVAL OF MEDICARE EASY CLAIM BOOTHS

REGIONAL AND RURAL AUSTRALIA

“I HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY A NUMBER OF CONSTITUENTS IN COUNTRY WESTERN AUSTRALIA WHO ARE CONCERNED AT THE REMOVAL OF MEDICARE EASY CLAIM BOOTHS FROM THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTRES IN COUNTRY AREAS.

THERE ARE 49 SUCH CENTRES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA AND I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE  APPROXIMATELY 800 SUCH BOOTHS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA.  

I UNDERSTAND OF THE 49 CENTRES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA, 38 WILL DISAPPEAR IMMEDIATELY AND THE REMAINDER WILL BE PHASED OUT OVER THE NEXT 24 MONTHS OR SO

EASY CLAIM BOOTHS ARE PROVIDED BY MEDICARE AS A FACILITY FOR REGIONAL AND RURAL AUSTRALIA AND THEY ARE WIDELY USED BY ELDERLY, DISADVANTAGED, INDIGENOUS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE NEED OF ACCESSING MEDICARE BENEFITS.   THEIR PLACEMENT IN COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTRES HAS BEEN OF ENORMOUS BENEFIT TO ALL WHO HAVE COME TO RELY OF THEM AND THE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY THE  CENTRES IN GENERAL TO THE CLIENTS.

SOME ARE LOCATED IN LOCAL PHARMACIES, AND WHILST THEIR REMOVAL IS PROBABLY OF A FINANCIAL NATURE TO THE PHARMACY, MY CONCERN IS THE SEVERE IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THE REMOVAL OF THESE BOOTHS WILL HAVE IN REGIONAL AND COUNTRY AREAS WHICH ARE ALREADY DISADVANTAGED IN RESPECT OF SERVICES, TRANSPORT,  GENERAL FACILITIES AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT.

I AM AWARE THAT THE INTRODUCTORY PROGRAMME OF PROVIDING THIS SERVICE HAD A FIXED TERM OF 10 YEARS BUT I BELIEVE A DECISION MAY HAVE BEEN MADE TO TERMINATE THIS SERVICE WITHOUT COMMUNITY CONSULTATION AND LITTLE WARNING.

IT SHOULD BE REMEMBERED THAT: 

~              MOST DOCTORS DO NOT BULK BILL AND THEREFORE CLAIMS MUST BE MADE

                TO MEDICARE DIRECT

~              MANY CLIENTS WHO ARE FREQUENT VISITORS TO THEIR DOCTOR THROUGH ILL HEALTH OR AGE, RELY ON THEIR REBATE TO BE MADE PROMPTLY AS THEY CAN NOT AFFORD TO CARRY THAT COST FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD

~              MANY CLIENTS USING THIS SERVICE LIVE IN REMOTE AREAS WITH NO PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND THEREFORE GOING TO A MEDICARE OFFICE IS IMPOSSIBLE

~              MANY CLIENTS REQUIRE THIS SERVICE AS THEY ARE UNWELL AND UNABLE TO TRAVEL FAR

~              CLIENTS ARE OFTEN ELDERLY OR DISADVANTAGED AND DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO TELEPHONE AND OR COMPUTER

~              MANY CLIENTS WHO DO HAVE A TELEPHONE ARE UNABLE TO MAKE A CALL TO ARRANGE A REFUND SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS TOO COMPLICATED FOR THEM OR THEY CAN NOT HEAR WELL OR ARE INTIMIDATED BY THE PROSPECT OF DOING SO

~              EASY CLAIM BOOTHS IN CENTRES HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING A STAFF MEMBER OR VOLUNTEER TO ASSIST THOSE NEEDING HELP

THE REMOVAL OF THESE BOOTHS WITHOUT CONSIDERATION OF THE CONSEQUENCES TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THEM IS MADE EVEN WORSE BY THE FACT THAT THE COST OF PROVIDING THE SERVICE RELATIVELY LOW AT  $500 (approximately) PER BOOTH.

SENATOR JUDITH ADAMS            

PATRON SENATOR FOR THE GREAT SOUTHERN

Media Contact : Alana Lacy 0418 102 945 / 98 416 143