Seniors pay the price as Federal Labor scraps Medicare rebate for cataract surgery

October 29

Hundreds of senior Australians on the North Coast face huge increases in the cost of cataract surgery after the Rudd Government voted against a Bill which would have restored the full Medicare rebate, Federal MP Luke Hartsuyker said today.

In last May’s Federal Budget, Health Minister Nicola Roxon announced the rebate for cataract surgery would be halved from $623 to $311. This has been opposed by the Coalition, The Greens and Independent Senators.

Yesterday the Senate passed a Coalition Bill which would have locked in the rebate at $623.

This morning (Thursday) the Coalition moved to debate the Bill in the House of Representatives, however Federal Labor voted against it.

“By Labor voting against this Bill today the Medicare rebate will disappear altogether from November 1. This will hurt around 120,000 Australians, mostly seniors, who require surgery each year.

“The Rudd Government appears determined to punish patients needing this life changing surgery.

“Many seniors simply can not afford the procedure and will now be forced on to public waiting lists. The North Coast has a high aged demographic so these changes will affect many local residents.

“The bloody minded attitude of the government makes a mockery of Kevin Rudd’s 2007 election promise that the buck stopped with him on health.

“It again shows the difference between the Rudd Government’s rhetoric and reality.

“It is vital that Labor reviews their position so that older Australians are not denied this very important benefit.”