Tuesday 11 March 2008

RUDD SLASHES MEDICARE DENTAL SCHEME, MEAGHER WATCHES SILENTLY FROM THE SIDELINES

The Rudd Government's announcement that it will slash the Medicare dental scheme by the end of the month, shows Labor's pre-election promises of better care, at both a Federal and State level were nothing more than political hot air, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today.

Notices sent by the Rudd Government to dentists state: 'no Medicare benefits will be payable for dental services to new patients after 30 March 2008'.

"Kevin Rudd and Reba Meagher have turned their backs on those patients who have accessed the Medicare dental scheme to plan long term dental care to improve their health," Mrs Skinner said.

"This scheme helps those people whose dental problems are having an impact on their physical health – its axing hurts those who most need urgent dental care," she said.

"After spending the last two years blaming the Federal Government for NSW's dental woes, Health Minister Reba Meagher has remained silent as Kevin Rudd axed the Medicare dental scheme.

"Reba Meagher called for 'much greater investment from the Commonwealth' in dental care on 13 January , what does Labor do – scrap the Medicare dental scheme.

"This demonstrates that Reba Meagher has no backbone when it comes to fighting for more dental funding for NSW.

"Thousands of patients across NSW will now go without vital dental care because they can't afford it, and Labor has cut the Medicare dental scheme.

"158,791 people are on dental waiting lists in NSW. They're waiting to get their teeth fixed, it's high time Morris Iemma and Health Minister Reba Meagher took action.

"Only a commitment to train and recruit more dentists and adequately resource oral health facilities will provide lasting improvement for patients and health professionals in NSW," Mrs Skinner said.