Documents reveal Labor was warned of impact on pensioners before scrapping bonus
Leaked documents indicate that the Australian government was warned about the negative financial impact on pensioners before deciding to scrap a private health insurance rebate. The Opposition is now challenging the move, arguing it will force vulnerable seniors to drop their coverage.
Why it matters
The report highlights the tension between government budget-cutting measures and the welfare of aging populations on fixed incomes.
— 11:45am , first published 10:09am
Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items.
Remove items from your saved list to add more.
Share A A A Labor was warned that scrapping the private health rebate for over-65s meant some pensioners would have to cut back on spending or go without cover, according to documents released to the Coalition under freedom of information laws.
Opposition health and aged care spokeswoman Anne Ruston said on Friday the documents revealed that the Department of Health had used fictional case studies to demonstrate the effects of Labor’s budget change on older Australians, showing that some would rein in already strained budgets and others would drop their private health insurance altogether.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in