Thursday, September 30, 2004

'Medicare Gold' policy needs examination: Democrats

The Democrats have welcomed federal Labor's 'Medicare Gold' policy.

But leader Andrew Bartlett says his party would look closely at the detail if the plan reaches the Senate to make sure it delivers benefits to the public rather than the private health insurance industry.

"It is a significant policy, it's a dramatic policy, it's an ambitious policy," he said.

"That means it's something that should be praised as an attempt to address a real problem, but it's also something that needs to be examined closely to make sure it will actually work in the way Labor promises it will be.

"It's one thing to pledge all this magnificent thing (sic) on the eve of an election, it's another to make it work in the detail after the election's out of the way," he said.

By Health 30 September 04

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