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Georgina Beyer MP has welcomed today's announcement that the cost of accessing primary health care will be reduced for at least 300,000 New Zealanders by the end of 2003.
Health Minister Annette King and Deputy Prime Minister and Alliance leader Jim Anderton announced today that the Government will spend an extra $410 million on primary health care over the next three years.
Ms King said $50 million was allocated to begin implementing the Primary Health Care Strategy in the 2002/2003 year, rising to $165 million in 2003/2004, and $195 million in 2004/2005.
Georgina Beyer said the funding announcement was the most important development in caring for the health of New Zealanders since the first Labour Government introduced patient subsidies in the 1940s.
"The Labour-Alliance Government is committed over time to moving to a system where everyone gets affordable access to primary health care. This is a red letter day for the future health of New Zealanders."
Ms King said the new funding "will be targeted firstly at low-income people with high health needs. Some may see this as unfair, but we cannot achieve everything for everyone immediately.
"I expect that by the end of 2002/03 we will have reduced the cost of accessing primary health care and improved primary health care services for at least 300,000 New Zealanders.
"As more funding becomes available from 2003/04, it will start to be applied to extend free or low cost access to primary health care services through Primary Health Organisations. The priorities will be reducing costs for school-age children followed by the elderly and others with high health needs."
Ms King and Mr Anderton also announced today that although the new funding meant the beginning of phasing out the Community Services Card, the card could not be eliminated immediately.
"That will happen as we implement the Primary Health Care Strategy completely over the next eight to 10 years. In the meantime the income threshold for the CSC will be raised to allow some 23,000 New Zealanders to have or continue to have lower-cost visits and prescriptions, and we will do our best to encourage far better uptake of the card.
"The automatic annual adjustment to the income thresholds will reflect changes in the cost of living for all existing and potential cardholders, and will ensure no one loses their card as a result of annual Consumer Price Index adjustment to social welfare benefit rates.
"We are also increasing the general medical services subsidy from $32.50 to $35 for all GP services to children under six to adjust for inflation since the subsidy was introduced in 1997."
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