Health care shake-up gives more power to nurses and midwives in Federal Budget

By Melissa Jenkins

INFERTILE women and private health insurance policy holders are the big losers in the federal health budget, as the Rudd Government advanced its agenda of giving nurses more power. 

... A shake-up of the Medicare Safety Net (MSN) will result in the public subsidisation of specialist services, including IVF and obstetrics, capped for patients who qualify under the scheme.

The private health insurance rebate will be means-tested and nurses and midwives will for the first time be able to provide taxpayer subsidised services and medicines, in a move which is sure to raise the ire of GP lobby group, the Australian Medical Association.

... In a double-whammy, the Medicare Levy Surcharge aimed at those people who do not take out private health insurance will climb from one per cent to 1.25 or 1.5 per cent depending on a person's income.

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