| Publication: | ABC News |
|---|---|
| Date: | 29 October 2009 |
| Section: | Australian Health |
The spirit of pioneering eye surgeon Fred Hollows has been invoked with news a service he pioneered will end because of a Federal Government decision.
The Government is deciding how to salvage a Medicare rebate for cataract surgery after its move to halve the $600 payment was struck down in the Senate.
It is now unclear if there will be any rebate from this weekend and Health Minister Nicola Roxon says the Government is looking at a range of options to keep some form of it in place.
"The Government will make sure that patients are protected," she said.
The Society of Ophthalmologists president, Dr Russell Bach, is urging the Government to support a private members bill to restore the full amount.
"If the House of Reps don't look at this seriously then they will need to face the responsibility fairly and squarely, that it is their decision that has left the community, the patients, high and dry in this situation," he said.
Doctors carrying on the work of Dr Hollows say they will stop performing operations at Bourke Hospital from tomorrow.
Dr Ashish Agar says the Outback Eye Service evolved out of the efforts Dr Hollows in the 70s. He says Dr Hollows' legacy has been given a slap in the face and he wants the full rebate to be restored.
"We have been honoured to try and carry on his legacy," he said.
"I think it is beholden on all Australians to think about that legacy and realise that this decision is going to affect not just some Aboriginal and isolated people out in the bush, but every single person in Australia that wants or needs cataract surgery.
"I think this is a real slap in the face for his legacy. He's buried out in Bourke simply because that is where he really felt his heart was."
The State Member for Barwon, Kevin Humpheries, says it is disgraceful.
"Fred would be rolling over in his grave. This is un-Australian," he said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Opposition says it would be completely unacceptable for the Medicare rebate to be abolished.
Opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton says a solution must be found today.
"Minister Roxon has been bloody minded about this and the Prime Minister has refused to step in," he said.
"But the Government has to deal with this today. If they don't then they're forcing a situation where the rebate will go to zero dollars for a six-month period on the advice to us.
"That is completely unacceptable."
But Ms Roxon says she is being forced to fix the Opposition's mess and the Government is looking at a range of options to ensure some level of rebate remains in place.
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