Death of Medicare copayment welcomed by thousands

GetUp campaigns director Mark Connelly said that while more than 100,000 Getup members welcomed news today that the Coalition has dumped its Medicare copayment they were still waiting to read the fine print on a new policy.

“At long last Health Minister Sussan Ley has officially announced the end of the GP copayment. While it’s news worth celebrating, there was an ominous lack of detail in Minister Ley’s announcement.”

“Consulting with the medical community is a good start but Minister Ley should also spend some time getting to know the concerns of patients and everyday Australians about our universal health system.”

“Since the copayment was unveiled last year, more than 100,000 GetUp members stood up and opposed a policy that would hurt our communities; especially the most vulnerable.”

“GetUp members are ready to keep fighting should Minister Ley release another unfair and unbalanced policy that attacks the universality of our healthcare system.”

“Our members around the country have worked tirelessly since the idea of a GP copayment was first flagged to make sure it didn’t pass the senate.”

Since the budget was announced last year GetUp members have:

• shared an interactive ‘Sick Tax Map’ with their MPs to show how much the GP copayment would cost Australians in each electorate (www.sicktaxmap.com)
• written to the Australian Medical Association asking them to ditch their alternative copayment proposal and use their strong bargaining position to highlight the dangers of a GP copayment
• contacted crossbench senators with thousands of personal stories about the impacts a GP copayment would have on them, their families and their communities
• polled marginal Coalition-held seats to demonstrate how the Government’s Medicare policy could cost MPs their seat
• ran postering campaigns in four marginal electorates with large numbers of bulk-billing patients exposing the true cost of the GP copayment to these communities with electorate-specific data
• run TV ad campaigns on Sky News and YouTube drawing attention to the GP copayment and its risks – the YouTube video has been viewed nearly 150,000 times (youtu.be/ebTP43TA9YU)
• contacted their Coalition MPs to reinforce concerns that the copayment is politically toxic, and embolden the backbench to push for its abandonment
• worked closely with nurses, midwives, doctors and peak health bodies to highlight the risks a copayment would pose to vulnerable groups and our world-class universal healthcare system
• stood with concerned Australians at ‘Bust the Budget’ rallies last year – tens of thousands of Australians attended the rallies to express outrage over the unfair budget
• made hundreds of calls to Palmer United Party representatives to ask them to stand firm against the copayment – over half the callers received a commitment from their PUP member that they would oppose the measure
• funded billboards in Clive Palmer’s electorate holding him to his promise: “We’re not going to have a copayment of even one cent” – supported by over 13,000 Australians
• used social media to put pressure on Clive Palmer to turn his statements about the GP copayment into promises
• reached over 1.9 million people with our first Facebook post on the GP copayment – at the time GetUp’s best performing post ever.
Mick Gibb, Matt Levinson GetUp