From the press room
Dunne sets out national health insurance plan for NZ – 2008-06-04 13:52:39.614
UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne today called for serious consideration of a national health insurance scheme for New Zealand.
“It’s time to break the health logjam,” he told the party’s annual conference in Auckland.
“At present, there are 300,000 elective surgery procedures a year and this year’s Budget increases that by 5,000 – a mere 1.6%.
“Over half those operations are already carried out in the private sector yet waiting lists remain high with lengthy delays, and the elderly and vulnerable often lacking access.
“UnitedFuture says: No-one over 65 should wait more than 6 months for elective surgery.
“More public/private surgical integration is required to make use of spare capacity in the private sector, but more of the same will not work.
“Is it time to consider a National Health Insurance scheme for New Zealand?
“Such a scheme could focus on elective surgery and access to high cost medicines and it would be taxpayer funded for target groups, such as the elder with the greatest health needs.
“To encourage greater participation, it could be a contributory scheme for wage and salary earners, with contributions offset against marginal tax rates.
“We spend billions of dollars a year on health but we are not solving our health problems.
“It’s time for a bold new initiative and UnitedFuture has the ideas,” said Mr Dunne.