This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/01/families-face-huge-rise-in-cost-of-living-under-reports-recommendations

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Families face huge rise in cost of living under audit recommendations Commission of Audit: patients face $15 co-payment for visits to doctor
(35 minutes later)
Families Patients would be charged a $15 co-payment for the first 15 visits to the doctor they make each year, and then $7.50 for each subsequent visit, under recommendations from the audit commission.
will face large rises in the cost of living if the recommendations of the audit Concession card holders should make a co-payment of $5 per visit.
commission are introduced. Co-payments would also be placed on all medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to ensure the introduction of the “user-pays” principle.
Families The commission would like to see higher income earners take out private health insurance for basic services to replace Medicare.
will pay more from birth to death, with costs rising for childcare, medical Likewise, they suggest state governments should be encouraged to introduce a co-payment for less urgent emergency department visits.
services, drugs, the removal of family tax benefits and the opening of The recommendations would see large rises in the cost of living if the recommendations of the audit commission are introduced.
pharmacies to competition which may effect services in rural and regional Everyone will pay more from birth to death, with costs rising for childcare, medical services, drugs, the removal of family tax benefits and the opening of pharmacies to competition.
areas. The commission recommend a severe paring back of Tony Abbott’s Paid Parental Leave scheme, capping it at average weekly earnings (currently $57,460) rather than up to $100,000 as announced this week.
The Childcare could see increased funding from the savings out of PPL and nannies qualify as a service under the funding envelope. But childcare payments generally would face more stringent means-testing.
commission recommended a severe paring back of Tony Abbott’s Paid Parental The Family Tax Benefit Part B – currently paid to sole parents and stay at home parents - will be abolished and only sole parent families will receive a supplement to make up for the loss.
Leave scheme, capping it at average weekly earnings (currently $57,460) rather The commission would like to strip some of the regulations from private health insurance funds to give greater flexibility to vary premiums to account for “lifestyle” factors like smoking.
than up to $100,000 as announced this week. Childcare could see an increased Other cost saving measures in Medicare include increasing the general extended Medicare safety net threshold from $2,000 to $4,000 and auditing the Medicare benefits schedule to replace expensive items with cheaper alternatives.
funding from the savings out of PPL and nannies would be funded under the
funding envelope. But childcare would face more stringent means-testing.
The
Family Tax Benefit Part B – currently paid to sole parents and stay at home
parents - will be abolished and only sole parent families will receive a
supplement to make up for the loss.
Co-payments
of $15 would be introduced for all Medicare funded services, with safety net
payment of $7.50 for more than 15 visits a year and $5 for concession card
holders.
Co-payments
would also be placed on all medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
to ensure the introduction of “user-pays” principles.
The
commission would like to see higher income earners encouraged to take out
private health insurance for basic services to replace Medicare.
Likewise,
they suggest state governments should be encouraged to introduce a co-payment
for less urgent emergency department visits.
Other
cost saving measures in Medicare include increasing the general extended
Medicare safety net threshold from $2,000 to $4,000 and auditing the Medicare
benefits schedule to replace expensive items with cheaper alternatives.
The commission would like to strip some of the regulations from private health
insurance funds to give greater flexibility to vary premiums to account for
“lifestyle” factors like smoking.