Labour Creates Two-Tier Primary Health System

As predicted the Labour Government's new Primary Health Organisations are creating a two tier health system, ACT Health Spokesman Heather Roy said today.

"Taxpayer cash is being used to favour the Government's key supporters. This is the first time in New Zealand's history that subsidies for doctor visits have been allocated based on race. PHOs will be paid more by the Government for vists by Maori and Pacific Island people than for any other New Zealanders.

"Apart from a tiny number of High Users, all Maori and Pacific Island New Zealanders are given twenty percent more than Europeans in the way of subsidies for Doctor visits.

"Under the new funding formula, the great majority of male pakeha superannuitants who do not have a community Services Card are funded at $17 a year, while male Maori and Pacific Island superannuitants are funded over three times higher at $53 a year.

"The same goes for female pakeha superannuitants, with Maori and Pacific Island female superannuitants funded at $60 a year, and pakeha at a third of this - $19 a year.

"While the intention may be honourable, the new formula segregates the whole population into "poor" or "non-poor" areas.

"A sole parent beneficiary living in a middle-class area will get twenty percent less assistance than a sole parent beneficiary on exactly the same income in a poor area - unless they are Maori or Pacific Island. And a wealthy person on $100,000 living in a poor area, will be a winner.

"All New Zealanders should receive healthcare assistance on a needs-basis, regardless of their race or physical address. It is much fairer to treat people as individuals and consider their individual needs than lumping supposed `communities' and ethnic groups together," Mrs Roy said.

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