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Maharey misleads over beneficiary health fund
Judith Collins MP
National Party Welfare Spokeswoman
25 September 2007
Slippery Maharey misleads over beneficiary health fund
Social Development Minister Steve Maharey has been caught out misleading the public over the new beneficiary health fund, says National’s Welfare spokeswoman, Judith Collins.
“Answers to written questions reveal the Minister has been making misleading statements to the media about details of the fund.
“On 12 September, he told the Otago Daily Times and others that pilot projects around the fund showed that the changes the Government was making were effective.
“But when I asked where and when the pilots took place and who participated, Mr Maharey advised ‘there were no pilot projects of the new Health and Disability innovation Fund’.
“He also told the newspaper that the new medical certificate for sickness and invalid beneficiaries has a vastly expanded range of conditions – 950 types of incapacities, up from 45.
“Now the Minister is saying ‘there is no expansion in the types of incapacities that are used to qualify for sickness and invalid benefits’.
“He was already stretching the truth when he tried to pretend the fund was new when in fact it is extremely similar to the failed PATHS scheme which was introduced in 2004.
“Despite the similarities between PATHS and this new fund, Mr Maharey made no mention of PATHS in the fanfare surrounding its launch.
“Now he says it will be complementary to PATHS.
“It seems like this slippery Minister doesn’t want taxpayers to discover he is squandering more of their money on a replica scheme.”
ENDS
Attached: parliamentary written questions
Question: Further to
the Minister's comments on pilot projects for the new Health
and Disability Fund in the Otago Daily Times on 12
September; when and where did these pilots take place and
who participated in them?
Portfolio: Social Development & Employment
Minister: Hon Steve Maharey
Date Lodged:14/09/2007
Answer Text: There were no pilot projects of the new Health and Disability Innovation Fund.
Subject: 16166 (2007) Published - Social Development
& Employment - Normal Reply Auto forwarded by a
Rule
Question: What is the justification for expanding the types of incapacities that can qualify someone for a Sickness and Invalid benefit from the current 45 to 950 and what impact will this decision have on the ability to track the increase in stress related conditions?
Portfolio: Social Development & Employment
Minister: Hon Steve Maharey
Date Lodged:14/09/2007
Answer Text: There is no expansion in the types of incapacities that are used to qualify for Sickness or Invalid’s Benefits.
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