Medicare is friendless so far during the federal election campaign

The AMA says both major political parties’ policies on health during the election campaign have so far been “rubbish” and “piecemeal” with no coherent approach to address major health issues. 

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) flagged in the media this week that it will award the True Friend of Medicare Cup to any political party that presents policies during the election addressing hospital logjams and making it easier to see a GP. 

AMA Vice President Dr Chris Moy told Nine’s Today Show  that the AMA would compile a report card at the end of the election on the political parties’ health policies to see if they measure up. 

“The AMA will be providing a report card at the end of this to actually cut through all the rubbish and noise and we will give them a scorecard,” he said. 

“We are calling it the True Friend of Medicare Cup because they all want to be friends of Medicare, but neither of them are actually doing a very good job at the moment. 

“And if you are going to vote on health, which is pretty core business for governments, well we will give them a score at the end of this so hopefully your viewers will actually have a better picture of what really is going on.” 

Dr Moy said both major parties had been “horrendous” so far with “piecemeal stuff” in not presenting policies that would stop the logjam in hospitals, to help stop people dying in emergency departments or making it easier to see their GP. 

 The AMA released its  2022 Federal Election Statement  outlining measures to improve primary care, public hospitals and private health with an emphasis on universal access to healthcare and harnessing technology for a future sustainable system. 

It put the two major parties on notice that their election promises on health care would be assessed against the AMA blueprint at the end of the election campaign.