http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010 ... ion=justinRudd to reveal preventative healthcare plans
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will today unveil the Federal Government's plans to improve the nation's preventative health care to help take the load off hospitals.
The Government has already outlined its intention to take over 60 per cent of hospital funding but the states have been calling for more details on its full plans in all areas across the health system.
Mr Rudd is today meeting Victorian Premier John Brumby for the second time in as many days, with the two still failing to agree on details of the takeover.
Mr Rudd has told Triple M that people need effective ways to manage diseases like diabetes before they end up in hospitals.
"A lot of attention should be put on what we eat and how we exercise, but let's just say you develop one of these conditions, how do you manage it so it just doesn't get worse and get completely out of control?" he said.
"[It's] bad for you as a patient but also bad for the healthcare system."
Done properly this really would take a big load of hospitals.
Re Brumby, he is playing hardball and obviously will obtain a few bucket loads of money from Rudd before agreeing to the plan for the Commonwealth to fund 60% of public hospital care. More money for public hospitals is needed after Howard's really bad policy re the Health Care rebate. Funny that the Libs, supposedly concerned about debt and deficit opposed every move to reduce public spending on the rebate (and on many other matters as well.)
Be interesting to see the rest of the Rudd Health Care policy unveiled.