Greens caution Minister on dental reform
Greens’ spokesperson for health, Senator Richard Di Natale, today cautioned the new Minister for Health, Tanya Plibersek, on dental reform.
“We agree with Minister Plibersek that the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme needs reform, but I would caution the Minister against trying to close down the scheme,” he said.
“The CDDS has helped thousands of Australians receive dental treatment that they otherwise would be unable to afford. We know that 80 per cent of those people who have accessed the scheme are concession card holders so it is largely reaching Australians who are most in need.
“The Chronic Disease Scheme is the platform for a universal Denticare scheme and the Greens will not support the closure of the scheme until something better is in its place.
“Medicare data does not support the new Health Minister’s comments that the scheme is being rorted. Almost all non compliance has been due to minor administrative errors and I genuinely hope that dentists are not being unfairly targeted as a way of discrediting a worthwhile scheme.”
“We agree with Minister Plibersek that the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme needs reform, but I would caution the Minister against trying to close down the scheme,” he said.
“The CDDS has helped thousands of Australians receive dental treatment that they otherwise would be unable to afford. We know that 80 per cent of those people who have accessed the scheme are concession card holders so it is largely reaching Australians who are most in need.
“The Chronic Disease Scheme is the platform for a universal Denticare scheme and the Greens will not support the closure of the scheme until something better is in its place.
“Medicare data does not support the new Health Minister’s comments that the scheme is being rorted. Almost all non compliance has been due to minor administrative errors and I genuinely hope that dentists are not being unfairly targeted as a way of discrediting a worthwhile scheme.”
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