A new Austrailian report estimates that government spending on the private health insurance rebate, which costs about $3 billion Aussie dollars a year, will grow at 4.4 per cent a year -- nearly three times the expected real growth of the economy over the next 40 years.
Sound familiar?
The opposition's health spokeswoman, Nicola Roxon, said the report showed the Government was "once again shutting its eyes to the implications of chronic disease."
"The glaring gap in the previous intergenerational report was an assessment of the impact of chronic disease and preventable disease on current health expenditure, future health expenditure, workforce participation and productivity and, staggeringly, that mistake is repeated in the report released today," Ms Roxon said.
Saying it is the first step towards addressing it. Where are the American elected officials talking about the need to focus on dealing with chronic diseases (such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, etc.)?
The single biggest recent step towards getting tens of millions of Americans properly treated for chronic disease is Part D. More seniors are being properly diagnosed and treated for chronic diseases today than ever before -- a direct result of Part D.
(A fact that, mysteriously, didn't make the recent 60 Minutes story on the MMA vote.)
Beyond Part D, however, all players in the health care game (government, pharma, providers, private payors, and John Q.Patient) need to team up to address chonic disease in ALL populations ... before we find ourselves, well, down under.
Sound familiar?
The opposition's health spokeswoman, Nicola Roxon, said the report showed the Government was "once again shutting its eyes to the implications of chronic disease."
"The glaring gap in the previous intergenerational report was an assessment of the impact of chronic disease and preventable disease on current health expenditure, future health expenditure, workforce participation and productivity and, staggeringly, that mistake is repeated in the report released today," Ms Roxon said.
Saying it is the first step towards addressing it. Where are the American elected officials talking about the need to focus on dealing with chronic diseases (such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, etc.)?
The single biggest recent step towards getting tens of millions of Americans properly treated for chronic disease is Part D. More seniors are being properly diagnosed and treated for chronic diseases today than ever before -- a direct result of Part D.
(A fact that, mysteriously, didn't make the recent 60 Minutes story on the MMA vote.)
Beyond Part D, however, all players in the health care game (government, pharma, providers, private payors, and John Q.Patient) need to team up to address chonic disease in ALL populations ... before we find ourselves, well, down under.
