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Issue Alert
People with MS spending over 20% of their income on healthcare
The cost of living with MS or similar conditions is high and in some cases is an overwhelming burden.
Quite apart from the difficulties in coping with the health effects of a chronic illness, the financial burden is a dimension of life that is often overlooked by policymakers and the wider community.
The Chronic Illness Alliance
has released preliminary findings from its survey on the cost of living with a chronic illness. The survey covered people with MS and their families as well as other conditions that result in health and financial burdens.
The attached article in the Melbourne Age http://www.theage.com.au summarises the findings of the Victorian study, which took in more than 1600 respondents.
The study quotes a person with MS earning $250 per week who spends $53, (21% of their income) on healthcare.
The study is the most extensive done so far in Victoria and highlighted many issues about how individuals and families cope with the financial burden and what they thought of the level of Government assistance programs.
Highlights from the Study include:
- 66% of people reported that changes to the tax and welfare system including the GST had had a negative effect on their household finances.
- 10% of households spent $130 per month on non PBS medicines.
- Households spent between $5 and $1000 on GP visits in the last 6 months and in the same period spent between $45 and $1000 on specialist visits.
- 41% of households surveyed had a gross annual income of $26,000 or less, 31% earned less that $52,000 and 21% earned more than $52,000.
- Cost of transport to illness to illness related appointments is a major area of concern.
Further analysis is being done on the data and when it is available we will publish it on the MSA website.
The CIA is presenting this information to the Federal Government through the Minister for Health, Senator Kay Patterson, as well as Senate Committee on Medicare.
MS Australia is a member of the Chronic Illness Alliance and supports the efforts to highlight the cost of living with chronic illness and disability. With issues like the future of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, reform of the Disability Support Pension and Superannuation being in the public arena, it is essential that people living with MS and other chronic illnesses are heard in the debate.
After all, changes to these important programs have huge impacts on people who depend on them for their independence in the community. We must work together to ensure that policy makers fully understand the impact of these programs and the often precarious financial and social positions experienced by those living with a chronic illness or disability.
How can you get involved?
MSA will work with other groups (the Chronic Illness Alliance, the Medicare Acton Group and the Physical Disability Council of Australia) to lobby for policy change to better service the needs of people suffering financial hardship as a consequence of their illness or disability.
With a Federal election due within a year, this is one issue MSA will consider running in the lead up campaign if people with MS believe it is one of the crucial Federal MS issues we should pursue.
Many of the cost issues raised in the study are in the domain of the Federal Government. The States certainly do have their part to play, particularly in the areas of disability services, home support and transport.
The recent Federal Government Medicare bulk billing measures where doctors receive incentives needs to be carefully examined in the light of the findings of this study. Paying incentives to primary care providers may not be the best way of making healthcare more affordable and accessible to people with a chronic illness.
An example of a State Government's response to the costs of living with MS is the summer energy concession offered by the Victorian Government. This was introduced some years ago as a result of lobbying by people with MS and the MS Society of Victoria http://www.cyf.vic.gov.au/concessions/concessions
If you are concerned by the financial impact of MS on you and your family, including:
- The cost of healthcare (including GP visits)
- Cost of disability (home and vehicle modifications, transport, etc)
- Employment/Superannuation matters
Please write to the Federal Health Minister, Sen Kay Patterson
Parliament House - Canberra ACT 2600
Tel: (02) 6277 7220
Fax: (02) 6273 4146
Email: senator.kcpatterson@aph.gov.au
The Shadow Health Minister, Julia Gillard
Parliament House - Canberra ACT 2600
Tel: (02) 6277 4349
Fax: (02) 6277 8457
Email: Julia.Gillard.MP@aph.gov.au
or contact your local Federal MP and raise these issues with them.
Without these individual stories being put to politicians, the important policy debates will be full of numbers and not about people.
If you do take the time to contact the Minister, her shadow or your local Federal MP, please send a copy of your correspondence to MSA at ablackwood@mssociety.com.au
For more information please contact
Alan Blackwood
Manager Policy and Community Partnerships
The Nerve Centre
54 Railway Road
Blackburn VIC 3130
Phone: 03 9845 2713
Fax: 03 9845 2777
E-mail: ablackwood@mssociety.com.au