News - Bega Merimbula Eden Bermagui Tathra Pambula

Liberal MP Andrew Constance has launched a petition calling on the Federal Government to restore the rebate for cataract operations and in doing so has accused the Labor Member for Eden Monaro for failing in his duty of care to seniors in the South-east.

“At Batemans Bay Hospital where opthalmological services have been centralised in the region 597 patients out of 681 are waiting for surgery,” Mr Constance said.

“By cutting the medicare rebate by 45% - from $632.70 to $340.76 people will go blind and the waiting lists will only blow out further,” Mr Constance said.

“The Federal Member for Eden Monaro Labor’s Mike Kelly has shown blatant disregard for seniors in the South east,” Mr Constance said.

“Dr Kelly can’t come to town offering up $12,000 a year retention grants to doctors, expecting them to stay, and then be an apologist for a Labor decision which cuts the medicare rebate for cataracts,” he said.

“People from Eden to Batemans bay are dependent on the service at Batemans Bay Hospital and this decision is disgraceful,” Mr Constance said.

“How can they justify such a decision when there is 597 patients on the waiting list as is?” he asked.

“Labor’s approach to health care is bizarre and given the promise to further centralise decision making in Canberra as oppose to devolving decision back to local communities is further evidence that they lack the capacity to fix the state of health care in NSW,” Mr Constance said.