Thousands to lose free dental care under cuts that will 'hurt the most vulnerable', experts say

ABC News
December 15 2016



As many as 388,000 Australians will lose free dental care under changes announced by Health Minister Sussan Ley, experts say.   :(

Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association chief executive Alison Verhoeven said the 2013-14 Budget promised $391 million in 2016-17 for public dental services.

"Since then, this was reduced to about $155 million in calendar year 2016, and now it's down to less than $107 million per year," she said.

"This will result in as many as 338,000 people losing access to public dental services from next year."

She said it was "harsh and particularly heartless" the Government had seen fit to "compromise the dental health of those Australians least able to afford" proper dental care.

Ms Ley announced changes to federal funding arrangements for dental services from January 1 next year.

She said the new federal funding for adult public dental services would enable states to treat at least 370,000 additional patients.

"The Australian Government will continue to fund the states and territories to assist them to provide public dental services to adults through a National Partnership Agreement (NPA) of $320 million over this year and the next two years," she said.

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule will be modified, with the maximum benefits available to eligible children to be reduced from $1,000 to $700 over two years.

"However, eligible children who began a two-year cap period in 2016 will continue to have access to benefits up to $1,000 for that two-year period," Ms Ley said.

She said the changes to the child dental scheme better reflected patterns of use, which showed most children claimed well below the $1,000 cap.

Ms Ley said the Government made changes to the existing Child Dental Benefits Schedule to keep it sustainable.


Parents will have to pay the gap: health advocates

Ms Verhoeven said it would be up to parents to find extra money to get their children's teeth fixed.

    "For many, the only viable alternative will be not to have the dental treatment needed. How little the Government must think of these kids — or care," she said.   :(

The Government said it would not proceed with its proposed $2.1 billion Child and Adult Public Dental Scheme, which would have merged federal funding for child and adult dental services into one program, because some states did not support the scheme.

Opposition health spokeswoman Catherine King criticised the changes, saying waiting lists would grow across.

"Disadvantaged and vulnerable Australians will lose access to life-changing dental services as a result of [the Government's] decision to cut adult public dental services," she said.   :(

She said the Government's own figures showed 20 per cent of children spent more than $700 in the scheme.

"As a result of the decision today, one in five children will have to limit essential dental care," she said.

The Government also announced the Royal Flying Doctor Service will receive $11 million over two years to provide dental services to rural and remote communities.

It wasn't free to begin with...

Help, we need a dentist.   :(

We need Shorty's unsustainable bottomless bucket of borrowed money.

You can get free dental care???

Where do I sign?

If Setanta read his PMs, he'd have a better idea.

Oh....no....hang on......I did send him a PM but...it did not get received.

Child.

Aussie wrote on Nov 29^th, 2018 at 8:20pm:

If Setanta read his PMs, he'd have a better idea. Oh....no....hang on......I did send him a PM but...it did not get received. Child.

Because you're considered to be a spammer. That and nobody gives a bugger what you think, pinner.

Aussie wrote on Nov 29^th, 2018 at 8:20pm:

If Setanta read his PMs, he'd have a better idea. Oh....no....hang on......I did send him a PM but...it did not get received. Child.

Piss off, perhaps he wasn't logged on, eh? Ever thought of that?
If you want to keep the insults up Mr Bighands, let me know, I'm sure it can be accommodated.

Setanta wrote on Nov 29^th, 2018 at 8:32pm:

Aussie wrote on Nov 29th, 2018 at 8:20pm: If Setanta read his PMs, he'd have a better idea. Oh....no....hang on......I did send him a PM but...it did not get received. Child. Piss off, perhaps he wasn't logged on, eh? Ever thought of that? If you want to keep the insults up Mr Bighands, let me know, I'm sure it can be accommodated.

Nah, bugger that.(Where have I hear that before?) I think Setanta is now going to log back in and block Mod as he said last time if you keep this crap up. Suck it up.

It would not have mattered whether Setanta was logged on or not....'He' has me PM blocked, so 'he' never would have read the PM I tried to send...but higher authority did read the relevant PM sent...way before your 3.2.1 funny.

Has Chu Chullain PM blocked me as well?

Where are the rightists telling us it was all mediscare ?

I would think that they would need to get this through the budget, if true it will not likely make it ?

Wonder if this is how they intend to get a surplus - based on savings that will never happen ?

Aussie wrote on Nov 29^th, 2018 at 8:48pm:

It would not have mattered whether Setanta was logged on or not....'He' has me PM blocked, so 'he' never would have read the PM I tried to send...but higher authority did read the relevant PM sent...way before your 3.2.1 funny. Has Chu Chullain PM blocked me as well?

No Idea but Cu Chullain has. Funny that, you'd think Setanta and I were the same person. Suck it up, you had your notice last weekend, you made your choice.

Choice, Hobson?  How is it ever a real choice when someone presents you with a 'do as I say or cop this?'

You are the bloke with the buttons. Not me.

Aussie wrote on Nov 29^th, 2018 at 9:33pm:

Choice, Hobson?  How is it ever a real choice when someone presents you with a 'do as I say or cop this?' You are the bloke with the buttons. Not me.

What was the choice Aussie? Do you remember?

Yes...'do as I say, or I will cut you off....and remember Aussie, I have the buttons.'

Aussie wrote on Nov 29^th, 2018 at 9:38pm:

Yes...'do as I say, or I will cut you off....and remember Aussie, I have the buttons.'

Quote it Aussie. Don't give me your interpretation. All I did is what anyone can do, it needed no buttons. I put you on ignore. Why?

Cu Chulainn wrote on Nov 29^th, 2018 at 9:42pm:

Aussie wrote on Nov 29th, 2018 at 9:38pm: Yes...'do as I say, or I will cut you off....and remember Aussie, I have the buttons.' Quote it Aussie. Don't give me your interpretation. All I did is what anyone can do, it needed no buttons. I put you on ignore. Why?

Do you really want me to answer that honestly, Constable?

Aussie wrote on Nov 29^th, 2018 at 9:47pm:

Cu Chulainn wrote on Nov 29th, 2018 at 9:42pm: Aussie wrote on Nov 29th, 2018 at 9:38pm: Yes...'do as I say, or I will cut you off....and remember Aussie, I have the buttons.' Quote it Aussie. Don't give me your interpretation. All I did is what anyone can do, it needed no buttons. I put you on ignore. Why? Do you really want me to answer that honestly, Constable?

I want you to start at quoting what I said last weekend and carry it through to your comments tonight. You will immediately reverse your comments about buttons as that is irrelevant, n'est-ce pas?

I don't know French.  Do you want me to answer your why question honestly or not, Constable?  Yes/no?

Aussie wrote on Nov 29^th, 2018 at 9:57pm:

I don't know French.  Do you want me to answer your why question honestly or not, Constable?  Yes/no?

Barbarian.

All of it and the French means "is it not so?"

So....I am able, without limit or repercussion of any kind, to say why I reckon you have placed me on ignore Constable Dave Findlay (who was a Copper who tried the same stunt in a real case on a very minor traffic matter but telling way generally?)

Perhaps you'd like to hear that story before you answer?

Aussie wrote on Nov 29^th, 2018 at 10:36pm:

So....I am able, without limit or repercussion of any kind, to say why I reckon you have placed me on ignore Constable Dave Findlay (who was a Copper who tried the same stunt in a real case on a very minor traffic matter but telling way generally?) Perhaps you'd like to hear that story before you answer?

You may quote why I told you why I would ignore you, why I said one more time and I'll block Mod as well, not your interpretation or anything else. The facts, what i told you. I'm happy with you quoting me. It was all public anyway.

Cu Chulainn wrote on Nov 29^th, 2018 at 10:41pm:

Aussie wrote on Nov 29th, 2018 at 10:36pm: So....I am able, without limit or repercussion of any kind, to say why I reckon you have placed me on ignore Constable Dave Findlay (who was a Copper who tried the same stunt in a real case on a very minor traffic matter but telling way generally?) Perhaps you'd like to hear that story before you answer? You may quote why I told you why I would ignore you, why I said one more time and I'll block Mod as well, not your interpretation or anything else. The facts, what i told you. I'm happy with you quoting me. It was all public anyway.

I am not interested in the quotes.  You asked me 'why?'  I am happy to tell you why I think (that's a good thing...right) you did it.

If you want to tell me/us why you did, using quotes which were 'heel Aussie' I could not care less now.  Water under the bridge.

Aussie wrote on Nov 29^th, 2018 at 10:51pm:

Cu Chulainn wrote on Nov 29th, 2018 at 10:41pm: Aussie wrote on Nov 29th, 2018 at 10:36pm: So....I am able, without limit or repercussion of any kind, to say why I reckon you have placed me on ignore Constable Dave Findlay (who was a Copper who tried the same stunt in a real case on a very minor traffic matter but telling way generally?) Perhaps you'd like to hear that story before you answer? You may quote why I told you why I would ignore you, why I said one more time and I'll block Mod as well, not your interpretation or anything else. The facts, what i told you. I'm happy with you quoting me. It was all public anyway. I am not interested in the quotes.  You asked me 'why?'  I am happy to tell you why I think (that's a good thing...right) you did it. If you want to tell me/us why you did, using quotes which were 'heel Aussie' I could not care less now.  Water under the bridge.

I told you if you keep pushing, you would lose access, you kept pushing. On your head. You created the situation, child.

Yes.....Hobson, you are right.  And I jammed it right back at you.  You then used buttons so that I, a Member, could not report stuff which places this Board under real threat.  You are the GMod and have responsibilities to the Owner and the Members you are failing to meet.

Aussie wrote on Nov 29^th, 2018 at 11:21pm:

Yes.....Hobson, you are right.  And I jammed it right back at you.  You then used buttons so that I, a Member, could not report stuff which places this Board under real threat.  You are the GMod and have responsibilities to the Owner and the Members you are failing to meet.

There is nothing you can "jam back at me". I used buttons everyone has to block PMs from pests. I resigned fom modding you lot as per the post in feedback. I said "do not PM me" but you continued. You then tried to belittle me into doing your will. I refused. You then called me a child a few times as if that would make me change my mind because I'm obviously so piss weak that would make me fold. You have made your bed, get yourself comfy in it. If I see a change in attitude I may reconsider but knowing you, that is unlikely.