ACOSS Reports & Submissions
Health
January 2010
This joint submission from the Councils of Social Service network is in response to the Commonwealth Government's Exposure Draft Healthcare Identifiers Bill 2010. The submission outlines some key issues of principle that are important in establishing identifiers in the new e-health system and addresses some specific aspects of the draft Bill.
Key issues for consumers that are raised in this submission include access to healthcare services and benefits; privacy of personal information and data; consumer choice and control over personal information and healthcare identifier records; consultation and engagement on both the healthcare identifiers and the broader e-health system; and the transparency and accountability of the e-health system.
August 2009
It is estimated that about 3% of the Australian population suffers from a serious mental illness and that about one in five will suffer from a clinically definable mental illness at
some stage in their lives. The task of dealing with mental illness and promoting good mental health goes beyond the capacity of the mental health system and the health system in general.
ACOSS Info paper 376. Includes: Mental health. Mental illness. National Mental Health Plan. Social security payments. Disability Support Pension. Poverty. Disability services. Housing and homelessness. Health care system. Private Health Insurance Subsidy. Medicare Safety Net.
August 2009
The final report of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission is clearly written and has something for everyone. It is good that it has launched a flurry of debate about the state of health care and services in Australia and the opportunities are now there to influence the tone of that debate. At the report's launch, Health Minister Nicola Roxon stated the importance of a thorough public debate about the type of health system Australia wants. ACOSS applauds the Minister's call.
December 2008
This Paper provides an overview of the arguments for illness prevention and health promotion, four overarching targets, and priorities for action, with a particular focus on tobacco, alcohol and obesity.
October 2006
National report on the state of dental care.
Includes: Dental care. Oral health. Access to dental care. Affordability of dental care. Federal and State Governments. Medicare. Low income earners. Health.
September 2006
ACOSS Submission to the Senate Community Affairs Committee. Includes: Commonwealth-State Territory Disability Agreement. Services for people with disabilities. Australian Federal Budget.
August 2005
ACOSS Info paper 376
Includes: Mental health. Mental illness. National Mental Health Plan. Social security payments. Disability Support Pension. Poverty. Disability services. Housing and homelessness. Health care system. Private Health Insurance Subsidy. Medicare Safety Net.
July 2005
We acknowledge and support the main elements of the investment needed to get jobless people into employment. However, as it is presently structured, the "Welfare to Work" package has critical weaknesses that will reduce the employment gains and push many people into poverty.
ACOSS Info paper 378. Includes: Welfare to Work package. Single parents. People with disabilities. Social security payments. Austudy. Newstart Allowance. Suspension regime. Employment assistance. Employment. Unemployment. Welfare reform.
April 2005
Simply diverting people from DSP to Newstart Allowance (unemployment benefits), or making them look for work and reducing their future pensions, won't solve assist those with disabilities into employment. This ‘get tough' approach assumes that it has become too easy to get
the pension, but no convincing evidence has been presented that this is so.
ACOSS Info paper 371. Includes: Disability Support Pension. People with disabilities. Welfare reform. Unemployment. Public perception of unemployment. Workforce participation. Training. Job Network. Job outcomes for DSP recipients in employment programs. Poverty. Enhanced Newstart Allowance. Breaches/penalties.
September 2004
The Commonwealth's initiatives in 1999 and 2000 to encourage higher levels of private health insurance cover, including the 30% rebate to make private health insurance more affordable, has had no discernable effect on the distribution of private health insurance across income groups. If the private health insurance rebate is about supporting choice, it appears that low and middle income groups have not been exercising it. On the other hand, it is not surprising that high income groups continue to hold private health insurance. These groups receive a tax incentive - in the form of a 1% reduction in the Medicare levy - if they hold private health insurance, as well as the 30% rebate enjoyed by everyone who holds private health insurance.
ACOSS Info paper 364. Includes: Private health insurance. Taxation. Medicare levy. Private health insurance rebate. Low income people and health insurance.
