February
Fink’s plan for fixed-rate home loans stinks for banks
Readers’ letters on Larry Fink’s push for 30-year fixed-rate home loans in Australia; Peter Dutton’s stance on power investment; Labor’s Medicare plan; the global responsibility of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping; social cohesion.
Dutton says ‘me too’ as Albo bets the house on ‘saving Medicare’
The Coalition has buckled to Labor pressure. But how both sides will finance their foolish bulk-billing magic pudding remains to be seen.
Dutton to match Labor’s GP funding in big-spending campaign pledge
The opposition leader promises to match Labor’s $8.5 billion GP funding pledge as he seeks to defend his record on health.
Why a Mediscare campaign won’t be so easy this time around
Labor’s Medicare package offers politically popular relief for GP visits but may not convince voters losing confidence in Australia’s public health system.
Genesis Capital gets back into general practice with Ochre Health
Genesis has partnered with doctor Hamish Meldrum who will keep a significant shareholding in the business.
Buffett to increase his bet on Japan’s trading houses
The billionaire will be allowed to increase his stake in the trading houses above 10 per cent; Elon Musk threatens all federal workers with the sack; Jim Chalmers flies to Washington. See how the day unfolded here.
My patient Shirley would benefit from more bulk billing. Here’s why she won’t
Labor is shining an 8.5 billion-watt spotlight on general practices to divert attention from the elephant in the room that everyone in Australia has seen.
Doctors say not all GP visits will be free under Labor plan
Medical professionals welcome the $8.5 billion Medicare overhaul but urge targeted funding to care for patients who need it most.
Albanese makes $8.5b Medicare overhaul his signature election policy
The prime minister will make Medicare the centrepiece of his re-election campaign, promising to spend big to eliminate patient costs for visits to the doctor.
Bulk billing pledge is Mediscare with an $8.5b price tag
The new spending, alongside $600 million to boost the supply of nurses and general practice doctors, will be added to the nation’s burgeoning debt and structural deficit pile.
Doctors pitch $3b plan to slash GP visit costs
GPs will on Tuesday present a funding package to Canberra they say will make doctor visits affordable for younger Australians and people with chronic illness.
Medical costs up, bulk billing down across Australia: report
Access to GPs is shaping up as a contentious issue for the coming federal election.
January
Mediscare ‘he said, she said’ insults voters’ intelligence
A Labor-Coalition electoral clash over bulk billing is not only foolish, but masks the fact that so much more needs to be done to keep our healthcare system fit for purpose.
June 2024
Radiology’s AI future and deregulation help end years of bad blood
The No.1 player in an industry sets the tone. And in radiology, the tone is deals, deals, deals.
Pharmacists lost 60-day battle, but won war with Chemist Warehouse
The most powerful lobby group in the nation has convinced Labor to stop its competitor from giving customers a $1 discount on medicines.
GenesisCare’s valuation shrinks to less than $500m after bankruptcy
Once a global cancer services giant, the company’s new owners are buying back shares from local backers for just $0.000186 as the business is restructured.
May 2024
Medicare numbers, prescription information taken in MediSecure hack
The government has reassured Australians that no documents need to be replaced as a result of the hack on the little-known technology company.
March 2024
NDIS is as popular as Medicare, study shows
Redbridge research reveals deep community support for the national disability insurance scheme, underscoring why both sides of politics are wary of criticism despite massive cost blowouts.
November 2023
GenesisCare’s first US clinics are offloaded in US bankruptcy
GenesisCare has 300 radiation therapy centres and integrated medical offices that are being sold in the Chapter 11 process.
October 2023
GenesisCare breaches divide local cancer services industry
The company has told investors that its failure to offer bulk billing after accepting government funding for cancer care equipment is an industry-wide issue.