A record-setting $1 billion in new federal revenue is on the way to the health system, with the state’s new health commissioner announcing today that the total was already on track to be $1,875 million.
The announcement by the Department of Health and Ageing’s Commissioner for Health (DOH) David McAlpine comes just a day after he announced a new $600 million package to increase funding for the state.
The department said the new package would help the states and territories to improve access to quality services and care.
The money would be allocated to the states for health, dental and nursing care, and the department said there would be no further change to the Commonwealth Health Benefits package.
The new health system is expected to generate $1bn in the year to December 2020.
Mr McAlpin said the money would help deliver the Government’s goal of delivering the best health system for Australia’s population by 2024.
“The $1-billion is not enough to cover the costs of our state health system.
We need to build a stronger, better, more connected system that can deliver the highest standards of care to every Australian, but also supports the health needs of all Australians,” he said.”
This package is critical for the delivery of this ambition.”
The plan, which was first announced in January, will provide the Commonwealth with additional $1billion in additional revenue to help pay for a $2.5 billion expansion of the WA health system in the next two years.
It is the first of three major health plans the WA Government has committed to over the next five years.
Mr Gillard also announced an additional $200 million in funding for regional hospitals, to be matched by the states.
Topics:health,government-and-politics,state-parliament,health,health-policy,healthcare-facilities,federal-government,parliamentary-office-and.-opposition,community-and–society,australiaFirst posted January 11, 2020 10:58:34Contact Alex WalkerMore stories from Western Australia