The Coalition is renewing its call for the Albanese Labor Government to scrap the cap on allied health treatment for Veterans, as the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs continues to scramble to fix a policy that has left Veterans confused, anxious and vulnerable.
Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Michael McCormack said recent backflips and exemptions announced by the Department were a clear sign the Labor Government had got it wrong from the start.
“Veterans across Australia have been speaking with one voice. They do not support this cap, and they do not believe their healthcare should be rationed,” said Michael McCormack, who is on a national listening tour, hearing concerns from Veterans in every State and Territory.
“I’ve sat down with Veterans and Veteran groups right around the country and the message is consistent: this cap is unfair, it creates uncertainty and it risks Veterans missing out on the care they need.
“Veterans served this nation without a cap on their service and they don’t believe there should be a cap on their access to care.
“The minister is now scrambling to patch holes in a policy that should never have been introduced in the first place.
“Every exemption, every clarification and every change announced by the Labor Government is proof that Veterans were right to raise concerns from day one.”
The Department has now confirmed the threshold will not apply to Veteran Card holders receiving the Special Rate Disability Pension, Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Pension, or Veterans who have been determined to be catastrophically injured.
Shadow Minister for Defence Personnel and Member for Herbert Phillip Thompson OAM said the Labor Government’s handling of the issue had only deepened concerns within the veteran community.
“Veterans didn’t serve Australia with a cap on their service, and they shouldn’t face a cap on their access to healthcare,” Mr Thompson said.
“The Minister’s actions have left Veterans confused, anxious and vulnerable.
“The Labor Government’s latest carve-outs expose the fundamental flaw in this policy.
“Many Afghanistan Veterans who served our nation in some of its most demanding operations do not fall within these exemptions despite requiring ongoing allied health support for service-related conditions.
“The question they are asking is simple: if a catastrophically injured Veteran deserves uncapped access to treatment, why doesn’t every veteran whose doctor says they need ongoing care?
“Matt Keogh, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs is scrambling to patch a broken policy when he should simply scrap the cap altogether and the Prime Minister should sack him”
Mr Thompson said many Veterans still did not understand whether they would be affected because the Labor Government continued to change the policy under pressure.
“Healthcare decisions should be made between Veterans and their treating health professionals, not by bureaucratic thresholds devised in Canberra.
“Veterans have already sacrificed enough in service to our nation. They should not have to fight for access to the care they need.
“The longer this drags on, the more uncertainty it creates for Veterans and their families.”
Mr McCormack said the Coalition would continue standing with Veterans and advocating for unrestricted access to clinically necessary treatment.
“The message from Veterans is clear and the Labor Government should listen,” Mr McCormack said.
“Scrap the cap and give Veterans the certainty they deserve.”