Health | November 28, 2024

Labor hits Lowan health services with WorkCover premium hikes

Victoria’s health crisis continues as new figures reveal WorkCover premiums for some Lowan health services increased by 90 per cent last financial year.

Casterton Memorial Hospital's premiums increase 90 per cent last financial year, while Terang and Mortlake Health Service had a 90-per-cent increase, and Grampians Health experienced an 83-per-cent increase.

Western District Health Service's premiums increased by 20 per cent, with the service paying more than $1 million in premiums in 2023-24.

The data was revealed in annual health service reports released in Victorian Parliament. The reports showed hospitals across the state paid more than $250 million in WorkCover premiums in 2023-24, 51 per cent more than the year before.

It followed an admission from the Allan Labor Government that, under its watch, Victoria’s workers compensation scheme was “fundamentally broken”.

The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy, said Labor’s mismanagement of WorkCover was forcing health services to spend less on core services.

“Hospitals have been under enormous pressure with increased costs, the threat of amalgamations and budget cuts. Now they are facing yet another blow to their finances under Labor, all of which will have a worsening impact on patient care,” she said.

“Our local healthcare staff do an incredible job under extremely difficult circumstances, and deserve far better than a government who consistently forces them to do more with less.

“Labor has failed to properly manage and invest in Victoria’s public health system, instead preferencing projects in Melbourne that will provide no benefit to the people of rural and regional Victoria.

“Labor cannot manage money and Victorians are paying the price.”

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