Law change on G.M.S. opposed

Press, 3 July 1985, Page 3

Law change on G.M.S. opposed

PA Wellington The Government had no need to legislate to raise the general medical services benefit for children, said the Opposition spokesman on health, Mr Philip Burdon, yesterday. “It would only need to legislate if it was intending specifically to override the Social Security Act,” said Mr Burdon, member of Parliament for Fendalton. “The whole dispute and whole problem have been an attempt by the Minister (of Health, Dr Bassett) to devise an elaborate scheme for controlling the fees of doctors. “We would totally oppose any legislation that attempts to frame in law that particular charade,” he said. Mr Burdon also criticised Dr Bassett’s temporary

scheme to cover doctors already being subsidised for their child patients as an attempt to circumvent the High Court’s “very precise direction”. “I regret the Minister has not extended the child medical services benefit to all children immediately, as in effect directed by the Court,” he said. “His interim measure seems little more than a device to circumvent the ruling of the Court and to continue the selective treatment of children.” Mr Burdon said he hoped Dr Bassett’s meetings with the Medical Association would not be a continuation of his adversary role and that he would take to heart the High Court’s stricture that the real purpose of the original scheme had been to control doctors’ fees.