30 Apr 2018

Govt backtracks on GP visit subsidy, 'prioritising' promises

From Morning Report, 8:11 am on 30 April 2018

The Health Minister has confirmed that the government will renege on its promise to provide cheaper GP visits by July this year. David Clark says after promising discounts of $10 a visit, the government now needs to 'prioritise' such promises. During the election campaign, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it's becoming more difficult for people to afford GP visits, which is unacceptable in New Zealand. She said people would get treatment earlier, which would reduce the burden on hospitals. David Clarke tells Guyon Espiner a little earlier that he's inherited an underfunded health system and he needs to do things "one step at a time".