6 years ago
TURNBULL GOVERNMENT CONSIDERING RESTRICTING HEARING SERVICES
TONY ZAPPIA MP
Australians with hearing loss could miss out on critical government support, with the Turnbull Government secretly considering restricting eligibility criteria for hearing support heavily relied on by pensioner concession cardholders.
Late last year the Turnbull Government quietly released a PwC review of the Hearing Services Program – which contains a recommendation to raise the minimum hearing loss threshold required to access government support.
At Estimates, the Department of Health confirmed the Government is actively considering the recommendation:
SENATOR WATT:
Recommendation 2 of that report suggests changing the Minimum Hearing Loss Threshold. Could that lead to a restriction in eligibility criteria for consumers who are accessing government subsidised services with almost one third becoming ineligible?
DEPARTMENTAL OFFICIAL:
Obviously the report does recommend lifting the threshold ... That’s something that will be considered ... by definition lifting the threshold would reduce the number of people who are eligible, yes.
Hearing loss is a health condition that affects 1 in 6 Australians.
According to the PwC report, the Voucher Scheme component of the Hearing Services Program had over 690,000 clients, most of whom are pensioner concession cardholders.
Restricting hearing health services is just another example of this Government’s unfair and out-of-touch priorities.
The Turnbull Government must come clean on any changes that could see people with a hearing impairment miss out on the Government support they need.