The WA government allocated an additional $7.6m to expand subsidised oral health care, benefiting low-income earners, rural communities, and aged care residents. Eligibility criteria were widened for healthcare and pensioner concession card holders.

AnsweredQoN 178Legislative Council
Asked
13 September 2000
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

Can the minister outline how low income earners in Western Australia will benefit from a recent government announcement regarding oral health care? Hon PETER FOSS

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question. I am pleased to advise that, as a result of having had that notice, somebody has investigated the matter and I have some information on it. On Sunday 10 September the Minister for Health launched the expanded subsidised oral health care scheme. As part of the recent state budget, this Government allocated an additional recurrent amount of $7.6m for oral health services in Western Australia. This is in addition to $34.5m currently spent, which brings the total allocation to $42.1m per annum. Hon Derrick Tomlinson: Bravo! Bravo! Hon PETER FOSS: That $7.6m will go towards expanding three areas: $4m to widen eligibility criteria for government subsidised oral health care to include all people holding health care and pensioner concession cards; $2.4m to improve access to services in rural and remote communities. Hon Kim Chance: Bravo! Hon PETER FOSS: I notice the support given to that by Hon Kim Chance. The third amount is $1.2m to improve access to services for those in aged care facilities. The extended eligibility schemes commenced on Monday 11 September in all areas. People who were previously eligible for treatment will continue to receive a 75 per cent subsidy from the Government, with the newly eligible group receiving a 50 per cent subsidy, within some limits. I seek leave to table the rest of the answer. Leave granted. [See paper No 234.]
Hon PETER FOSS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. I am pleased to advise that, as a result of having had that notice, somebody has investigated the matter and I have some information on it. On Sunday 10 September the Minister for Health launched the expanded subsidised oral health care scheme. As part of the recent state budget, this Government allocated an additional recurrent amount of $7.6m for oral health services in Western Australia. This is in addition to $34.5m currently spent, which brings the total allocation to $42.1m per annum. Hon Derrick Tomlinson: Bravo! Bravo! Hon PETER FOSS: That $7.6m will go towards expanding three areas: $4m to widen eligibility criteria for government subsidised oral health care to include all people holding health care and pensioner concession cards; $2.4m to improve access to services in rural and remote communities. Hon Kim Chance: Bravo! Hon PETER FOSS: I notice the support given to that by Hon Kim Chance. The third amount is $1.2m to improve access to services for those in aged care facilities. The extended eligibility schemes commenced on Monday 11 September in all areas. People who were previously eligible for treatment will continue to receive a 75 per cent subsidy from the Government, with the newly eligible group receiving a 50 per cent subsidy, within some limits. I seek leave to table the rest of the answer. Leave granted. [See paper No 234.]
I thank the member for some notice of this question. I am pleased to advise that, as a result of having had that notice, somebody has investigated the matter and I have some information on it. On Sunday 10 September the Minister for Health launched the expanded subsidised oral health care scheme. As part of the recent state budget, this Government allocated an additional recurrent amount of $7.6m for oral health services in Western Australia. This is in addition to $34.5m currently spent, which brings the total allocation to $42.1m per annum. Hon Derrick Tomlinson: Bravo! Bravo! Hon PETER FOSS: That $7.6m will go towards expanding three areas: $4m to widen eligibility criteria for government subsidised oral health care to include all people holding health care and pensioner concession cards; $2.4m to improve access to services in rural and remote communities. Hon Kim Chance: Bravo! Hon PETER FOSS: I notice the support given to that by Hon Kim Chance. The third amount is $1.2m to improve access to services for those in aged care facilities. The extended eligibility schemes commenced on Monday 11 September in all areas. People who were previously eligible for treatment will continue to receive a 75 per cent subsidy from the Government, with the newly eligible group receiving a 50 per cent subsidy, within some limits. I seek leave to table the rest of the answer. Leave granted. [See paper No 234.]
On Sunday 10 September the Minister for Health launched the expanded subsidised oral health care scheme. As part of the recent state budget, this Government allocated an additional recurrent amount of $7.6m for oral health services in Western Australia. This is in addition to $34.5m currently spent, which brings the total allocation to $42.1m per annum. Hon Derrick Tomlinson: Bravo! Bravo! Hon PETER FOSS: That $7.6m will go towards expanding three areas: $4m to widen eligibility criteria for government subsidised oral health care to include all people holding health care and pensioner concession cards; $2.4m to improve access to services in rural and remote communities. Hon Kim Chance: Bravo! Hon PETER FOSS: I notice the support given to that by Hon Kim Chance. The third amount is $1.2m to improve access to services for those in aged care facilities. The extended eligibility schemes commenced on Monday 11 September in all areas. People who were previously eligible for treatment will continue to receive a 75 per cent subsidy from the Government, with the newly eligible group receiving a 50 per cent subsidy, within some limits. I seek leave to table the rest of the answer. Leave granted. [See paper No 234.]
Hon Derrick Tomlinson: Bravo! Bravo! Hon PETER FOSS: That $7.6m will go towards expanding three areas: $4m to widen eligibility criteria for government subsidised oral health care to include all people holding health care and pensioner concession cards; $2.4m to improve access to services in rural and remote communities. Hon Kim Chance: Bravo! Hon PETER FOSS: I notice the support given to that by Hon Kim Chance. The third amount is $1.2m to improve access to services for those in aged care facilities. The extended eligibility schemes commenced on Monday 11 September in all areas. People who were previously eligible for treatment will continue to receive a 75 per cent subsidy from the Government, with the newly eligible group receiving a 50 per cent subsidy, within some limits. I seek leave to table the rest of the answer. Leave granted. [See paper No 234.]
Hon PETER FOSS: That $7.6m will go towards expanding three areas: $4m to widen eligibility criteria for government subsidised oral health care to include all people holding health care and pensioner concession cards; $2.4m to improve access to services in rural and remote communities. Hon Kim Chance: Bravo! Hon PETER FOSS: I notice the support given to that by Hon Kim Chance. The third amount is $1.2m to improve access to services for those in aged care facilities. The extended eligibility schemes commenced on Monday 11 September in all areas. People who were previously eligible for treatment will continue to receive a 75 per cent subsidy from the Government, with the newly eligible group receiving a 50 per cent subsidy, within some limits. I seek leave to table the rest of the answer. Leave granted. [See paper No 234.]
Hon Kim Chance: Bravo! Hon PETER FOSS: I notice the support given to that by Hon Kim Chance. The third amount is $1.2m to improve access to services for those in aged care facilities. The extended eligibility schemes commenced on Monday 11 September in all areas. People who were previously eligible for treatment will continue to receive a 75 per cent subsidy from the Government, with the newly eligible group receiving a 50 per cent subsidy, within some limits. I seek leave to table the rest of the answer. Leave granted. [See paper No 234.]
Hon PETER FOSS: I notice the support given to that by Hon Kim Chance. The third amount is $1.2m to improve access to services for those in aged care facilities. The extended eligibility schemes commenced on Monday 11 September in all areas. People who were previously eligible for treatment will continue to receive a 75 per cent subsidy from the Government, with the newly eligible group receiving a 50 per cent subsidy, within some limits. I seek leave to table the rest of the answer. Leave granted. [See paper No 234.]
The third amount is $1.2m to improve access to services for those in aged care facilities. The extended eligibility schemes commenced on Monday 11 September in all areas. People who were previously eligible for treatment will continue to receive a 75 per cent subsidy from the Government, with the newly eligible group receiving a 50 per cent subsidy, within some limits. I seek leave to table the rest of the answer. Leave granted. [See paper No 234.]
I seek leave to table the rest of the answer. Leave granted. [See paper No 234.]
Leave granted. [See paper No 234.]

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