” The support for comprehensive health checks to tackle cardiovascular disease is an acknowledgement of the importance of general practice to preventive health care and we are looking forward to more promises ahead of the federal election”
AMA President Tony Bartone welcomed the commitments see full press release Part 2
“Chronic diseases affect half of the Australian population and are the leading cause of death in Australia , yet, many people are unaware of their risk and the first sign something is wrong is a trip to the hospital.
Chronic diseases – including heart disease and stroke – account for more than one-third of health spending, with costs expected to increase as the population ages.
Investment in prevention is crucial to address the growing impact of chronic disease and reduce unnecessary hospitalisations,”
Chair of the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance Sharon McGowan said investment in comprehensive health checks would encourage people to consider their health before a crisis : See full Press Release Part 3 below
“ Even though there is one case of heart attack or stroke occurring in Australia every five minutes according to government figures, too many Australians don’t realise the importance of checking how their heart is performing. This check should nudge more patients and their doctors to make that check.
Labor has announced that in government it would spend $170 million on a new Medicare item for comprehensive heart health checks to support doctors in better preventing, detecting and managing heart disease.
And from April 1 this year, the Health Minister, Greg Hunt, has announced there will be a dedicated Medicare item to support GPs to assess cardiovascular risk”
CEO of the Consumers Health Forum, Leanne Wells
Read over 70 Aboriginal Heart Health articles published by NACCHO over last 7 years
Part 1 News summary AAP
Heart disease is a huge and often unrecognised problem for many Australians, and it is good news that both sides of politics today have announced their support for a comprehensive heart health check to be financed by Medicare.
When it comes to matters of the heart, the federal government and Labor are beating to the same rhythm each vowing millions to fund life-saving health checks.
One Australian dies of cardiovascular disease every 12 minutes, with one Australian experiencing a heart attack or stroke every five minutes.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten matched the $170 million over five years for general practice in Melbourne, just hours after a Liberal counterpart announced the same plan.
“Heart disease is Australia’s silent killer,” Mr Shorten told reporters on Sunday.
“My father died prematurely at the age of 70 with a catastrophic heart attack. We will make sure the funding is available so that everyone who wants to get a heart health check will be able to do so.
“It is good the government has agreed that to this proposition as well.”
The checks will be available through Medicare from April.
Health Minister Greg Hunt told Nine’s Weekend Today show it would mean “a better chance for people to have a proper test with their doctor”.
“They can see whether there are any issues either around their lifestyle or whether any further action needs to be taken,” he said.
National Heart Foundation chief executive Garry Jennings AO said it was an important announcement, not for what people will see rather what they won’t see as a result.
“You won’t see people who seem to be going happily through life and suddenly die from coronary disease or have a heart attack,” he said on Sunday, noting about four million Aussies with heart disease may have avoided the condition had they been checked.
Part 2 AMA president Tony Bartone also welcomed the commitments.
The commitment by both major parties to invest an estimated $170 million extra over five years into general practice to support longer health consultations is a welcome start to better investment in primary care.
“The support for comprehensive health checks to tackle cardiovascular disease is an acknowledgement of the importance of general practice to preventive health care,” AMA President, Dr Tony Bartone, said today.
“Longer consultations enhance continuity of care, and the AMA looks forward to seeing further announcements detailing plans for investment in general practice in the lead-up to the next election.
“The recent report of the Medicare Benefits Schedule General Practice and Primary Care Clinical Committee recognised the central role of general practice in the health system and called for a significant new investment in general practice. All parties must heed this advice.
“Today’s announcements by the coalition and Labor, targeting one health condition, can be regarded as a good first step. However, much more is needed to support general practice in delivering holistic care to our patients and the whole community.
“It is heartening to see that, as we approach the Federal Election, the major parties have turned their attention to better supporting general practice.
“General practice is in urgent need of an injection of new funding as Australia tackles the growing burden of complex and chronic disease, and the need for prevention.
“High quality, GP led, patient-centred primary health care is key to improving the effectiveness of care, preventing illness, and reducing inequality, variation, and health system costs.
“There is no doubt that a significant investment now in general practice will bring the promise of long-term improvements in health care outcomes for patients and savings to the health system.
“The AMA’s priorities for investment in general practice are detailed in our 2019 Pre-Budget Submission. We will be calling on all major parties to release full details of their general practice policies and their vision for Australia’s health system well ahead of the election.”
The AMA Pre-Budget Submission is at https://ama.com.au/sites/default/files/budget- submission/AMA_Budget_Submission_2019_20.pdf
Part 3 Health groups welcome cross-party commitment on health checks
The Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance welcomes support by the Australian Government and the federal Opposition for a Medicare item to prevent and manage vascular disease – heart, stroke, kidney disease and type 2 diabetes. Funding for an integrated health check has also been backed by the Australian Greens.
Alliance members, including the National Heart Foundation, Stroke Foundation, Diabetes Australia, Kidney Health Australia and Cancer Council Australia, have long championed integrated health checks to stem the tide of Australia’s chronic disease burden.
Chair of the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance Sharon McGowan said investment in comprehensive health checks would encourage people to consider their health before a crisis.
Around one-third of chronic disease could be prevented through modifiable risk factors, such as smoking, unhealthy weight, poor diet and high blood pressure. Although the new item has been focused around vascular disease, key risk factors, such as smoking, cause several chronic diseases and many people suffer co-morbidities through lifestyle.
Ms McGowan said today’s announcement was an important step forward in Government recognition of the importance of prevention as well as cure.
“A Medicare item for integrated health checks provides an important opportunity for people to consider their risk in consultation with their GP and take steps to reduce their risk through lifestyle changes and/or medication,” she said.
Chronic diseases – including heart disease and stroke – account for more than one-third of health spending, with costs expected to increase as the population ages.
“Investment in prevention is crucial to address the growing impact of chronic disease and reduce unnecessary hospitalisations,” Ms McGowan said.
“The Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance welcomes the cross-party support for comprehensive health checks to reduce disease risk and improve the health and wellbeing of Australians.”
Part 4 Consumers Health Forum
Heart disease is a huge and often unrecognised problem for many Australians, and it is good news that both sides of politics today have announced their support for a comprehensive heart health check to be financed by Medicare.
“Even though there is one case of heart attack or stroke occurring in Australia every five minutes according to government figures, too many Australians don’t realise the importance of checking how their heart is performing. This check should nudge more patients and their doctors to make that check,” the CEO of the Consumers Health Forum, Leanne Wells, said.
“Labor has announced that in government it would spend $170 million on a new Medicare item for comprehensive heart health checks to support doctors in better preventing, detecting and managing heart disease.
“And from April 1 this year, the Health Minister, Greg Hunt, has announced there will be a dedicated Medicare item to support GPs to assess cardiovascular risk.
“We also need to do much more in the way of preventive health measures to educate people and promote better diet and lifestyles to reduce obesity and other chronic illnesses that increase the risk of heart disease.
“The heart check plan is a good down payment in the wider investment we need in prevention. It should also provide a platform for more announcements to come about supporting general practice to better prevent and manage chronic disease in enrolled patients. We will be watching the development of those approaches with much interest.
“The suggestion that this heart health check be part of a Medicare-funded comprehensive health check for other lifestyle risk factors should be embedded in the Health Care Home enrolment model making the most of general practitioners as the accessible, appropriate and trusted setting for preventive health care.
“However, we need to acknowledge that a new Medicare item number is not an end in itself. Such a development needs to be accompanied by a package of wider reforms that include patient supports such as self-management programs, access to health coaching and use of patient activation measures by GPs so they better understand the likelihood that patients are receptive to and will follow up on lifestyle advice.
“In our Federal Budget submission, we called for more support for patients to take an active and engaged interest in their health care and support for doctors to encourage that engagement. The Consumers Health Forum will be reinforcing those calls in our soon-to-be released election priorities,” Ms Wells said.