By Natalie Gallenti
KEILOR MP Natalie Hutchins last week called for better services for people with a disability at a morning tea in Sydenham.
Ms Hutchins highlighted the need for a national disability insurance scheme and said presently there were many services that disabled people required that were not covered or were limited by Medicare like physiotherapy, massage, speech pathology and custom-made wheel chairs.
“There is major inequity in our current health system for those people that become permanently disabled through a workplace or car accident when compared to those born with a disability or those that acquire a permanent disability in an accident at home,” Ms Hutchins said at the morning tea.
“To make the matter even more complex there are different rules in different states and if you suffer a permanent disability outside your home state you may have complications getting ongoing medical costs paid for.”
Ms Hutchins also welcomed the Victorian Government’s recent decision to host a trial of the national disability insurance scheme. When introduced the scheme will cover around 360,000 Australians and will have the same set of guidelines across all states.
“The idea of the scheme is no matter where you live or whether you are born with a disability or acquire one throughout your life you have access to ongoing, long-term, quality support and healthcare that is covered by a public scheme. There are some people here today and in the electorate of Keilor that would greatly benefit from such a scheme.”
