Public hospitals could cut billions from budgets without affecting patient care, says Grattan Institute report
The report, from Melbourne's Grattan Institute, has dropped amid a funding stand-off between the Federal Government and state and territory health ministers.
State premiers have held a crisis meeting over the Federal Government’s demands they curb public hospital spending before getting new funding guarantees.
Before the federal election, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Health Minister Mark Butler were trumpeting a commitment to increase the federal contribution to public hospitals to 45% of total costs over a decade.
Seven months on, Mr Albanese is warning premiers to reduce hospital costs if they want the deal honoured — lowering the federal contribution in actual dollars.
State leaders are aggrieved.
