A National-led government is likely to offer tax rebates for people with private health insurance, according to Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton.
The result would be a two-tier system rewarding people who could afford private health insurance while everyone else got left behind, Mr Anderton said in answer to questions in the House.
He was responding to list MP Lesley Soper's questions as part of the Government's latest release of National Party policy.
The leaked draft of National's health policy - the fifth National policy the Government has released in the past week - promises faster access to surgery for those awaiting non life-threatening operations.
It says despite a 60% increase in funding to the health sector, elective surgery numbers have fallen in real terms in the past nine years, with population growth of 9% outstripping a 5% increase in surgery.
The policy promises:
• 20 more theatres in three years at an expected cost of $165 million over four years.
• To train 750 health workers to staff the theatres.
• A 30% rebate on health insurance for seniors, expected to cost $40 million a year.
The policy promises National will not spend "a dollar less than Labour", maintaining current budgeted spending projections.
