Marrying Margaret Redden on the 30th of July 2009 at Kilashee House, Naas, County Kildare, Ireland. It was a wonderful day.
****
Marrying Margaret Redden on the 30th of July 2009 at Kilashee House, Naas, County Kildare, Ireland. It was a wonderful day.
****
The complete text of the March 2022 letter to Greg Hunt, former Australian Health Minister, is available through the link attached to this Blog.
****
In the letter, I set out the possible reasons why the health insurers were ignoring the law. I pointed out that the most likely reason was possible corruption by a Health Department officer called Penny Shakespeare.
It is very apparent to me that the health funds know that they have complete freedom to ignore the law. The ONLY logical explanation for the “immunity” of the health funds is that they know they are “protected”. Yes, I can hear you groaning right now as you feel the urge to throw this letter away. Stop groaning and look objectively at the facts. The relevant officer in the Health Department is Ms Penny Shakespeare. The relevant alternatives are these. Either Ms Shakespeare is: Incompetent - a distinct possibility; or She simply does not give a rat’s arse about enforcing the law governing the health funds - another distinct possibility; or She is running a “protection racket” for the health funds – the alternative that looks most likely to me.
If you have any interest in doing your job – and I am sure you do not because you are retiring – you should find out just what is going on in your own Department. Is Ms Shakespeare an incompetent who has been promoted beyond her ability and is this why she lets the health funds ignore the law? Is Ms Shakespeare a relatively competent individual who is simply far too lazy to do her job? Or has Ms Shakespeare accepted an inducement to protect the health funds? Has she been offered a big fat job with a health fund when her time in the Public Service comes to an end. I urge you to find out. The explanation is likely to be relatively mundane and easy enough to establish. Whatever the reasons for Ms Shakespeare’s refusal to do her job, push her out of the way and replace her by someone else who IS interested in doing her job. |
****
I finally received a reply from Greg Hunt on Monday, 24th of May 2022 – exactly 2 days after he had retired from Parliament to live on his MP pension and enhance his income through consultancies. The Greg Hunt letter was dated 17th of May 2022. This is the full text of the Greg Hunt reply.
Dear Mr Hankin Thank you for your correspondence of 23 March to the Minister for Health and Aged Care, The Hon Greg Hunt MP, concerning treatment for your wife through Lift Cancer Care Services. I am responding on behalf of the Minister as the Government is now in a caretaker role pending the outcome of the federal election on 21 May 2022. I am sorry to hear of the difficulties you are having in having your claims for these services accepted by HCF. The Department is aware of the dispute between Lift and HCF, and continues to engage with both parties as well as the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman to resolve the situation. The Department also continues to work with the private health sector to influence improved communication and processes, in an effort to influence improved communication and processes, in an attempt to prevent protracted disputes.* Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. Brian Kelleher Assistant Secretary Private Health Industry Branch *Utter Bulls**t!! |
****
As far as Greg Hunt, the then former Health Minister was concerned, patients who had cancer did not matter. The enforcement of the laws governing health insurers did not matter either. Only the health insurers and their profits mattered to Greg Hunt.
****
When I sent my letter to Greg Hunt, I was already convinced I was wasting my time. I wrote to Hunt because logic said I should give him the chance to use his Ministerial power and bring an end to the appalling, illegal conduct of the health. A small part of me hoped the person appointed as my Australian Minister for Health would have some interest in the health of his fellow Australians. I was disappointed that I was so completely wrong about Hunt.
****
There was also a part of me that hoped the relevant bureaucrats in the Australian Health Department would have an interest in doing the job they were being paid to do. Hunt could plausibly claim to rely on advice from his bureaucrats. So why were the bureaucrats in the Health Department so uninterested in doing the job they were paid for?
I am sure Penny Shakespeare Deputy Secretary, Health Financing, Department of Health would be able to put forward multiple bulls**t reasons for refusing to do her job. I am equally certain that her bulls**t reasons would be just that – bulls**t.
There will be more about Penny Shakespeare in future blogs.
No comments:
Post a Comment