Health Minister: ideas for radical overhaul of health funding welcomed as an “interesting discussion”

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman is welcoming radical proposals to overhaul how public health services are funded as “good for debate”.  Proposals in leaked documents include withholding money from district health boards if they miss targets, and making the DHBs bid against others for a share of funding, reports the New Zealand Herald.  The proposals have been attacked as likely to cause fragmentation of health funding and patient services.  Dr Coleman says the documents contain interesting ideas but were a long way from being policy.  The full article can be read here.

Meanwhile, the Dominion Post, in an editorial today, wonders how much the Minister knows about the reviews being commissioned by the Director-General of Health Chai Chuah: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/70625908/editorial-silly-ideas-to-upend-the-health-system