MINISTER CONSIDERS FEE FOR METHADONE

ACT Health Minister Michael, Moore is considering introducing a charge for
people on the public methadone program.

At the moment methadone is free for addicts on the public program, but
those on the community program (via GPs and pharmacists) pay $15 a week.

He told the Legislative Assembly yesterday that he planned to introduce a
$15 fee across the board, and to allow addicts on the public program only
their first six months free.

The proposal was being considered by the methadone advisory committee.

He was responding to Labor questions about heroin addicts having to wait up
to seven weeks to get on the public program.

Labor's Simon Corbell reminded Mr Moore that he had himself complained
about the waiting time in January, when it was four weeks.

Mr Moore said then (before he became health minister) that a four-week wait
threw people back into addiction. He said yesterday that he took the issue
se-iously as minister and was embarrassed it was taking so long to make an
improvement.

Fifty-three people were now waiting to join the program in the ACT, and 432
were receiving treatment.

While there was a waiting list for the public program, there were more than
100 spare places in the community program. He expected the new charge for
the public program to reduce waiting lists. For people who had already been
on the public program longer than six months he planned a two-month
transition period before they had to start paying the fee.

Labor health spokesman Jon Stanhope said Mr Moore had "dined out" on his
commitment to the issue for some time. In acknowledging the blow-out in
waiting lists since he had become the minister he was making "a confession
of failure".

"I got no comfort from anything the minister had to say t-day," Mr Stanhope
said. He had no faith that the proposal would achieve any real health
outcomes.

Mr Moore said he hoped to have the new system in place by the end of the year.

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson