COAG Communiqué At its 42nd meeting, in Canberra, COAG increased hospital funding and made an historic commitment to explore fundamental changes to our federation that will drive economic reform and secure better outcomes for all Australians. We have sharpened our focus on improving Indigenous economic participation and received our final report on reducing violence against women and their children an issue of ongoing concern for all of us. – Treasurers joined First Ministers for the discussion on economic and federation reform. Hospital funding and health reform COAG reaffirmed that providing universal health care for all Australians is a shared priority. Leaders agreed a Heads of Agreement for public hospitals funding from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2020 ahead of consideration of longer-term arrangements. This will see the Commonwealth providing an estimated additional $2.9 billion in funding for public hospital services, with growth in Commonwealth funding capped at 6.5 per cent a year. This Agreement preserves important of the existing system, including activity based funding and the national efficient price, and focuses on improving patient safety and the quality of services, and reducing unnecessary hospitalisations. As part of this Agreement, all jurisdictions agreed to take action to improve the quality of care in hospitals and reduce the number of avoidable admissions, by: reducing demand for hospital services through better coordinated care for people with complex and chronic disease the current system does not always provide the – care the chronically ill need this they are hospitalised more than is necessary; – improving hospital pricing mechanisms to reflect the safety and quality of hospital services by reducing funding for unnecessary or unsafe care reducing – complications will improve patient safety; and reducing the number of avoidable hospital readmissions too many patients are – readmitted to hospitals as a result of complications arising from the management of their original condition. The Commonwealth will continue its focus on reforms in primary care that are designed to improve patient outcomes and reduce avoidable hospital admissions. Schools COAG recognised the positive contribution high quality schooling makes to both individuals and the economy. It noted that the Commonwealth’s contribution to school education is funded through to the end of 2017, and agreed that discussions on new funding arrangements should be concluded by early 2017. A more efficient federation for all Australians COAG welcomed the Commonwealth’s initiative to help resolve the longstanding problem of vertical fiscal imbalance and improve state autonomy. There was not a consensus among states and territories (states) to support further consideration of the proposal to levy income tax on their own behalf.
COAG Communiqué At its 42nd meeting, in Canberra, COAG increased hospital funding and made an historic commitment to explore fundamental changes to our federation that will drive economic reform and secure better outcomes for all Australians. We have sharpened our focus on improving Indigenous economic participation and received our final report on reducing violence against women and their children – an issue of ongoing concern for all of us. Treasurers joined First Ministers for the discussion on economic and federation reform. Hospital funding and health reform COAG reaffirmed that providing universal health care for all Australians is a shared priority. Leaders agreed a Heads of Agreement for public hospitals funding from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2020 ahead of consideration of longer-term arrangements. This will see the Commonwealth providing an estimated additional $2.9 billion in funding for public hospital services, with growth in Commonwealth funding capped at 6.5 per cent a year. This Agreement preserves important of the existing system, including activity based funding and the national efficient price, and focuses on improving patient safety and the quality of services, and reducing unnecessary hospitalisations. As part of this Agreement, all jurisdictions agreed to take action to improve the quality of care in hospitals and reduce the number of avoidable admissions, by: reducing demand for hospital services through better coordinated care for people with complex and chronic disease – the current system does not always provide the care the chronically ill need – this they are hospitalised more than is necessary; improving hospital pricing mechanisms to reflect the safety and quality of hospital services by reducing funding for unnecessary or unsafe care – reducing complications will improve patient safety; and reducing the number of avoidable hospital readmissions – too many patients are readmitted to hospitals as a result of complications arising from the management of their original condition. The Commonwealth will continue its focus on reforms in primary care that are designed to improve patient outcomes and reduce avoidable hospital admissions. Schools COAG recognised the positive contribution high quality schooling makes to both individuals and the economy. It noted that the Commonwealth’s contribution to school education is funded through to the end of 2017, and agreed that discussions on new funding arrangements should be concluded by early 2017. A more efficient federation for all Australians COAG welcomed the Commonwealth’s initiative to help resolve the longstanding problem of vertical fiscal imbalance and improve state autonomy. There was not a consensus among states and territories (states) to support further consideration of the proposal to levy income tax on their own behalf.
COAG_Communique.docx