CANBERRA, Australia, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Australian Prime Minister John Howard rejected Thursday a plan to have the government cover physicians' negligence insurance payments.
The nation's physicians, however, did win some concessions from the government, which agreed to not bill doctors for incurred but unreported negligence cases.
But the Sydney Daily Telegraph said Australian physicians failed to win two key concessions they claim are crucial to preventing planned strikes against public hospitals: a guarantee that taxpayers would finance cases taken to court six years after the negligence occurred; and a national taxpayer-funded scheme to cover the cost of caring for medical negligence victims.
More than 90 physicians have already resigned hospital posts over the issue, with 75 others saying they are preparing to quit. And about 1,700 Australian salaried physicians are threatening to strike Oct. 27.
Australian Health Minister Tony Abbott told parliament "The government won't give blank checks to any group. No government submits to ultimatums from any group, no matter how important."
