Bryce Edwards expose in the way Manage My Health has managed to manifest is another shocking indictment of how NZ loves to do everything on the cheap.
It will force a tactical rethink by Labour on how they will utilise their new “Medicard” scheme which was going to piggy back on the Manage My Health online portal.
The ramifications of this mega health hack demands a new way of promoting the convenience of online with actual security of that information as well.
Medicard
How it will work:
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- Every New Zealander will receive a Medicard at birth or upon gaining residency or citizenship.
- It will hold the information to identify you at health services and track your entitlements and usage.
- The card will also be available as an app, integrated with GP and community health systems.
- Designed for non-digital users and supports multiple languages.
Labour Health Spokesperson, Ayesha Verrall, say this election is a make-or-break for the health system.
“If something goes wrong, if you get hurt, if your loved one is sick, if you need help, no one should ever be on their own. And no one should have to choose between their health and the bills. With Labour, New Zealanders will use their Medicard, not their credit card, to see their local doctor or nurse.” She said.
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All I can say is Labour – quit hang out with those flimflam men, it’s what’s screwed up your last health stint!
Indeed. There’s no reason that this sort of information should be in the hands of bad actors like MMH with no incentive to look after our data. Nationalization without compensation!
So much to unpack with this. So, it pays for your doc appointments? As well as creating a national data base, held by US interests, subject to US laws. Check latest story in the Spin-off on how NZers govt. data info is stored by US cloud companies, subject to USlaws. Yet another tool of surveillance and data gathering. Where are the Greens on this? Can’t criticise Labour policies is it?
Why a card?
My local medical centre keep full records of how many times I have visited them. I know this because they keep sending me bills for all the times I have visited them.*
A medicard that harvests your health data in exchange for thrree free Dr. visits, like a supermarket loyalty card that harvests your purchasing data, in exchange for discounts?
* (which I pay off a bit each week out of my measly pension)
The card of limited promises worked for Helen in 1999.
This is an attempt to be relevant and attention grabbing and does nothing to fix the austerity driven approach to every sector of public policy in this case health for decades.
We need massive investment and a change of thinking and approach to public service funding and how that is funded.
Not gimmicks.
This will do nothing to repair the damage , care for Kiwis or provide confidence in our public health system that is under attack from privatization and more austerity to pay the rich to be rich.