Umm i think you have to differentiate between what the previous goverment was trying to do here and the American style ID card. The Medicare card is what we use to access state and federally funned medical services, every Australian is intitled to one (actually i dont know of anyone stupid enough NOT to have one). The goverment wanted to combine it with all the other federal service cards like the health care card, the pention card ect. That way you would only need ONE card to access state, local council and federal service. Now origionally it was going to be combined with the pts medical records which i like (as long as they are encripted on the cards and only medical personal can read that portion of the card). This is all to the good, you rock up at a uncontious collaps and you know they are taking say morphine and diazapam (actually this shouldnt happen with this plan) or that the person is a diabetic, or they are epleptic or they are a drug adict ect so the ambos could work out more easerly WHAT they are dealing with.
Do i think this should be optional? not really, one of the points of it is to stop doctor shopping for conditictory drugs. Does it have anything to do with the airlines ect? HELL NO, this is a service card (well thats what its MENT to be anyway). Howard DID try to subvert it for that purpose which is why i think a good idea was compleatly corupted