Junior Minister of Health Thaao Dill claimed Shadow Health Minister Louise Jackson's criticism of FutureCare is not accurate or fact based.

Mr. Dill said Mrs. Jackson criticised the health plan for seniors in this newspaper and in the House of Assembly but many of her claims were not true.

The Opposition MP said the health plan needs a means test to "ascertain fairness" when means testing already takes place, Mr. Dill stated.

And he said that Mrs. Jackson couldn't have spoken to Department of Health Permanent Secretary Warren Jones or any of his staff because she would have learnt all the facts.

"To be blunt, when the Shadow Health Minister says FutureCare isn't working, all it means is that the Shadow Health Minister said FutureCare isn't working," he said.

There will be public meetings on FutureCare on March 25 and April 29 at the Cathedral in Hamilton and on March 29 at the Evangelical Church in Paget, Mr. Dill added. The meetings all begin at 11 a.m.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Jackson released a statement in response to Sen. Dill's comment saying: "It has become customary for the Government to attack me. But I believe I am the star target in this Government's campaign to discredit anyone who dares question their thinking, their policies or, dare I say it, their competence, in this case over the maladministration of FutureCare."

Mrs. Jackson said the UBP wanted to make sure that FutureCare was open, fair and affordable for seniors, and sustainable for the Country.

"Our formal position on FutureCare is this, we support the concept of affordable health care for seniors, but believe the focus of FutureCare should be narrowed to all needy seniors 65 years and older using a means test to determine need.

"Sen. Dill's thoughts on means testing are internally inconsistent and deserve no response from me. The point here is that the Government should spend more time on getting FutureCare right than shooting the messenger, and to bend over backwards to make sure seniors understand what is going on."

Applications for the second phase of FutureCare will be available April 1.