media releases

PM Tony Abbott and his health minister Ms Ley have been keen to present the demise of the Medicare Copayment as a victory for common sense and that “the government is listening” said Dr Con Costa National President of the DRS.  The public would be naive to accept Mr abbotts assertion that the attacks on Medicare bulk billing have been withdrawn.  We need to be very clear that Mr Abbotts abandoning his $5 copayment policy does not mean the end of extra copayments to see the GP – because the federal governments freezing of medicare rebates for 4 years will force the end of bulk billing for many patients

A 4 year freeze on The Medicare rebate present the likelihood of most GPs returning to charging rather than bulk billing.  And the commonest private charge to see a GP starts from $60 and goes upwards to the AMA recommended fee of $75, or more.  Based on these figures alone, many australians would face a copayment of $25 if their GP stops bulk billing, or up to $40 or more to see a GP.  And thus a lot more than the $5 copayment proposal.
As was stated at the hearings of the Senate subcommittee into Health, the greatest threat to the viability of bulk billing and the Medicare system, is the 4  year freeze on the medicare bulk billing rebate.  And the proposed 4 year freeze, which is much more destructive that the $5 copayment, remains in place.  It presents a clear signal to the electorate and to doctors, that bulk billing is finished and that doctors need to start charging patients.  A 4 year freeze on the rebate will force GPs to charge copayments sooner or later.  No business can withstand such a prolonged freeze in prices – and as an ex health Minister, Mr Abbott would well know this.

The 4 year freeze on an already minimal Medicare rebate of $36 (around half of the private billing doctors charge of $75) will force doctors to put patients through quicker and sicker, but more probably many GPs will gradually start to abandon bulk billing and a resultant $40 copayment for patients.  Doctors have already lost confidence and any doctor who can charge a $65 or $75 fee will quickly do so ie not wait around for 4 years.

While the 4 year freeze on the medicare rebate remains in place, PM Mr Abbott and Health Minister Ley are being dishonest with the Australian people in presenting the reversal of Medicare Copayment policy.The 4 year freeze on the Medicare rebate will lead to Copayments much higher than $5 – and commonly they will be upwards of $40, said Dr Costa