TAMWORTH doctors have welcomed yesterday’s federal government decision to drop the deeply unpopular GP co-payment, but warned patients could still pay a price.
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At a press conference held yesterday afternoon, the federal Health Minister Sussan Ley formally rang the death knell for any Medicare “price signal”.
However, the minister confirmed a “pause” on indexation would continue while she consulted further with GPs, despite admitting “the medical profession has made no secret of the fact that they don’t like that”.
Tamworth doctor Jenny May welcomed the government’s backpedalling on the co-payment issue, but held grave fears on the indexation freeze.
“We welcome the dropping of the $5 co-payment but the bigger issue is the viability of general practice,” Dr May said.
She said it would have “a concerning long-term effect” if rebates for doctors’ practices remained frozen while the consumer price index (CPI) continued to rise.
She said this money would not his the GP’s pocket, but would impact the practice’s ability to employ nurses and other allied staff to provide holistic chronic care and detect and treat illnesses earlier.
“There are two options – either they charge patients who they think can afford to pay, or they reduce service. And I don’t want to see either,” she said.
Fellow Tamworth GP Dr Ian Kamerman agreed the four-year indexation freeze “was the real issue” and would make practices “unviable”.
He said the rising cost of power, rent and medical equipment would increase while the indexation rate was frozen, and that cost would have to be lumped with patients.
He predicted fees of $100 and upwards for a standard consultation for non-bulk-billed patients, compared to $70-$75 at the moment.
“I don’t know if the public would be prepared to pay $100 for a consult,” Dr Kamerman said.
“I don’t think many of my colleagues would contemplate reducing services or providing lower quality care.”
“Essentially someone has to pay more out-of-pocket expenses to maintain the same services.”
Yesterday’s announcement is the latest chapter of a drama that began with last year’s budget, where a $7 co-payment for patients was proposed, but it became clear the fee of “two beers” would not pass the Senate.
It was then replaced with a $5 slash to the doctor’s Medicare rebate, which practices could pass on to patient, along with controversial cuts to the rebate for short consultations.
The changes were due to commence in early February.
