GP visits to cost more under Medicare changes: study

New research reveals the Federal Government’s proposed changes to Medicare would increase the cost of visiting a doctor and cut bulk-billing rates.

New research reveals the Federal Government’s proposed changes to Medicare would increase the cost of visiting a doctor and cut bulk-billing rates. Labor and the Senate minor parties say it is proof the changes would damage the health system.Research by the Institute for Primary Care shows the Government’s Medicare changes would cut bulk-billing rates from the current level of 68 per cent to about 50 per cent, and the average cost of visiting a doctor would rise by about half. The Institute’s Professor Hal Swerissen says he found that under Labor’s Medicare package, bulk-billing rates would increase to 77 per cent and the cost of visiting a doctor would drop by about a quarter.”Across the board there would be a fall [in bulk-billing] as a result of the Government’s package and an increase as a result of the Opposition’s package, on the modelling that we’ve done,” he said.The Shadow Health Minister, Julia Gillard, says the Government’s plan would destroy Medicare.”One of the key promises of Medicare was that people would be able to access a bulk-billing GP. The Howard Government’s plan as proven by this report is to get rid of bulk-billing for everyone except concession card holders and to drive charges by doctors to patients up,” she said.But Health Minister Senator Kay Patterson says the study is based on a number of false assumptions.”One of the basic underlying assumptions was that doctors are basically motivated by money. And from dealings with GPs over the last two years that is totally incorrect, a totally false assumption. I think it actually means that their report is totally discredited,” she saidIndependent Senator Meg Lees says she will not support the Government’s plan. “The package as it is is untenable, it simply doesn’t work and we have to acknowledge that substantial changes are going to be needed,” she said.The Democrats have also called for the Government to rethink its proposed legislation.(Source: ABC, Tuesday, September 23, 2003. 11:00am (AEST))