OPINION: Struggling patients the real losers in GP tax fallout

Many Queenslanders already struggling with the rising cost of living simply can’t afford to pay more to see a doctor. And they shouldn’t have to, writes Jill Poulsen.

• ‘Immoral’: Doctors prepare to increase fees as Treasurer firm on GP tax

Patients are the real losers from the frustrating impasse between the state government and GPs.

The Treasurer maintains there has been no new interpretation of the state’s tax laws that will result in clinics being slugged with a 4.75 per cent payroll tax on every doctor that works as a contractor.

But GPs aren’t silly. There is no way they’ve knowingly managed to dodge this tax until now.

They have collectively spent many millions of dollars gaining legal and taxation advice to ensure their businesses comply with the relevant legislation.

The end result is going to be us paying more to see the doctor. When a business runs on a very slim profit margin, there is no way it can afford to absorb the costs by keeping out-of-pocket fees the same and even less chance that those who need it most will be bulk-billed.

With mounting pressures from the rising cost of living, patients shouldn’t have to fork out more to see a doctor, writes Jill Poulsen.

Queenslanders are already struggling under the burden of rising grocery prices, electricity costs, interest rates and rent. GPs have reported patients going without medication and cancell­ing vital appointments due to financial pressures.

Many people simply can’t afford to pay more to see a doctor and, frankly, they shouldn’t have to. Primary healthcare should be a basic right. The Courier-Mail has extensively covered the pressure rural and remote health services are under – and this is going to make matters worse.

At a time when the federal government has finally committed to reforming the broken Medicare system, it makes absolutely no sense for them to give with one hand only for the states to take with another.

Our emergency departments are overflowing, and instead of a sick child seeing their GP for an ear infection, they will end up waiting for hours at a hospital they don’t need to be at.

The state government says it’s worried about maintaining a sense of fairness in the tax system. Maybe it’s time it started worrying about the fairness in accessing basic health services.