Scripts to cost $55 in Medicare revamp

Patients could end up paying $55 just to get a script under wide-ranging reforms to Medicare and huge changes in how we see doctors.

Patients could end up paying $55 to get a script under major reforms to Medicare allowing pharmacy prescribing that were outlined in a major government report released on Friday.

The Medicare taskforce report calls for a major overhaul of general practice that could see patients encouraged to enrol with a single GP.

Under the plan, GPs would employ nurses and physiotherapists and other health care providers to provide care for patients in a one-stop shop, and after hours services would be improved.

Nurses and other health professionals would for the first time be funded by Medicare to perform all the tasks they are trained to carry out. Health Minister Mark Butler said this also included changes permitting pharmacists to prescribe medicines.

“It doesn’t make sense as a country not to have every health care professional working to the top of their scope of practice now,” he said.

However, News Corp has learnt this could come at a major cost to consumers.

Pharmacy prescribing could cost you more. Picture Getty Images.

Plans underway in three states to allow pharmacists to prescribe medications will see patients charged fees of between $20-$55 for these consultations. There is currently no Medicare rebate available for such charges.

In addition patients will have to pay the full price of any medicine dispensed because current rules only allow a PBS [Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme] subsidy for medicines prescribed by doctors, nurse practitioners, dentists and midwives.

“Medicines supplied by pharmacists under State/Territory legislation are not subsidised through the PBS, and they are considered private prescriptions where the patient or the state government covers the cost,” the Department of Health told News Corp.

The North Queensland Pharmacy trial allows pharmacists to charge three different consultation fees when they prescribe a medicine.

These fees range from $20-$25 for a simple consultation for something like an eye infection, $30 when prescribing the contraceptive pill and up to $55 for a complex consultation lasting 30 minutes or more.

In Victoria the state Government will pick up the $20 consultation fee for pharmacists under its trial program, while NSW has yet to outline the fees chemists can charge and who will pay.

Currently many patients can get repeat prescriptions bulk billed at no charge from their GP, and when a doctor prescribes a medicine, it is subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme.

The Minister for and Aged Care, Mark Butler NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

The Pharmacy Guild would not comment on the fees for pharmacy prescribing or whether they would be asking for a Medicare rebate for the fees.

The Australian Medical Association is fighting pharmacy prescribing, claiming chemists have no training in diagnosing illness, and a conflict of interest because they make money from selling scripts.

“The public don’t understand that moving to pharmacy prescribing will not only not make it any easier to see a GP, but will cost them more,” said AMA president Dr Steve Robson.

At the last federal election the government allocated $750 million over three years to save general practice as bulk billing declines and people wait longer to see a GP.

The Strengthening Medicare Taskforce, which was set up to advise on how the money is spent, reported to National Cabinet yesterday. It called for major changes to the way general practice is funded.

As well as patient enrolment with a single practice that provides wraparound care, the Taskforce wants Medicare changed to allow GPs to provide longer consultations for people with complex mental health, domestic violence and other complex health care needs.

RACGP president Dr Nicole Higgins. Picture Supplied

After hours care must be overhauled to reduce pressure on emergency departments by increasing the availability of primary care services for urgent needs, the report said.

The Albanese Government has already allocated money to pay for 50 urgent care clinics around the country that it said would all be operating by the end of this year.

The report said the digital My Health Record held by 23 million Australians must also be overhauled to be made useful to doctors and hospitals.

Health Minister Mark Butler did not rule out increasing Medicare rebates but he said his preference was not to continue funding an outdated system.

“I want to tell Australians honestly (reform is) not going to be quick. And it’s not going to be easy. And it’s not going to be fixed in one budget,” Mr Butler said.

Royal Australian College of general practitioners president Dr Nicole Higgins welcomed the report but said general practice care was in “urgent need of an investment boost”.

“The Medicare rebate freeze ripped billions from the sector …. The promise of reform without proper investment to back it up is hollow,” she said.

Dr Robson said he was surprised National Cabinet did not take immediate action to solve the crisis in general practice.

“Australians can see the crisis the health system is in. We were surprised to see nothing more come out of it. We had the most powerful political leaders in the country all in one room. Doesn’t seem they could agree on anything,” he said.

Originally published as Scripts to cost $55 in Medicare revamp