Labor, LNP announces boost to Medicare, Far North bulk billing
Regional families could save hundreds of dollars on bulk billed GPs under a new health boost promised by both sides of politics in the lead up to this year’s federal election.
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Regional families could save hundreds of dollars on bulk billed GPs under a new health boost promised by both sides of politics in the lead up to this year’s federal election.
From November 1, the federal Labor government has promised to expand bulk billing incentives to all Australians and create an additional new incentive payment for practices that bulk bill every patient, with an additional 12.5 per cent loading payment on their Medicare rebates.
The initiative was almost immediately backed in by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who said the Coalition would match the Medicare pledge “dollar-for-dollar”.
While the Australian Medical Association welcomed the bipartisan support, president Dr Danielle McMullen said more work was needed to ensure the complexities of the healthcare needs of patients were reflected in the ways general practice was funded.
“The AMA has proposed major reforms to bring Medicare into the modern day, including through a new seven-tier general practice consultation item structure which will fund GPs to spend more time providing more care for patients.
“Both sides of politics have said they recognise the need for real Medicare reform, and we’d like to see them tackle it.”
In a joint statement, Health Minister Mark Butler and Senator Nita Green said the government’s initiative would help Far North residents access an additional 199,600 bulk billed visits and a boost to the number of fully bulk billing GPs in the region, should the government be re-elected later this year.
“There will be more free GP visits with more bulk billing in Far North Queensland because of our historic investment in Medicare,” Ms Green said.
GP practices in Far North Queensland will get more support to bulk bill, with around 65 practices in the electorates of Kennedy and Leichhardt in a better financial position if they adopt full bulk billing, Ms Green said.
Health Minister Mark Butler said the initiative showed Labor’s promise to look after Medicare and keep the scheme affordable for all Australians.
“The Liberals promised there’d be ‘No cuts to health’ last time and within a few months, Peter Dutton, as Health Minister, tried to cut $50bn out of public hospitals and abolish bulk billing altogether,” Mr Butler said.
Under the new rollout, nine out of 10 GP visits would be bulk billed by 2030, boosting the number of fully bulk billed practices to around 4800 nationally – triple the current number.
“Sixty-five GP practices in Far North Queensland will get support to go fully bulk billing, getting more in Medicare payments than they lose in charging patients out-of-pockets,” Ms Green said.
According to modelling by the Department of Health and Aged Care, the 4800 practices will receive an average of $344,000 in additional Medicare payments a year.
The $8.5bn investment from the Albanese government is the “single-largest investment” in Medicare since its creation over 40 years ago, and it will deliver an additional 18 million bulk billed GP visits nationally.
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