Gov’t bulk billing projections for SA as doctors say it’s ‘not enough’

Bulk billing clinics would be boosted in SA under its Medicare expansion plan, Labor says, but clinics which charge a gap say it would cost them money to revert to bulk billing.

The number of fully bulk billing GP practices in South Australia would be boosted to around 310, the federal government claims under its Medicare plan — but local doctors who charge a gap say “tell them they’re dreaming.”

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler released data to The Advertiser projecting the $8.5bn scheme will deliver an extra 1.5 million bulk billed GP visits in SA each year.

He said locals will save hundreds of dollars a year, depending on where in SA they live and how often they visit their GP. The projections show:

A retiree couple in SA with typical GP service use may save between $390 and $449 a year if their practice goes to fully bulk billing.

Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese makes a major speech about strengthening Medicare. Picture: Scott Gelston

An older family, with two parents in their 50s and two young adult children in their late teens or early 20s, may save between $345 and $431 a year;

A younger family, with two parents in their 30s and two children under five years old, may save between $154 and $227 a year.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton pledged to match the promise, plus an extra $500m for mental health, paid for by cutting some of the 36,000 workers Labor had added to the public service since being elected.

However, Mr Butler said: “Peter Dutton’s record on Medicare isn’t just scary, it’s bloody terrifying. Why would you trust the person who created this mess in the first place to clean it up?”

Under Labor’s plan, from November, bulk billing incentives will be expanded to all patients and an additional new incentive payment will be available for practices that bulk bill every patient, with an additional 12.5 per cent loading payment on their Medicare rebates.

However, local GPs who charge gap fees say even with the incentives, reverting to bulk billing would cost them money.

One clinic estimates it would cost the practice $300,000 a year.

“Tell them they’re dreaming,” one GP commented.

Others questioned how the increasing bulk billing with help patients caught in the public hospital gridlock.

GP Dr Daniel Byrne. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Prominent GP Dr Daniel Byrne in a letter to The Advertiser asked: “Is the patient I have sent to emergency with appendicitis (diagnosed within 10 minutes by me) who has to wait 12 hours before being seen and another 16 hours to get to surgery by which time his appendix has ruptured and then spends 10 days in hospital with complications helped by bulk billing?

“Is the patient waiting two years for a hip replacement in constant agony needing daily morphine helped by bulk billing?”

Dr Byrne suggested an independent Health Authority like the Reserve Bank is needed to take the politics out of health spending.

Originally published as Gov’t bulk billing projections for SA as doctors say it’s ‘not enough’