Got a Message from The Clinic That They Will Charge $30 from July 1

[Deactivated] on 03/06/2022 - 12:33
Last edited 03/06/2022 - 14:23 by 1 other user

Dear xxxxxx patients,

Starting 1 July 2022 we will be private billing patients for GP consultations.

This is due to substantial increase in cost for running the practice and constraints on our resources while Medicare rebate has barely increased in the past 10 years.

There will be an out of pocket fee of $30 for consults during regular business hours.

Kids 15 and under will be charged a discounted out of pocket fee.

Patients on concession cards will be bulk billed during regular business hours.

For patients with Medicare card, the rebate can be processed on the day.

Some consults including health assessments, care plans and immunisations can be bulk billed.

This is the message I got from the clinic I use for blood tests and sickie. I will stop going to the clinic, I don't get sick anyway. But what about people who get sick regular. Will they have to pay a fortune to save their life? Or at least now they have an incentive to get healthy. Is it case with all the clinics? If it is legal why aren't all the clinics not doing it?

Poll Options

  • 164
    Good to charge extra
  • 353
    It's a rip-off as we already pay for medicare
Health & Beauty

Comments

      • WhyAmICommenting on 04/06/2022 - 19:44
        +1

        IVF is the most realistic way to hit this cap.

    • Grunntt on 04/06/2022 - 09:27
      +2

      Many practices are not GP owned

      The one I find interesting is IPN (Independent Practitioner Network) - it's owned by Sonic Healthcare which is one of the largest pathology businesses in the world (Aust owned) - can't work out the 'independent' part of the title.

      The good thing about them is that all of the ones I have visited seem to only bulk-bill.

      • morse on 04/06/2022 - 10:01
        +2

        Yeah not independent at all. Seems like a massive conflict of interest having gps employed by a company that gets government subsidies requiring gp referrals. Not sure about pathology but for some items (definitely some of the radiology) they get a higher rebate from Medicare if they bulk bill.

    • Juggernauto on 04/06/2022 - 15:10
      +2

      You just described my experience with local GP, started going about 2-3 years ago, very quiet, always easy to get a bulk-billed appointment, fantastic doctor.

      Fast forward to now, recently had my first consultation where they told me they will have to start charging for the consultations, about 20 dollars out of pocket, even then very difficult to find an appointment, have to book 1-2 days in advance. But I've seen they grow their customer base, now they have more doctors, they offer more services/tests.

  • SF3 on 03/06/2022 - 12:49
    +20

    I use for blood tests and sickie. I will stop going to the clinic, I don't get sick anyway.
    clinic that they will charge 30$ from July 1

    It's to discourage people like you, unless you really need it.

    • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2022 - 12:53
      -2

      People like me? I go 1 time a year. What it's going to discourage me? The last time I Weng to the clinic is around 20 months back.

      • Amaris on 03/06/2022 - 13:12
        +9

        What it's going to discourage me?
        yet you said "I will stop going to the clinic"

      • boomramada on 03/06/2022 - 13:25
        +3

        The way you worded it is wrong. Its sounds like, "I'm getting a blood test since its free/ I pay tax" rather than "better check yourself before you wreck yourself"
        From now on, if you value your self pay that $30 else move on and try to reclaim other possible government benefits.

        Nothing wrong with check yourself once a year, although I only do a blood test if its requested by the GP

        • donga100 on 03/06/2022 - 18:02

          No, I think they have worded it exactly as intended.

      • foxmulder on 03/06/2022 - 13:43

        I don't understand the 1 year = 20 months

        • SF3 on 03/06/2022 - 14:07
          +1

          1 year = 20 months

          It's a case for X-Files.

  • Jason Genova on 03/06/2022 - 12:52
    +20

    another thread from this bloke, yikes

    • CrowReally on 03/06/2022 - 13:09
      +13

      Well, he's a modern day philosopher asking all the tough questions, no doubt to 'peel the onion' of society and shake us out of our complacency..

      Next thread: "JB Hifi is selling Poirot on DVD and I've never even seen Poirot and I don't want to why are they doing this no one watches Poirot"

      • Tony-Abbott on 04/06/2022 - 12:14
        +5

        I've already peeled all the onions. He's not taking over my legacy.

    • OZKap on 04/06/2022 - 12:40
      +5

      If you want a laugh ask him about sunscreen.

  • Clear on 03/06/2022 - 12:54
    +15

    As everything continues to rise Medicare continue to pay the same amount of rebates. It's no wonder bulk going practices disappear.

    • netjock on 03/06/2022 - 15:30

      We never really know the truth unfortunately.

      For example ABC Early Learning that went bust. Taking parents money and government subsidies, rents all their premises, outsources maintenance and cleaning etc vs a council run centre which might be slightly cheaper.

      Problem is transparency. Some GPs in rich suburbs might want $350k pa working 5 days a week in a plush office vs country GP on $200k in a small shopping strip shop front he bought for $200k.

      We live in crazy times is all I can say.

      • Clear on 03/06/2022 - 15:56

        This isn't the case everywhere but I know in my state many practices typically follow "$150hr or 70% of the billings", while some older GPs will have a more legacy agreement where it can be 80% of the billings.

  • djones145 on 03/06/2022 - 12:59

    find another gp or
    one way ticket to mars!

  • tsunamisurfer on 03/06/2022 - 13:03
    +9

    I don't get sick anyway

    I use for blood tests and sickie.

    To utilize the money I pay during tax,

    People like this should be barred from using Medicare

    • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2022 - 13:04
      -3

      Try it. Remove medicare altogether

      • tsunamisurfer on 03/06/2022 - 13:11
        +20

        No. Just you.

        • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2022 - 13:15
          -2

          Try that as well. If I was banned from medicare for getting a blood test once in 2 years, then you are an fool

      • djones145 on 03/06/2022 - 13:14
        +13

        WTF dude

        • Muzeeb on 03/06/2022 - 13:22
          +5

          Classic djones145 reply

  • Benoffie on 03/06/2022 - 13:18
    +5

    Big deal. I've been paying out of pocket for years. Very difficult to find let alone get into a bulk billed practice in Adelaide.

    I just got told I'll be paying $30 for telehealth appointments. Considering they last maybe 2 mins, that's a rip. But hardly unexpected.

    • SimbaGirl on 03/06/2022 - 22:01
      +1

      Same here. Bulk billing GPs are practically non-existent in Tasmania, so it’s out of pocket payments for us every time.

      • Clear on 03/06/2022 - 23:22

        There's a few left but they're mostly found in rural areas and corporate companies like Ochre (who are now becoming foreign owned) are buying up all the smaller practices when the principal doctors retire.

        The other issue is the shortage of doctors thanks to COVID - many used to come from the UK as pay over there is pretty bad for a GP. It's already bad enough in Australia and even worse in Tasmania. Practices are offering doctors sums of money ontop of their "70% of billings or $150p/h" agreements.

        • SimbaGirl on 04/06/2022 - 13:34

          I live in a rural area and unfortunately no bulk billing GPs here, unless you have a Health Care Card or are under 16 - and as you said, the corporate companies are taking over more and more of the practices, so that situation's not going to change.

          The shortage of GPs is a major issue as well - it's almost impossible to get an appointment unless you're an existing patient AND have been to the practice in the last 12 months, otherwise they seem to drop you off the books, and most still aren't taking new patients.

  • GG57 on 03/06/2022 - 13:22
    +13

    I'm pretty sure that this is yet a further legacy of the LNP federal government, and their intent to move our Medicare to be more like the health 'system' in the USA.
    Plenty of medications and services were removed from the PBS, and some more are scheduled over coming months. Lots of GP clinics are now charging instead of bulk-billing (at their discretion).

    • EightImmortals on 03/06/2022 - 15:33
      +1

      That's OK they 'lost' the last election so I guess labor will fix all of their problems now.

      • GG57 on 03/06/2022 - 15:35
        +2

        That is the intent: https://anthonyalbanese.com.au/media-centre/labor-will-stren…

        • EightImmortals on 03/06/2022 - 15:36
          +2

          Cool, but that article was from before the election. :)

          • GG57 on 03/06/2022 - 15:37
            +5

            @EightImmortals: As I said, that is the intent.
            Don't tell me you expect Labor to fix this in one week?

            • EightImmortals on 03/06/2022 - 15:38

              @GG57: 'Intent' = 'pre-election promise', reminds me of the old joke about the politician who died and got to spend a day in hell and then a day in heaven before making a decision.

              • GG57 on 03/06/2022 - 15:41
                +7

                @EightImmortals: Of course.
                But, having seen what Labor has delivered in one week, I have more confidence than I've had over the previous decade.
                There appears to be no-one disputing how bad it has been allowed to become.

                • EightImmortals on 03/06/2022 - 15:43
                  +1

                  @GG57: As usual I am more than happy to be proven wrong. I'm just not gonna get too excited before the chickens have hatched. :)

    • Varoufakis on 07/06/2022 - 15:44

      Actually it was the ALP who introduced the policy to freeze medicare rebates when they were in office in 2013. The LNP merely continued with the ALP's policy.

      https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-16/medicare-rebate-freez…

  • Amaris on 03/06/2022 - 13:24
    +10

    People try to use Medicare to get value for the taxes they paid (and not when medically required) —> Total Medicare expenditure increases unnecessarily —> Medicare can't increase rebates to meet actual costs of providing service due to budgetary concerns —> More and more providers driven to charge gap fees/ increased gap fees. Thank you!

    Medical practices are businesses. Often small businesses. Medicare doesn't pay them, the patients do. Most practices claim from Medicare on your behalf as it's easier for the patient rather than paying directly to the practice and then putting in a claim.

    As was said in the text Medicare rebate has barely increased in the past 10 years. A GP gets paid $39.10 for an up to 19min consultation. It was $35.60 in 2012, a rise of 10%. Inflation has been 20% in that period. The increase for other specialists was even less.

    • DiscountForThee on 03/06/2022 - 13:33
      +9

      To be honest, sounds like more of a government failing than the blame of people getting once yearly health checkups from their GP. Probably costs less, in the long run, to do preventative care than to wait until things are worse

      • Amaris on 03/06/2022 - 14:08
        +3

        Yes, it's upto the government to pay an adequate rebate to cover costs and generate a reasonable profit. It doesn't mean the practice is 'ripping off' patients

        Also, yearly checks are not required for most people.

  • deme on 03/06/2022 - 13:31
    +7

    WTF dude

  • randomusername2017 on 03/06/2022 - 13:41
    +5

    Practice makes perfect …

    Ultimate shit poster 🏅

  • PensionerXXL on 03/06/2022 - 13:41
    +13

    next thread: are gp's underpaid

    • Clear on 03/06/2022 - 13:44
      +2

      I've genuinely heard two GPs who are married say this. Both work 3 weekdays and a Saturday a week, plus after hours telehealth or home visits. Because ~$250/hr on a weekend is not enough apparently.

      • Clear on 03/06/2022 - 15:18
        -1

        Downvoted by a GP who thinks they're underpaid ^ Go make your forum post about it now.

      • donga100 on 03/06/2022 - 18:07

        Well yeah, they are married.

      • dmcneice on 04/06/2022 - 18:07
        +5

        I'm a GP, why don't you inflate the numbers a bit more…

        $250/hour is certainly not true (at least not for the majority). Also we don't get any "extra on the weekend" most of the time, the rebate (and fees) remain the same.

        $250/hour would be >400k pa, which is nothing close to what the average GP earns.

        • Clear on 04/06/2022 - 18:29
          -4

          You speak for all GPs everywhere? Nope you don't. Your in Melbourne and I'm in Tassie. There's a larger demand for GPs here and we pay a lot more to have them work here.

          $250/hour would be >400k pa, which is nothing close to what the average GP earns.

          Not sure how you got that figure from a weekend. Let me elaborate further. On a single Saturday a week for 7.6 hours or less.

          • dmcneice on 04/06/2022 - 19:35

            @Clear: I said the average gp earns nowhere close to that. Of course there are outliers. My figure was based on your 250/hour claim at full time, which for us around here there is little difference in our salary on weekend vs weekday.

            • Clear on 04/06/2022 - 19:36
              -1

              @dmcneice: I never made a $250hr claim for full time.

              Both work 3 weekdays and a Saturday a week,

              Because ~$250/hr on a weekend is not enough apparently.

      • Vote for Pedro on 04/06/2022 - 19:22

        Before or after expenses?

        Running a general practice is expensive.

        • Clear on 04/06/2022 - 19:23
          -1

          Before. They're partner doctors and this is only the Saturday with Covid clinics.

          • Vote for Pedro on 04/06/2022 - 19:24
            +1

            @Clear: Before expenses. Well then that’s reasonable. Running a practice costs more than you think.

            • Clear on 04/06/2022 - 19:24
              -1

              @Vote for Pedro: Yes we own dozens around the country. Private hospital too.

              • Vote for Pedro on 04/06/2022 - 19:28
                -1

                @Clear: What are you on about?

                • Clear on 04/06/2022 - 19:32
                  -1

                  @Vote for Pedro: Sounds like you need some context. Replying to PensionerXXL's original comment - GPs are underpaid in reference to the recent troll posts about "<job> is underpaid".

                  So in reply to that I was mentioning about two doctors carrying on about how their pay is too low. Many people would argue a GP shouldn't be complaining given their income is so much higher than the average Joe.

                  There's no need to tell me running a practice is expensive. The company I work for owns dozens of medical centres and private hospitals around the country. I know how these things work.

                  • Vote for Pedro on 04/06/2022 - 19:37
                    -1

                    @Clear:

                    Because ~$250/hr on a weekend is not enough apparently.

                    Either I’m misunderstanding your intent or your English language skills need work.

                    • Clear on 04/06/2022 - 19:37
                      -1

                      @Vote for Pedro: Sarcasm. Do you believe $250 is too much or not enough?

                      • Vote for Pedro on 04/06/2022 - 19:38

                        @Clear: Nowhere near enough

                        • Clear on 04/06/2022 - 19:39
                          -1

                          @Vote for Pedro: How much do you think is reasonable an hour for a GP on a weekend?

                          • Vote for Pedro on 04/06/2022 - 19:46
                            -1

                            @Clear: Let me get my accountant on the phone.

                            You’ve gone from ‘we own’ to ‘i work for a company that…’ - slight difference. But you would be well aware what the operating costs would be for a private practice.

                            Taking out costs of running the practice including employing staff, I would definitely have no issues with a gp earning $300k+ per year on typical Monday to Friday basis.

                            • Clear on 04/06/2022 - 19:49
                              -1

                              @Vote for Pedro: We as in us the company. If I said I owned that'd be a different story.

                              $300k Monday to Friday is reasonable. For us (as in the company) most doctors don't work Monday to Friday.

                              • Vote for Pedro on 04/06/2022 - 19:51

                                @Clear: I guess context is important. I usually don’t open with ‘we’ unless I’ve defined in the conversation who ‘we’ actually is or it’s obvious.

    • CrowReally on 03/06/2022 - 13:55
      +6

      Followed by: "Woke Snowflakes Want My Tax Dollars To Pay For Obese People" Coin now trading on binance (emoji moon)

    • htc on 04/06/2022 - 14:40

      next thread: are gp's underpaid

      Starting July 1 school will charge parents for making 20 minutes phone call to the school.

      • May4th on 04/06/2022 - 15:21

        How much do they charge?

  • Xistn on 03/06/2022 - 13:55

    Maybe this might deter people to question how sick they really are?

  • whatwasherproblem on 03/06/2022 - 13:59

    This is the message I got from the clinic

    Would that be the health clinic, my dear onion peeler?

    • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2022 - 14:39

      Sick clinic, obviously

      • whatwasherproblem on 03/06/2022 - 14:40

        Yeah, a health clinic. (There's no such thing as a sick clinic.)

  • c64 on 03/06/2022 - 14:00

    find another gp?

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 03/06/2022 - 14:17

      Most Places in Newcastle charge up front IE $75-90, then you get $x back on Medicare. My GP still bulk bills me, which annoys his staff.

  • ihbh on 03/06/2022 - 14:53

    at least now they have an incentive to get healthy

    One of the advantages of expensive, non-subsidized health care should be healthier people, but unfortunately many people don't think this logically - see the US.

    • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2022 - 15:01

      It’s crazy in the USA. The other extreme of free healthcare.
      Governments should actively encourage healthy lifestyle. Spend billions of dollars on preventing rather than treating illness. People want to eat whatever crap they want and expect to get cured by taking a pill.

      • EightImmortals on 03/06/2022 - 15:35
        +2

        But as government is pretty much owned by the corporations who profit when you are sick do you rally think that's likely to happen?

        • netjock on 03/06/2022 - 16:00
          +1

          Depends on whether you want the (human) machinery to break often and earlier than expected. I am sure the corporations would love to have robots for a pittance but as they found out they ain't cheap.

        • ihbh on 03/06/2022 - 16:21
          -1

          There's no need to blame governments/corporations, etc. People who eat crap and get sick should blame … themselves.

        • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2022 - 16:21

          It will never happen. Future generations will see the state of present sick care like how we see lobotomies of past. Like how did this happen?

      • Vote for Pedro on 04/06/2022 - 19:29

        It’s crazy in the USA. The other extreme of free healthcare.

        What? The USA free healthcare?

  • NotAnAudiophile on 03/06/2022 - 16:13
    +1

    I just find another gp that bulk bills. That or an after hours one that always bulk bills.

  • SBOB on 03/06/2022 - 16:27
    +7

    I use for blood tests and sickie. I will stop going to the clinic, I don't get sick anyway

    so congrats on contributing to the burden on medicare for no reason, reducing overall funding per patient and therefore contributing to GP's charging an out of pocket additional fee on top of their medicare rebate

    • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2022 - 16:29
      -5

      Congrats being another genius who plucks feather on eggs.

      • SBOB on 03/06/2022 - 16:33
        +10

        as a wise man once said
        "you are an fool"

      • Melencir on 03/06/2022 - 17:30
        +1

        Thats an unusual saying - plucking feathers on egg

        Where is that expression from?

        • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2022 - 17:33
          +1

          It’s unusual because you never heard of it or it doesn’t make sense?

        • SBOB on 03/06/2022 - 17:34

          Who knows, not a single hit on google etc for "plucks feathers on eggs" :)

          • Melencir on 03/06/2022 - 17:39
            -1

            @SBOB: I got one hit from a website called India study channel actually 😂

          • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2022 - 17:43

            @SBOB: It’s a expression used when you doing futile exercise(focussing on useless things) and missing the point.

            There are no feathers on eggs, but you are still trying to pluck them

            • SBOB on 03/06/2022 - 18:08
              +14

              @[Deactivated]:

              when you doing futile exercise and missing the point.

              you mean like going to a doctor when you dont get sick, and getting blood tests you dont need due to paying tax?
              got it

              • Juggernauto on 04/06/2022 - 15:18

                @SBOB: Nah mate, I think he meant like goint to OzBargain post about your local GP no longer bulk billing and how you think that creates an incentive for people to "get healthy"

            • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2022 - 19:39

              @[Deactivated]: In what language is this an expression?

              • Juggernauto on 04/06/2022 - 15:19
                +1

                @[Deactivated]: I know there's an expression in Portuguese that literally translates to 'looking for hair in an egg' with same gist, maybe OP speaks Portuguese or something similar?

                • [Deactivated] on 04/06/2022 - 15:46

                  @Juggernauto: Yes, you've solved it!

                  No, he doesn't speak Portuguese. There are quite a few Euro languages that have the same idiomatic equivalent.

              • SydStrand on 04/06/2022 - 20:30

                @[Deactivated]: It seems to be an Indian idiom. Coupled with the OP's previous comments about being a 'brown guy' whose life was turned around by Joe Rogan, I think we're peeling this mystery onion.

                • [Deactivated] on 04/06/2022 - 20:45

                  @SydStrand: I noticed there was a Hindi reference also listed.

                  It's also a well known Serbian idiom. So many similarities to SlavOz despite the OP's protests.

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