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

  • Daabido on 03/06/2022 - 16:50
    +2

    Is it the Hoffermandorf-neir clinic in Belgium/ Netherlands?

  • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2022 - 17:01
    +1

    $30 is cheap, helensvale med centre chargers over $100 for people without medicare

    • Some Human on 03/06/2022 - 21:50
      -1

      It’s expensive for a bulk billing place.

  • MontyMacaw on 04/06/2022 - 08:07
    +1

    You should all go to the clinic for regular check ups and blood tests. You are never too young to actually care about your health and future. Thank me later.

  • tabitha731 on 04/06/2022 - 10:34
    +6

    The Doctors havent had a pay rise in years! And extra $30 isnt going to hurt. If anything it will hopefully stop the hypochondriacs wasting Doctors time with useless ailments. $30 is still quite reasonable to charge. If u compare it to wat non citizens or permanent residents have to pay full price for seeking medical attention.

    • Vote for Pedro on 04/06/2022 - 10:56

      Permanent residents have the same access to Medicare as citizens do.

      Also, it’s important to differentiate people who live and work here (citizens and PRs) vs temporary visa holders.

      It’s further important to acknowledge that we have reciprocal arrangements with a number of nations.

  • reactor-au on 04/06/2022 - 10:42

    Not new for me, my GP has had a gap fee since 2018

  • Vote for Pedro on 04/06/2022 - 10:55
    +8

    This is what happens when you have constant attacks on medicare by the libs who want to turn everything into the American for profit system.

    Universal healthcare and education are absolute no brainers for a society that cares about its people and its future.

    • [Deactivated] on 04/06/2022 - 13:17
      -3

      Universal education seems achievable

      Universal healthcare?

      That’s an infinite task. No amount of resources in the world can fulfil that wish. You have unlimited number of people with unlimited junk food options to get unlimited number of diseases. First people need to be sensible or there should be a cap to the amount they can spend on a particular family on Medicare.

      • [Deactivated] on 04/06/2022 - 13:35

        You have unlimited number of people with unlimited junk food options to get unlimited number of diseases.

        Is that why you're always at the doctor's surgery …… predilection for junk food?

      • Vote for Pedro on 04/06/2022 - 14:50

        In terms of lifestyle and food choices, thats a far more complex socioeconomic discussion and isn’t a simple as you’d like people to think it is.

        But again, this is coming from the person who uses free medicare for a ‘sickie’.

    • infinite on 04/06/2022 - 23:43
      -2

      How come Labor & the Greens never did it then when they were in power ?

      • Vote for Pedro on 05/06/2022 - 10:55

        Why don’t you ask them?

        Labor should do it. As for the greens, they can’t do anything except wreck things.

      • SBOB on 05/06/2022 - 11:05
        +6

        Greens never did it then when they were in power ?

        What year do you think the greens were 'in power' for our federal government??

  • BookerDeWitt on 04/06/2022 - 12:20
    -6

    ROFL at the people who are actually for this. The OZB community really is the most toxic horrible community on the internet. Twitter staff take notes on OZB on how to cultivate the ultimate cancer upon the Earth (you).

    • whatwasherproblem on 04/06/2022 - 18:22
      +4

      The OZB community really is the most toxic horrible community on the internet.

      As someone who proudly frequents actually toxic, horrible Internet communities (not Twitter or Reddit though, I have some standards), I promise you that OzB is no such thing.

  • this is us on 04/06/2022 - 12:28
    +5

    The problem is that some individuals don't have (or don't want to spend their) money to pay gap fees. The inaction of federal and state governments in solving this problem results in many people ringing 000 or presenting to the emergency department for reasons that are not emergency and should be managed in the community.

    Tax payers feel that they are paying for that.
    Tax users (without judgement, from individuals who have been on DSP since age 18 and spend all their money buying THC, to individuals with significant disabilities who spend their DSP buying food) might not have another option, or are used to being maintained by the government.

    We pay a lot of taxes in Australia, so the sense of entitlement is understandable, particularly when there is a significant proportion of the population not producing anything to the society (again, I'm talking about the facts, not discussing the possible complex reasons) and benefiting from taxes paid by everyone else.

    Data:
    1 in 25 (4.1%) people aged 16–64 get DSP, including 1 in 10 (9.5%) Indigenous Australians.

    8 in 10 (82%) people aged 16-64 stay on DSP for at least 5 years, and 5 in 10 (53%) for 10 or more years

    This is just DSP, not including other Centrelink schemes or benefits.

    Back to the main topic, I hope the new government moves forward with the plan to create "clinics" close to the hospitals to manage part of the patients that now go to ED for reasons other than emergency. However, adjusting the fees and rates for all health workers is paramount to make sure the system is functional.

  • lddv04 on 04/06/2022 - 12:29
    +4

    Count yourself lucky that your clinic has been bulk billing you all these years. Here in regional Australia, the doctor charges $75, which you have to pay upfront, then you get back about $38.

    • Draxxx on 04/06/2022 - 19:08
      +1

      Came here to say exactly this. I'm out in the country, No GPs 100% Bulk bill…
      Sucks when you have to pay for a consult, then again a week later just to get your results back.

      • Yola on 09/06/2022 - 08:16

        My husband and I both pay a gap. My GP is about $65 his $90 for a standard appointment. In my clinic, you can call at certain times and get your results from a nurse. In his, the doctor calls him with the results. No additional fee in either case.

  • Seraphin7 on 04/06/2022 - 12:34
    +2

    Heaven forbid you should have to make a part payment towards the cost of services you consume.

    • [Deactivated] on 04/06/2022 - 13:07
      -1

      Why not full?

      • Amaris on 05/06/2022 - 10:26
        +1

        Yes, you're welcome to pay the full amount and then NOT claim the rebate from Medicare!

  • dvd107 on 04/06/2022 - 12:45
    +14

    Do you pay out of pocket to see your dentist? Physiotherapist? Osteopath? Psychologist?
    The Medicare rebate has not been indexed due to successive governments. Someone has to pay for the rise in wages, rent, business running costs.

    If you don’t like it, you can still find bulk billing GPs. The old saying is you get what you pay for. Bulk billing GPs will generally need to see more per hour to make up the difference. There are still rare excellent bulk billing GPs out there but they are becoming increasingly extinct.

    One of the largest regional bulk billing model clinics just went into voluntary administration last week.

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-01/tristar-medical-clini…

    Why do you think that has happened?

  • bobkin on 04/06/2022 - 12:59
    +6

    Gap fees enable doctors to provide a higher quality service. There are practical limits to what can be achieved in a 6-10 minute consult offered at most bulk-billing clinics. Gap fees let doctors see fewer patients per hour and give them time for problems to be dealt with more thoroughly. This can save time and avoid unnecessary investigations and reappointments in the long run. It also gives time for preventative medicine, which is often overlooked when doctors are rushed. Waiting times for appointments may be shorter. Fees may enable better quality facilities. At the end of the day if you do not feel you are getting value for money then you have the choice to go elsewhere.

    • [Deactivated] on 04/06/2022 - 13:06
      -4

      preventative medicine

      How can you prevent disease with medicine? If that is the case last week a very wealthy Hollywood actor died at age 67. How did he miss that preventive medicine? And a billion people before him?

      • bobkin on 04/06/2022 - 13:40
        +5

        Nobody is claiming that medicine is able to prevent all illness. However, the burden of some diseases can be lessened or avoided through preventative treatment (e.g. treating blood pressure to lower risk of heart attacks/strokes) or through early detection (e.g. screening for cancers). These are examples of preventative medicine.

      • this is us on 04/06/2022 - 13:49
        +1

        That's how:

        A preventive medicine specialist focuses on the health of individuals and defined populations in order to protect, promote, and maintain health and well-being, and to prevent disease, disability, and premature death. The distinctive components of preventive medicine include:

        Biostatistics and the application of biostatistical principles and methodology.
        Epidemiology and its application to population-based medicine and research.
        Health services management and administration including developing, assessing, and assuring health policies; planning, implementing, directing, budgeting, and evaluating population health and disease management programs; and utilizing legislative and regulatory processes to enhance health.
        Control of environmental factors that may adversely affect health.
        Control and prevention of occupational factors that may adversely affect health safety.
        Clinical preventive medicine activities, including measures to promote health and prevent the occurrence, progression, and disabling effects of disease and injury.
        Assessment of social, cultural, and behavioral influences on health.

        (first Google result)

        The actor died sleeping. No idea of the cause or his background but preventative medicine won't be able to avoid all deaths caused by everything even if we start doing full body MRI scans and 30 pages of blood tests every 6 months, which is not feasible ($$$) and won't be helpful for 99.9% of the population. The system is already broken without that.

        You should read about preventative medicine if you want more specific answers.

      • May4th on 04/06/2022 - 14:51
        +2

        studies actually show preventative medicine gives you the most bang for the buck, even if you only view it from an economic perspective, compared to a feel good shiny new ED/hospital
        https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/professional/global-report-…

        • infinite on 04/06/2022 - 23:49
          -3

          Studies don't show that at all.

          All they actually show is that is you skew the data in certain ways and then interpret parts of the information that back the general feeling the author of the study has, then you can "put forward an argument" to do what they are suggesting.

          That unfortunately is just academic wank for "but it would never work in the real world, or any practical setting".

          Which is why no one does it.

          • Milkywayss on 05/06/2022 - 10:08
            +2

            @infinite: You seriously suggesting preventative health care isnt effective? How do you explain the drop in health burden from smallpox, smoking, dysentery, HIV, neural tube defects…? If you need more examples I’ll be happy to continue

          • May4th on 05/06/2022 - 10:57
            +2

            @infinite: Ah yes..tell me you didnt/couldnt read/interpret the study without telling me you didnt read the study

            Let's dumb it down with an example. A heart attack victim who has emergency open heart surgery who spends a week in ICU and another two weeks on the ward, who cannot afyerwards work full time in his usual occupation easily adds up to millions of medical cost and lost productivity.

            If he paid a visit to his GP every year, did routine blood pressure, counselled on smoking/alcohol cessation weight loss and put onto some cholesterol lowering medications this may never have happened. For the measly cost of $40-80 twice a year and few blood tests

      • Thaal Sinestro on 04/06/2022 - 18:21

        I read that lot of medical problems involve excessive inflammation, so if you could the causal agent, the inflammation, you should be able to prolong people's lives. Currently, most preventative medicine at present is aimed at preventing heart attacks and strokes by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Drugs which reduce cholesterol and blood pressure artificially extend life. However, if you don't die from cardiovascular disease, dementia or carcinomas will claim you a few years later.

        Humans are meant to die after they have bred and raised their offspring to adulthood. Unfortunately. There is no cheating mother nature.

      • SydStrand on 04/06/2022 - 20:32

        You don't believe in sunscreen. You're like the 1 in 10 dentist who doesn't believe in toothpaste, whose thoughts on health are therefore automatically invalid.

      • Amaris on 05/06/2022 - 10:41
        +2

        preventative medicine

        You have absolutely no idea, do you?
        Preventive medicine is not 'medicine' as in drugs/medications but a branch of medicine (the science/art) that deals with people to stop/reduce the chance of them getting a disease. It takes health professionals (GPs, dieticians, exercise physiologists, psychologist) to coax people into making lifestyle changes.
        For example, when an obese person attends a practice for a repeat blood pressure script, the bulkbilling GP might give the script and maybe tell they they need to loose weight. On the other hand the GP who actually spends 20min with the patient might (as he gets paid what his time is worth) give the script, organise for allied health reviews, and talk to the patient about the benefits of losing weight (which can get them off BP meds not not get diabetes). That's 'preventive medicine'.

  • Leanne59 on 04/06/2022 - 13:51
    +2

    I'm on a disability pension and have only ever been bulk billed when I've had to return to my doctors for a follow up visit to discuss results of tests or for the same issue. On a weekend when I've had to attend the doctors I've visited a bulk bill clinic and would never go there by choice if my doctor was available. They charged for 5 visits including a couple of Telehealth just to get the results of tests or change a prescription. You have to wait around like a herd of cows in a waiting room with a lot of other sick people, no thanks I would rather be out of pocket than be bulk billed under those conditions. Then I have friends who only go to bulk bill doctors but can afford to pay, so there are people who are willing to spend hours waiting to see a doctor just to get it for free.

  • May4th on 04/06/2022 - 14:36
    +10

    the people who say I pay for medicare with tax so i shouldn't pay- well yes, if the money actually went to GPs. less than 2% of medicare money goes to rebates for seeing GPs (GPs don't get paid by medicare, you get a rebate of just under $40 towards seeing one - a bulkbilling GPs just doesn't charge you and access the rebate directly.

    given the medicare rebate hasn't kept up with inflation for the last 20 years it's not surprising more are charging a gap. so the ones complaining about your 2% wage rise a year, try getting a pay cut every year for a change. name me one thing that hasn't gone up in price in the last 3mths let alone few yrs.

    good, cheap, accessible - pick two.

  • [Deactivated] on 04/06/2022 - 15:48

    Don't know what the problem is. Just find another bulk billing gp if you don't like it.

    • slugsandsnails on 04/06/2022 - 20:17
      +2

      So easy to say, they do not exist where I live.

  • Drj55 on 04/06/2022 - 16:04
    +3

    Hahah not only legal but Medicare is designed to pay 75% of the item number. Doctors who bulk bill you are doing it out of their own pocket. In addition, the item number rebates have been frozen for years so the out of pocket can be much more than the 25%. See all those reception staff, computers, offices, electricity, nurses, rubber gloves, spatulas and parking spaces? They are paid for our of your rebate and those costs haven't been frozen.

  • jmac314 on 04/06/2022 - 17:14
    +5

    http://www.mbsonline.gov.au/internet/mbsonline/publishing.ns…
    Indexation for July 2022 will be 1.6%, a bit of joke compared to current inflation and the last CPI for the quarter. What else do you expect? As someone who works in healthcare this was always inevitable.

    • downbythecreek on 06/06/2022 - 06:26

      At the same time the federal government is indexing HECS at almost 4% and claiming it's 'below inflation'. Even most welfare payments increased by more than 1.6%.
      The Medicare rebate hasnt increased in real terms in 20 years.

      It is ridiculous to expect a private business to swallow these costs endlessly. I'm not a doctor, but I absolutely think every GP in this country should place value on their skills and mixed bill to at least the minimum level recommended by the AMA.

  • ribze1 on 04/06/2022 - 17:24
    +13

    10 years of underfunding due to LNP government.

      • deme on 05/06/2022 - 10:23
        +6

        That is a pure lie, medicare has only been gutted by LNP.
        Labour is who introduced Medicare in the first place.

  • Thaal Sinestro on 04/06/2022 - 18:12
    -2

    Don't worry folks. Albo is going to fix healthcare (and everything else). 100% bulk billing for GPs and specialists coming to a suburb near you, + bulk billed dental. What more could a person want? Canada is like this, and the UK as well. No gap fees for any medical assessment (just copayments for prescriptions).

    In Australia, socialism has triumphed. We're all socialists now.

  • foxmulder on 04/06/2022 - 20:15

    So you get a massage that you only pay 1 July? Winning.

  • iamtotoro on 04/06/2022 - 20:18
    +2

    I'm glad people like yourself won't return to private billing clinics. Exactly the purpose. Price people out who don't value their health.

  • penguincat on 04/06/2022 - 21:33

    $30 out of pocket fee isn't that bad.

    You want to try my local doctors.
    I was charged over $240 for blood test results (I wasn't dying any more then the average person) and 5 questions (3 weren't even about me.) for a 8min visit which they made out was 30mins for a out of pocket fee of ~$180.
    Which they decided to submit incorrectly to Medicare meaning I had to wait 2-3 months for the ~$70 back. They kept trying to submit an incorrect MBS number then made out I wasn't approved by Medicare.
    You have to pay the whole thing and claim it back yourself.
    Submitted it Medicare rejected it maybe I did it wrong copied it from the print out again rejected.
    No thanks to them but I found out the issue it was the MBS wasn't correct. Instead of submitting it as a general consultation they attempted to put it as some other specialist procedure.
    So I had to return the form to them because you can't change forms yourself when they are wrong. I then asked them so why was the fee $250? I never got an actual answer. Just a "Don't come here if you don't like our prices."

    On the price list "if you want to go to another clinic minimum $220 average $400 transfer fee, includes receptionist time, all print outs of your files and courier fees."
    They refuse to use my health record claiming it was too hackable as well as some conspiracy theory. When I personally think it's so they can charge the above fee to transfer out instead or hold clients to ransom.

    The clinics owner has had arguments with pretty much every doctor and or allied health provider that has walked through the door.
    If you say anything negative on review things like google or on their facebook page and or name online in posts like this. Then you get a life time banned which means they can according to them "legally refuse to transfer your stuff."

    So it can pretty much be worse then $30 fee to go elsewhere. :)

    • Amaris on 05/06/2022 - 10:56

      Sorry for your experience. This is definitely not the norm

  • khepri on 04/06/2022 - 23:01
    +8

    The (lack of) health literacy in this chat concerns me

  • Oz em on 04/06/2022 - 23:27
    +1

    Mine does not bulk bill anyone. For concession there is a $45 gap. Children’s appointments are also charged.
    We no longer go to the dr.

  • zzchatom on 04/06/2022 - 23:46
    +10

    What a joke, OP needs to wake up and understand healthcare is not free, you’d pay 30$ to get your hair cut and yet not for a specialist giving you health professional advice. Time to wake up and smell the flowers.

    • p1723 on 05/06/2022 - 06:13
      -1

      Haha yes. And there are places that charge $10-15, normally it is Asians that can't speak English and probably are being underpaid and in cash because they have their passports locked up in a vault somewhere 🤣

      Nail salons, hair places, restaurants etc etc

  • chongsu on 04/06/2022 - 23:46
    +3

    Like it or not, it's the future of primary healthcare in Australia unless the federal government improves the Medicare model to keep in line with inflation and costs of running a practice.

  • chronophysicist on 05/06/2022 - 02:06
    +3

    I guess its the doctor trying to charge what they think they are worth
    if you see lawyers/plumbers/barbers etc they all charge depending on how good they believe their service to be.
    bulk billing is essentially the government telling the doctors how much they are worth, which for the GP is apparently just a bit under 40 bucks per standard consultation, that's what the government believe them to be worth. The GPs that charge extra probably believe they are worth more than that, doesn't matter what their end annual income is based on that rate, its about whether they are being valued appropriately.
    I've definitely seen hairdressers/plumbers that charge similiarly for a job that takes about the same amount of time

    the other thing I guess is that raising prices is a way of managing supply and demand
    increase prices and reduce the patient load? is the doctor near retirement age? its maybe a way to make them less accessible and make it easier to transition into retirement. often I think when raising prices alone doesn't solve the patient load problem u will start seeing clinics say "Dr XYZ is no longer taking on new patients"

    • Milkywayss on 05/06/2022 - 10:14
      +6

      $40 isn’t the total for the GP either and needs to be split with the practice. All operating costs need to come out of that to pay reception, nurses, admin, consumables, medical equipment and rent. Plus GP’s get no paid holiday leave, superannuation, or sick leave (despite exposing themselves to infection risk regularly)

  • Empharand on 05/06/2022 - 03:03

    Go to a different clinic?
    Download 'Health Engine' on your phone, sort by 'Bulk-billed' and you can book an appointment on the app. Been doing it for at least 5+ years.

  • p1723 on 05/06/2022 - 06:11

    Yeah look it's just how it is. There's all of like 5 bulk billing places in brisbane. some places that used to be bulk billing have converted to non bulk billing.

    To be honest though, you get what you paid for. The bill billing places are only good for if you want a medical certificate for work, a vaccine shot, or std checkup (these are all I ever get because I'm healthy). Basically things they can not (profanity) up. They won't actually diagnose stuff properly and a lot of the time you get doctors who don't care, or who are plain rude. If you look into it, there are certain ahpra restrictions on certain doctors for malpractice (or those going through a legal court process - you can look up their registration no . up on ahpra and see if they have restrictions) and you'll find that they tend to hover towards clinics that they can get employed in, which are typically bulk billing practices. Doctors who know that they are good and who don't have restrictions will typically not work for bulk billing practices because they can get paid their worth

    The bulk billing GPs I go to also make you wait anywhere between 1-2 hours to be seen. I can't afford to go anywhere else so I usually bring my study materials and make use of the time

  • LifeHacks101 on 05/06/2022 - 06:31
    +3

    This is only going to get worse with increasing demand and reduction in supply.
    Only about 10% of Australian medical graduates want to go into general practice down from a historical 50%.
    The majority want to go into speciality training or surgery.
    Much better pay, more procedural work and interesting cases as well as access to annual, sick , maternity leave.

    • Milkywayss on 05/06/2022 - 10:21
      +1

      Can’t blame them when it’s often half the pay of hospital based specialists

  • [Deactivated] on 05/06/2022 - 08:42
    +1

    I mean specialists do it. They charge 2-5x what the rebate is

    • Milkywayss on 05/06/2022 - 10:22
      +7

      FYI General practice is it’s own speciality too that requires 3-4 years of additional training and passing exams. A lot of people think you come out of med school a GP but definitely not the case

      • [Deactivated] on 05/06/2022 - 10:46
        +4

        Yeah exactly, but apparently this is outrageous while a surgeon charging $2500 for a surgery that's only rebated at $700 is not. Same thing with the anaesthetist and hospital fees, it's hardly universal healthcare when we're out of pocket like 70% of the procedure everytime.

  • Grunntt on 05/06/2022 - 09:00
    -2

    My GP put his prices up due to increased costs and then reduced his work days. He cut his four and a half day week down to three days.
    When I asked about it his response was that he was winding down as he is getting closer to retirement (he's about 50ish) but needed to retain his level of income.

    The last time he increased his prices was about 3 months before he upgraded his Audi TT to an RS Q8 (as well as his wife's car too).

    I have been seeing him for years and have a relatively friendly relationship with him where we do actually have these discussions and these were some of the reasons he gave me (along with increased costs of course - even though the staff only receive the minimum wage increases).

    Checked my local medical centre and it appears thet 3 out of the 5 GPs there also work 2 to 4 days per week too.

    • [Deactivated] on 05/06/2022 - 10:47
      -2

      Increasing his fees so he can earn the same amount working less is a dodgy practice.

    • Amaris on 05/06/2022 - 11:03
      +6

      So GPs should work at least 40hrs a week, and make do with a banged-up car before it would be reasonable for them to increase their fees?

      • Grunntt on 05/06/2022 - 12:15
        +1

        Exactly where did you find that he was having to

        make do with a banged-up car

        Not too sure where he upgraded his Audi TT because it was "a banged up car".

        he upgraded his Audi TT to an RS Q8 (as well as his wife's car too)

        By the way - this surgery is not in an area that could be called, by any stretch of the imagination, a wealthy one.
        Putting your price up so you can buy that sort of vehicle at the expense of patients much lower down the socioeconomic scale is not, in my opinion, moral.

        By the way, this is also the same doctor who can take almost 2 months off for a 'well-deserved holiday' (in his own words). Took pretty much the same well-deserved holiday about every 12-18 months for the past 10 years that I've been a patient.

        • Amaris on 05/06/2022 - 17:58
          +4

          I, of course, was being slightly facetious.

          A GP practice is a small business and is not a charity. They charge what they feel the community will pay and what they feel their service is worth….just like a plumber or a sparky. As long as they follow the code of conduct set by the Medical Board they're allowed to charge the amounts they see fit.

          There are fees suggested by the Australian Medical Association for each service - BTW a standard consult fee is suggested by the AMA to be $86. However, there's no rule/ requirement to charge these fees or less.

          What car the GP drives, and what holidays he takes should not be of any concern to his patients. Patients just like other consumers should speak with their wallets…if the doctor charges excessively (at least in the city) they're free to move. IF the practice unfairly withholds transferring their records, then that's a matter for the regulator.

    • May4th on 05/06/2022 - 11:08

      If he's close to retirement he has been in the game for 30+ years and shouldnt need the income to buy whatever fancy car he wants. General practice wasnt as dire in the earlier days if you consider they did not have to deal with medicare for half their career and a much more generous rebate when medicare was first born which has gradually eroded over the years

      • Grunntt on 05/06/2022 - 12:20

        If he's close to retirement he has been in the game for 30+ years

        He's actually in his very early 50's - he's basically earned enough to not need to work much longer. But he still expects to have the same income for doing less and his patients are expected to subsidise his lifestyle.

        He charges $80 for a 10-15 minute appointment. I admit that he is a good doctor. That's why I go to him but, lately, I am starting to wonder if he's worth the premium.

        • May4th on 05/06/2022 - 12:42
          +4

          At the end of the day then it's about how much you value his expertise and whether your health is worth the premium if you think he is a good doctor. No one is subsiding his lifestyle, you are paying a set fee for a set of very specialised skills, the same way you pay for a car service or haircut. How many hours he works and what car he drives isn't very relevant to that. If you can get the same standard of care elsewhere without paying then market forces will take care of itself. It is interesting though how many people do not blink at paying 80 dollars for a manicure or blow dry but cry murder at a 30 dollar gap payment to look after your most valuable asset - your health.

          • dvd107 on 05/06/2022 - 16:51
            +1

            @May4th: It’s a free market and you are free to see who ever you like.

            If the local plumber decided to work 4 days instead of 5 and decided to increase his prices, then so be it. Is it immoral?

        • Amaris on 05/06/2022 - 19:53
          +2

          The Australian Medical Association says a standard appt. (6-20min) should be charged $86. In fact, if a patient on work cover attends, that's what iCare will pay the GP. So your GP is definitely not overcharging you or ripping you off.

  • kalithreaver on 05/06/2022 - 09:20
    -1

    i refuse to pay to see a doctor. it should be a free thing for everyone. i hope the medicare rebate can be boosted by the goverment.

  • grr1701 on 05/06/2022 - 10:39
    +4

    So you only go to the doctor for unnecessary blood tests (to claim back some of the tax you’ve paid) and to pull sickies??? I hope you don’t pay car insurance; otherwise you’ll be running into random cars to claim back some money from your insurance! And using your GP to justify taking an unnecessary sickie? Pay the extra $30 and be happy with your day off. I’m sure the clinic will be happy to never see you again.

  • Milkywayss on 05/06/2022 - 10:42
    +14

    Most people don’t realise when a doctor “bulk bills”, they choose to accept the patient’s Medicare rebate as full payment, which must then pay their wage, sick leave, annual leave, super, all staff wages AND clinic running costs. These patient rebates have been frozen and underfunded for years and the costs of General Practice continue to rise with inflation. Link This is why out of pocket costs are increasingly essential for the viability of a clinic.

    This year CPI was 5.1%, and yet patient rebates will increase only 1.6% (after years of freezing rebates under both Labor and LNP). So a good question to ask your MP is “Why has the government reduced, and continues to reduce, the “real world value” of your patient rebate when you see a doctor every year?”

    • darkb on 05/06/2022 - 11:10
      +9

      Agree that our perception of the issue needs to be reframed. Doctors/medical services are not letting down Australians - in fact they are making the most of a significantly underfunded health system.

      Australians should be demanding their government do more with their tax dollars for their health.
      See below picture for visual representation of how the government has failed us
      https://imgur.com/a/5nV4QoS

  • DemocracyManifest on 05/06/2022 - 11:13
    +1

    Change GPs, our area went from zero bulk billing to 5 of them, and it was no doubt due to a growing population and people stopped paying them. Most of the time you should be able to get a sick note from a chemist, our local guy is awesome and does it for free but I don't tell anybody as it would be abused

  • CandyMan on 05/06/2022 - 18:10
    +1

    Theres been a freeze on Medicare rebates for many tears, Roughly GP’s get $40/consult.
    Considering inflation, consumables, insurance, running costs that’s not a lot.
    So basically its the govt fault for this happening. GPs are allowed to charge for services, charge a co payment or just bulk bill. Many GPS don’t charge extra for pensioners/health card holders etc..
    Basically the govt pushed GP to charge the co payment they couldn’t implement a few years back by freezing Medicare rebates!

  • serpserpserp on 05/06/2022 - 20:57

    Didn't Tones and Co freeze medicare a few years back?

    • Varoufakis on 07/06/2022 - 16:10

      It was Bill Shorten that started it.

      • serpserpserp on 07/06/2022 - 19:34

        Oh that was right. A temporary measure that the LNP made permanent.

  • cycleri3 on 05/06/2022 - 22:58

    Tell them you can no longer afford to use them for your doctors certificates for work and switch to another clinic that bulk bills.

  • Lion007 on 06/06/2022 - 03:47
    +2

    Medical clinics work on a split percentage with practitioners. Doctors spend years of training and deserve the pay they get, look how much they have helped and put their lives on the line during this pandemic.

    A clinic has rent, overheads, staff, over time etc to pay. Bulk billing makes most clinics run on small margins or in the negative on weekends. A lot suffered during the pandemic trying to do a service for the community.

    Would you own a business where you only made $10K for the year? No. Hence, a business is still a business and the Govt doesn’t want to increase Medicare rebates to levels that are acceptable, then a part payment is the only way forward

    • [Deactivated] on 06/06/2022 - 07:16
      -5

      put their lives on the line during this pandemic.

      Cool story

    • cycleri3 on 06/06/2022 - 11:01
      +1

      Maybe they should raise the medicare levy then. I rather pay extra tax than have to ozbargain style shop around for doctors, especially for those that don't have the cash. Healthcare should be universal.

  • eudai on 06/06/2022 - 12:18

    I've seen this for years, mostly when living closer to the city. Thankfully there have always been other GP's around that do it fully bulk billed.

    what about people who get sick regular. Will they have to pay a fortune to save their life?

    Basically, yes

    Or at least now they have an incentive to get healthy.

    This is a very American way of thinking.

    Is it case with all the clinics?

    No

    If it is legal why aren't all the clinics not doing it?

    Because some clinics, and people, inherintly believe in free health care through taxation. This is Australia, we have free health care, we have the dole, disability pension etc… It is the Australian way of life.

  • ArrogantGeek on 06/06/2022 - 14:26

    Given that every GP I have visited in the past few years seem so incompetent. Havn't left one in a while thinking my visit was worthwhile. Not worth the visit even when fully bulk billed.

    • [Deactivated] on 06/06/2022 - 14:29
      -1

      100% true

      • Amaris on 06/06/2022 - 23:23

        The person who thinks "preventive medicine" is about preventing diseases with medicine believes GPs are incompetent…… 😂 😂 😂

        • [Deactivated] on 07/06/2022 - 06:52
          -2

          I know about prevention. I have only one issue with the word medicine. You can't prevent disease with medicine. Prevention of diseases will be achieved only with diet and lifestyle

          • dmcneice on 07/06/2022 - 09:16
            -1

            @[Deactivated]: You must be antivax as well then I take it

            • [Deactivated] on 07/06/2022 - 09:34
              -2

              @dmcneice: What's your logic? Medicine and vaccines are panaceas? Why a lot of people are dying still in Australia despite high vaccine rates? Why do the media stop highlighting breakthrough cases and unvaccinated people in hospitals? Because people who are dying and spreading are vaccinated. Doctors aren't saviours of humankind. They are just medical reps.

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