Medical Centre No Longer Bulk Billing - Requiring Copay

random12 on 20/08/2022 - 21:18
Last edited 20/08/2022 - 21:19

I know there have been new articles and doctors whinging about the medicare care rebate not being raised for ever.

My local medical centre just announced that they are moving to a copay system. Now its going to cost $80 for a consult, and medicare rebate is $39.75, so the person pays $40 out of pocket.

The doctors claim they are going broke by just taking the current $39.75. I don't think that is the case. But even if it is, in what world does someone go from claiming to be going broke to doubling their revenue.

Health & Beauty

Comments

  • Brucet on 20/08/2022 - 21:23
    +80

    Go to other medical centre.

    • SF3 on 21/08/2022 - 00:20
      +38

      OP has it in for Medicare no matter where he goes all the way to KFC Chip Box Poorly Filled.

      A quote “If you run into an butthole in the morning, you ran into an butthole. If you run into buttholes all day, you're the butthole.”

      • Superjesus on 21/08/2022 - 11:08
        +6

        Going down the rabbit hole of OPs post was a great way to spend the morning.

      • WeHaveRicePudding on 21/08/2022 - 11:18
        +8

        OP should change their username to sook12. Nothing random about any of those posts.

    • darkb on 21/08/2022 - 08:00
      +83

      I agree with the sentiment of "vote with your feet" however no fee/gap high quality GP consultations are not sustainable and soon we won't be able to "go to another clinic" unless we demand more from the federal Government.

      It has reached crisis point where it's no longer sustainable for GP clinics to operate - which are at the end of the day private businesses and are forced to pass on these costs or close just like any other business.

      The Medicare subsidy/rebate is OUR tax dollars and for ~10 years the Government has not increased it to fund cost effective GP led healthcare (a standard consult currently ~$39 adjusted for inflation should be ~$85). Healthcare is a fundamental human right - and if we have money to spend on the Olympics, submarines, tanks, bailing out private companies like Qantas we can spend it on our most important asset.

      If we want cost effective usage of our tax dollars and keep one of the best things about our healthcare system we need to make as much noise as possible by writing to our local members of parliament and the health minister [email protected]

      • srhardy on 21/08/2022 - 09:36
        -1

        without medicare a doctors consult is now $150 for <10min and my VET for my dog, charges $80 so medicare's paying $39 is an affront to Doctors!

        next PENSIONS and RENT ASSISTANCE is now a joke too. We got our debt to 1T in under 10 years with 10% inflation but the doc gets $39 and the pensioner gets about $1100 fortnight inc rent assistance! Rents now $300+ a week shared or more!!! Goverments are always on about tax theft (god forbid they fix the loopholes in exporting our energy/minerals) but cheating thoes that rely on them, all day, every day! But work for them, like a public servant, well its all properly indexed and funded

      • random12 on 21/08/2022 - 11:07
        -4

        Should a consult really be $85?

        Like there are many quick consults ( for example , just picking up scripts ) that are a quick 5mins and easy money for a doctor.

        • BargainBenno on 21/08/2022 - 12:24
          +3

          Agree. For a script pickup there should be bulk billing but you dont see the dr.

        • eldudebrothers on 21/08/2022 - 12:48
          +5

          Good clinics allocate 15-20mins per patient. You are paying for the total time and they cant just see an extra patient with 5 mins notice.

        • darkb on 21/08/2022 - 13:11
          +14

          Yes I think that's a reasonable cost.

          It's not $85, it's $46 out of pocket ($85-$39 rebate that you get back).
          For $46 you get a professional with over 10 years of training to make an assessment of your request and provide you advice.

          In your example a prescription - it may appear to be quick but they assess the appropriateness/effectiveness of the medication, consider alternatives and monitoring…time permitting they may even consider and recommend age appropriate opportunistic health activities such as vaccinations, cancer screening and other investigations that could pick up early problems.

          $46 is a bargain to maintain one's health - as I said above our biggest asset. The ROI on this one is infinite…

          • [Deactivated] on 22/08/2022 - 08:06
            +2

            @darkb: Also don't forget that GP's pay between 30 to 35 percent of their billings to the clinic. It's called service fee

        • Krankite on 22/08/2022 - 09:33
          +1

          Should a consult really be $85? Yes. But does every trip to the GP actually need a doctor? Probably not.

          Unfortunately the AMA, which is basically the doctors union, has made sure that pretty much anything in the health system requires a doctor. There is no reason pharmacists or nurse's couldn't take over as a first step and then bump everything non-routine to a GP.

          • Other on 22/08/2022 - 15:15
            +2

            @Krankite: Pretty much. You could get clinical nurses for 50% of the stuff.
            But AMA have a lock down on it.
            Now foreign doctors are the clinical nurses. Hire en mass, and drop into a medical clinic - don't worry about the bs experience they have.

            Ironically if we made clinical nurses we could probably close the gender pay gap.

            But better to keep it open for poorly foreign trained doctors.

            • this is us on 23/08/2022 - 16:35
              +4

              @Other: Not sure which "bs foreign doctors" you are talking about but I believe you have no idea of the process an overseas trained doctor has to follow to be able to practise in Australia. It's easier for doctors from UK/Ireland, but for everyone else it can be a 5 to 10-year long tortuous and expensive pathway. AHPRA registration and specialist colleges charge around $5,000 for the first assessment, another $5,000 for exams, and another $7,000 for the registration (if the previous processes are completed successfully and have a positive outcome, which is normally not the case).

              Also, nurses are equally being imported from overseas and many can't even speak the language, can't have a communication with staff or patients. I honestly don't know how some of them passed the English exam to practise in Australia.

              Nurses union are much more organised and relevant than doctors union… Nurses were doing a strike months ago, they always complain when things are not going well, and demand changes that are often done by the governments…

              Doctors don't do anything. Many don't have AMA/ASMOF/etc membership or, if they have, they just pay and have no idea what that is for.

              The truth is that Australia depends and will depend more and more on overseas workforce. AHPRA/Medical Board are horrendous and the processes are so stupidly overregulated (with the excuse of being "safe") that many professionals from overseas just give up, or don't even start.

              I could start an AMA (ask me anything, not Australian Medical Association) and most people here would be shocked to know how things really work, but I don't really have the time.

              Regarding Medicare rebates, there is only the (current and previous) governments to blame really. AMA has a recommended table which is updated regularly, but that's completely ignored by the government.

          • [Deactivated] on 22/08/2022 - 18:20
            +1

            @Krankite: Kind of a shit union, gives them extra demand for no $$$, leaves them overworked and underpaid. The AMA is in it for themselves (and specialists, not GPs) more than anyone else. The RACGP should be the actual union but they’re apparently useless.

            • Other on 23/08/2022 - 05:23
              -3

              @[Deactivated]: AMA are not specialists.

              Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS). It is the representative body and licensing body.

              One issue with RACS is that if there is too many people graduating they will continue to train but not allow them to be recognised.
              This encourages our Surgeons to go overseas (UK, US, etc) to get the 'experience' required, etc.
              But at least you know the general quality of the Surgeon, unlike Doctors in a medical clinic….
              Because its quite hard to become a Surgeon (requiring high level of skill, english, science and drug knowledge, etc), certain ethnic groups have been known to complain and obviously it wouldn't be difficult to suggest these groups may claim racism.

              Its quite clear that this is the best way forward - bodies that lose their licensing powers become husks of themselves - see below.

              Perhaps like the representative bodies, Unions, and all public organizations, the AMA board seem to be in it for the Benefits for those who sit at the top, perhaps even more so than the membership they claim to represent, which occurs to many public organizations. Much like my opinion of Law Society's imho.
              There are number of non-Anglo sounding surnames who sit on the AMA Board: Di Dio, Capolingua, Tam, Manoharan, Kunwar.
              I certainly could be called racist for mentioning that fact. But I think it obvious that Doctors who are part of, say, an Indian community, could be influenced by members of that community, especially if they shared the same profession.

              Also the more members the more fees = $$$ + more benefits to everyone involved in the organisation.

              If Clinical Nurses start doing it = Less fees, as we would need less Doctors.

              So we have decreasing quality from the AMA, especially in regional areas.
              And monopolistic power by the RACS (which actually seems like a good idea, apart from pay being too high - but can you blame them from witnessing the AMA?)..

        • antzz on 24/08/2022 - 12:47

          Quick back of the envelope calculation. with assumption of 10 minutes per patient, 6 hour practice time and 5 days a week - 220 days a year working (44 weeks) with 8 weeks off / year

          Bulk bill - $39/ patient - max of 7920 Patients or $308K per Year.

          if the clinic is only 80% average full, with 35% of revenue is for admin salary, electricity, insurance etc. the Doctor will have takehome pay of only $160K per year which is below average GP takehome pay of around $200K per year

      • juki on 21/08/2022 - 21:05
        +2

        if you have a letter template for the lazy illiterate ozbargainers i'd be happy to spam the guy

    • HeWhoKnows on 21/08/2022 - 20:51
      +9

      OP Should consult thier lawyer about this and see how much that costs them!

      OP should consider Doctors have a right to make a living just like anyone else
      Unlike OP they have staff to pay, utilities, office rent, phones, internet, stationary, parking fees, medical supplies, update seminars, licensing fees etc etc etc

      OP will find that with Co-payment, doctors can offord to spend more time with you.

      However as others have pointed out, OP can just go to another Doctor or medical centre
      Those still bulk billing will only see you for one or 2 problems and limit visit to about 5-10mins
      Its the only way to make the medicare system work for them

      • JonSteele on 22/08/2022 - 20:04
        +1

        Some Shonky doctors though especially in QLD hard to find good ones these days.

    • jowu15 on 21/08/2022 - 21:27

      Where to find a bulk billed doctor? I tried a few, they all require copayment

    • dangerdanger on 22/08/2022 - 12:32
      +14

      1972 : GP visit cost $8.20.
      If you just increased that $8.20 at the rate of CPI (inflation), in 2022 that would now be… $89.

      So if your 2022 GP is charging $80, they're charging UNDER inflation.

      The OP needs to get over it. GP services have been underfunded forever. You don't get free milk at the supermarket, and yet you want free medical care.

      • SteveM on 22/08/2022 - 14:41
        +6

        We don't pre-pay for our milk out of our taxes though. If I did, I WOULD want free milk at the supermarket.

        • dangerdanger on 22/08/2022 - 14:49
          +14

          And there is your argument : you pre-paid the Australian Govt for your healthcare.
          The Aust Govt are the ones not delivering on your (our) tax dollar… not funding GP services in line with CPI, and making GPs under-resourced.
          So the only way a GP (a small business) can recoup their costs is to on-charge the customer (patient).

          GPs are not public servants, or charity services. They pay fees to insurance, they pay for electricity, rent, they even employ other staff in their rooms. They balance their books by charging a gap (and rightly so).

          Public hospitals however ARE under federal and state govt care, and under their money.
          But same same - under-resourced, under-funded, etc etc

        • Other on 22/08/2022 - 15:18
          +4

          I would argue you pay them for Hospitals and things like cancer treatment.
          - Not I need a insurance checkup or I need medical certificate, or I have a cough give me antibiotics.
          Now watch me buy a keyboard for $100, a graphics card for $2,000 or a lego set for $300.

          • dangerdanger on 22/08/2022 - 15:23
            +4

            @Other: Correct Other!
            People spend $$$ on devices and subscriptions and all manner of crap, but heaven forbid pay for their own health.

  • mbck on 20/08/2022 - 21:31
    +48

    Maybe they've been absorbing costs for so long they can't absorb anymore?

    And yeah medicare rebate was frozen for a couple of years imagine if your salary was frozen for that many years. Maybe you'll be 'whinging' too.

      • avoidfullprice on 20/08/2022 - 21:55
        +44

        https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/446222

        I like you were sick of low wage growth, but when doctors decide to do something about their income you don’t think is okay.

        Okay.

      • morse on 21/08/2022 - 02:37
        +8

        Doctors are a little bit special.

        • srhardy on 21/08/2022 - 09:42
          +18

          My vet charges $80 for 10min, no treatment, thats on top. My GP gets $39 ~ wow

          • DemocracyManifest on 21/08/2022 - 17:11
            -1

            @srhardy: Yeah but bulk billing clinics practically have clients every 10 minutes 6 days a week. That’s the difference. Doctors have it pretty good, if they were salaried they would be earning much less in a gov run centre

            • [Deactivated] on 22/08/2022 - 18:26
              +1

              @DemocracyManifest: And for everyone of those there’s several other GPs who need to spend twice as long as the consult on unpaid work so their patients actually get the care they need.

              They’d probably get benefits in a govt run center, and paid for work, not just face to face time, but that would probably result in some sort of efficiency dividend that required them to spend less time on patient care….

          • zathras on 22/08/2022 - 17:45

            @srhardy: Are you a centaur?

      • jhaley3180 on 21/08/2022 - 08:37
        +1

        Maybe everyone's salary has been growing at a slow rate. But it hasn't been 'frozen'… Furthermore, most wage earners don't need to pay the insurance costs doctors and clinics need to pay. Even if you think that no other consumable costs have increased, these insurance costs have massively increased in the past 10 years… At some point something is going to give.

      • parisienne on 21/08/2022 - 20:32

        Umm, remember that when you,your offspring genetic material or those that gave you your genetic material are needing medical attention…..and show them this comment first.I hope they see you all as "special" as you think they are.

      • [Deactivated] on 22/08/2022 - 18:17
        +2

        People who run businesses don’t just have wages, they have expenses, if those expenses are going up most businesses raise prices, especially if they’re in demand and no body bothered investing in training more to provide competition. (And who would be a GP anyway when most jobs with half the requirements have better pay and hours).

        The fact that some have managed to take pay cuts for a decade to keep providing care to the vulnerable isn’t something you’d see in any other profession or even unionized workplace.

      • CocaKoala on 22/08/2022 - 22:43
        +1

        Everyones salary has been basically frozen for the past decade. Doctors are not special.

        No, and no.

    • HeWhoKnows on 21/08/2022 - 20:54

      100%

    • jowu15 on 21/08/2022 - 21:29
      +1

      Doctor has been cutting down consultation time from 15mins to 5mins a patient

  • trustnoone on 20/08/2022 - 21:34
    +1

    I imagine both is happening here. Just like gas prices go up 50c a litre, so gas companies increase the cost by $1. Or fruits/vegetables are increasing by a dollar, so stores are increasing it by $2.
    I imagine many medical centres may need an increase due to medicare hardly moving. But I also imagine a lot of them are trying to get more out of it.

    You know how they say, give someone and inch and they'll take a mile.

    • AustriaBargain on 20/08/2022 - 21:37
      +8

      If their bookings are full and they think they will stay full even at $80, then they'd be crazy not to double their prices.

      • trustnoone on 20/08/2022 - 21:42
        +1

        You're not wrong. I guess I'm saying you can take advantage of hearing about the rising cost, to increase the customers appetite to pay more. Where one wouldn't be full bookings at $80 before, may be able to now that everyones been hearing that GPs are rising costs. Even if that rise wasn't that much.

        • AustriaBargain on 20/08/2022 - 21:45
          +1

          I think even at bulk billing rates some doctors are not quite worth their money. But don't you want to see a doctor that's worth $80 instead of one that has to settle for a job worth $40?

          • Jugganautx on 21/08/2022 - 09:06

            @AustriaBargain: If they can get $80 for the same effort as $40 why would they actually want to try harder?

      • Blitz001 on 21/08/2022 - 11:49
        +1

        Ah, the good ol’ American way.

    • hueylewis on 21/08/2022 - 22:31
      +2

      gas prices? gas? per litre?

  • AustriaBargain on 20/08/2022 - 21:35
    +2

    Doctors can choose to bulk bill you if they want to, even if their clinic says they don't bulk bill. Though if a patient is worth $80 now and you're only offering $40, then you'd probably want to prove financial hardship with a health care card at least.

  • TheBird on 20/08/2022 - 21:37
    +10

    Seems a little ironic coming from you.

    Weren't you saying:
    "A 7% raise just maintains purchasing power. It does not even take into account increased skills, responsibility or progression through the year.
    The loyal people that stay at companies are always given the 'loyalty tax' in terms of reduced wages."
    in this thread. https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/713547

    If they haven't had their rate raised for ever… have you thought they want to stay loyal but not take a perpetual series of pay cuts?

    • 7ekn00 on 20/08/2022 - 21:48
      +2

      But that only applies to the entitled! Don't you know that others that work for the entitled are exempt from anything that was said by the entitled!

      Words for me, that do not apply to thee ;)

    • random12 on 21/08/2022 - 01:34
      -7

      7% raise is quite different to a 100% raise.

      • JaneSong on 21/08/2022 - 15:40
        -4

        Yeah, it's like the Doctors think we cannot count, but seriously they did a science degree. Math is compulsory to get a medical license. They think we are fools and are downvoting us into oblivion, but we know the truth.

        • DemocracyManifest on 21/08/2022 - 17:12
          +1

          They just won’t be able to afford the top range Range Rover

  • bobbified on 20/08/2022 - 21:49
    +18

    A fee of $40 per person for 5-10 minutes is really not enough for a doctor to function properly without rushing. That's about $240/hour or approx $2000 for an eight hour day, assuming they're flat out during the whole day (a lot of who are not always flat out).

    From that, they still have to pay rent, the receptionist salary, equipment and other necessities to run their practice.

    They can make more money by rushing people through, but would you really want a doctor who is more focussed on making money?

    • djkelly69 on 20/08/2022 - 22:18
      -7

      So only ~$400k a year?

      • bobbified on 20/08/2022 - 22:41
        +19

        $400K would be around the total turnover.

        The amount of work and effort to become a doctor is huge. A lot of GPs would be lucky to take home even half of that as their gross salary before tax.

        • tanksinatra on 21/08/2022 - 07:22
          +15

          That money also has to pay for the entire practice including the GP, nurse, reception, rent etc. The GP themselves will see a lot less than half.

          • djkelly69 on 21/08/2022 - 10:15
            +9

            @tanksinatra: That $400k is per doctor. Almost all are part of a practice so that they share the business expenses.

            • bobbified on 21/08/2022 - 13:26
              +1

              @djkelly69: I remember there used to be plenty of standalone practices but it seems lots have moved into medical centres - most likely because costs to run their own business have gone up so much, leaving them no choice.

              Also, the $400K figure is the best-case-scenario if they're constantly busy without any downtime at all.

              • Other on 22/08/2022 - 15:24

                @bobbified: So they make $300k instead as they share the costs.
                Or $250k ?

                $250k is very low.

                • bobbified on 22/08/2022 - 15:44

                  @Other: I don't know what the actual difference in costs are between running a standalone practice vs the costs of a shared practice is. But it's quite obvious that a shared practice will have smaller costs because of the economies of scale.

                  $250k is very low.

                  That's within the typical range of a GP. Specialists can get way more than that.

          • bawdygeorge on 21/08/2022 - 10:23

            @tanksinatra: Those costs are shared with other doctors in the practice.

          • Other on 22/08/2022 - 15:23

            @tanksinatra: Doctors have service trusts to share the expenses.

      • brendanm on 21/08/2022 - 10:13
        +14

        Yes, turnover is the same as profit 🙄 Do people honestly think it's free to run a business, pay staff, lease buildings etc etc?

    • [Deactivated] on 22/08/2022 - 18:33
      +3

      The $39 rebate is for a minimum 10-20 minutes, it’s less for less than 10 minutes. Then there will be the unpaid work around that calling patients about their results etc.

      • bobbified on 22/08/2022 - 18:46

        According to the MBS website, $39.75 is for a consultation that's less than 20 minutes. It doesn't seem to break down the session times any further.

        But even then, that rebate itself is not that much.

        • [Deactivated] on 22/08/2022 - 18:53

          From the website, that’s a Level B consultation

          for cases that are not obvious or straightforward in relation to one or more health related issues.

          But yes, the main point is it’s unlikely to be 5-10 minutes and can be 20 face to face and more outside that.

          5 minutes is more like a script repeat for an existing manager issue that had a longer consultation earlier.

  • Stopback on 20/08/2022 - 21:51
    +3

    Bulk bill should be a 5 min maximum appointment. Only way for them to make money.

    • Trying2SaveABuck on 20/08/2022 - 22:18
      +8

      some people take 5mins to talk in the room….

      • Keplaffintech on 21/08/2022 - 09:05
        +2

        Then that appointment won't be bulk billed.

        Typically a consultation for a prescription repeat is a 30 second conversation that isn't worth $80

        • [Deactivated] on 22/08/2022 - 18:37

          The $39 rebate requires a minimum 10 minutes to be spent in the consultation. A decent GP will do more than just print a script as well, and if your issues are managed you shouldn’t need frequent visits for scripts. The rort is worthless medical certificates that are pointless and impossible to get from a decent GP anything but retrospectively.

    • random12 on 21/08/2022 - 01:51

      Some people only need to see the doctor for a very short period of time. I know my parents. They have to go at least once every 6 months just to get a new prescription. They go just to get the scripts. Nothing else.

      Like all things I would assume that the distribution of consultations is fairly stable for GPs. There are a certain % that are fast in and out. There are some that are bit longer.

      • [Deactivated] on 21/08/2022 - 10:52
        +4

        Go to Burwood NSW. In and out consultations within minutes of each other.

        The problem is that doctors always diagnose quickly, even if they know it is wrong and they always have this disclaimer to tell you to go back. They palm off any symptoms and ask you to come back… This feeds their pockets and is despicable behaviour, but it happens all the time.

        You don't ever see a legal professional doing that. It is almost a world of difference between the two professions.

        • pndl on 21/08/2022 - 19:22
          +1

          People just follow incentives. Customers demand bulk bill and no out of pockets. Doctors do what it takes to deliver on that demand.

        • [Deactivated] on 23/08/2022 - 02:02
          +2

          The legal profession would bill you 6 hours for every hour they (sorry their paralegal) works on your issue. You’ll get the bill at the end which you were told would be $5000 max and it’ll be $75,000.

          A world of difference, a lawyer wouldn’t leave a voice mail for $39.

          In other news, find the shittiest practice likely not even run by a doctor (probably run by a lawyer) and pretend that’s all of them. If only the government rewarded good care properly instead of incentivizing parasites and driving people to other professions.

      • [Deactivated] on 22/08/2022 - 18:45
        +2

        The distribution of quick vs longer consultations varies significantly between GPs, some have been in the same area for years and have older patients with complex needs that require a ton of unpaid work as well. Others are new and see mostly young healthy workers looking for medical certificates.

        A proper GP isn’t just going to issue a script without doing a general check of any new issues etc as well as spending time before the consultation to familiarize themselves with the patients file etc. The point of GPs is to spot issues early when they’re easier to treat and more survivable.

        There’s a reason the proportion of people doing medicine going on to become GPs has dropped, it’s a shit job no one sane would do for the money. If you’re bright enough to be a GP you’re better off becoming a specialist or going into a non medical profession. More $$$ and less hours in either.

      • Nucleus Acumbens on 24/12/2022 - 23:53

        Don't think about it in terms of how long your appointment is for. Don't even think of it in terms of what it's for. Think of it in terms of the doctor knowing what to write the script for and then being the gatekeeper for whatever is on the script.

        Seriously though, next time you're sick, save the $40 and just use google, it's free.

  • cookie2 on 20/08/2022 - 21:53
    +6

    I need to see doctors for maintenance blood tests and follow ups regarding treatments. If i had to pay out of pocket it would impact the level of care I get as i would defer appointments, try and maximise how and what I discuss in appointments and general would delay care more than current. This payment crap is maddness.

    • AustriaBargain on 20/08/2022 - 22:03
      -1

      If it's $40 now and should be $80, so a 4% medicare levy vs 2%?

      4% would still be better and cheaper than what they deal with in the US.

      • cookie2 on 21/08/2022 - 07:15
        +10

        GP should be free for all. Just because it is less than another country, doesn't mean it's ok for Australia. And using the US as the indicator is horrible as their system is horrid and we should want to stay as far away as possible from their style of healthcare.

      • [Deactivated] on 22/08/2022 - 18:48
        +1

        The Medicare levy goes into consolidated revenue and GPs are a pretty small part of health spending.

        • AustriaBargain on 22/08/2022 - 19:09

          I did think about that but then thought frack it. Are GPs the only ones being massively underpaid if they bulk bill? A lot of specialists I see have a large gap, so they must be getting paid more than a doctor working in a state operated service and bulk billing everyone with a healthcare card. If bulk billing doctors could be paid as competitively as private doctors who choose not to bulk bill, then it would probably improve the quality of care for the poorest Australians more than those who can already easily afford the gap. GPs could have more freedom to quit and work where they want if their pay was more even no matter where they worked. If working just with disadvantaged women from poorer suburbs paid the same as working at an elite clinic on the beachside of Sydney, then I think a lot of doctors would follow their hearts and passions and choose to work with people who need their skills the most. "The gap" has to be contributing to a healthcare class divide.

          • dmcneice on 22/08/2022 - 19:31
            +4

            @AustriaBargain: GP here.

            General Practice only accounts for around 4.2-6.8% of total health expenditure. You could say "raise the levy", but barely any would trickle down to increased medicare rebates.

    • Clear on 21/08/2022 - 00:44
      +1

      I pay out of pocket because bulk billing practices are almost non existent. For specialist appointments private health has never been better. Getting my monies worth.

      • cookie2 on 21/08/2022 - 07:12

        My specialist appointments are paid, wish they were covered under my health insurance. In saying th, specialist appointments aren't as often as GP and get a much higher level of care, knowledge and support so is worth it.

      • El-Rhi on 22/08/2022 - 10:38
        +2

        Which health insurer pays for specialist appointments?

        • Clear on 22/08/2022 - 10:42

          Hospital and extras will cover some specialist fees depending on your cover. Normally I'm only out of pocket for the anesthetist.

          • [Deactivated] on 23/08/2022 - 20:19

            @Clear: They generally don’t cover things that receive a Medicare rebate. So surgery sure, consults not related to procedures no.

            • Clear on 23/08/2022 - 21:25

              @[Deactivated]: Obviously. My appointments include procedures and it's all covered under that.

              Worth noting that I work with all my specialists so there's certainly a level of extra care.

              • [Deactivated] on 25/08/2022 - 11:02

                @Clear: Your insurance isn’t covering consultations, they’re just accepting the Medicare rebate as full payment for those and the insurance covers any procedures, that’s definitely a professional courtesy that some specialists extend to people they work with and even some family members of those they work with.

                There’s plenty of (most) specialists out there that will charge you out of pocket gaps if you’re not a colleague.

        • larndis on 23/08/2022 - 20:47
          +2

          By law, private health insurance does not offer cover for out-of-hospital medical services including:

          • GP visits
          • consultations with specialists in their rooms
          • out-of-hospital diagnostic imaging and tests.

          https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/private-health-insur…

          However, private health insurance may cover some services where there is no medicare rebate, i.e. dentist, physio

          • Nucleus Acumbens on 25/12/2022 - 00:02

            @larndis: The specialist's rooms may be in a hospital and when you go to see your specialist they admit you into hospital as a day patient and then charge you the medicare rebate and PHI rebate at no out of pocket cost to their patient/s.

    • bobkin on 21/08/2022 - 11:51
      +1

      Most GP practices bulk bill chronic disease management plans and reviews, even if they otherwise charge a gap for regular appointments. Patients are eligible for a new care plan every 12 months and reviews every 3 months. This is a good option for people with chronic conditions who have to go to the doctor regularly for scripts and monitoring.

    • sqrt on 21/08/2022 - 17:58
      +2

      Medicare has a safety net cap - once you pay a certain amount each year, you get back 80-100% of future out of pocket expenses
      https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/what-are-medicare-safet…

      • AustriaBargain on 22/08/2022 - 19:13
        +1

        I guess it pays to time your chronic illness, so it starts at the beginning of the year and you can hit that cap sooner.

        • [Deactivated] on 23/08/2022 - 02:06
          +1

          If you have a chronic illness it will probably be every year, so best to delay getting chronically ill as long as possible.

  • eldudebrothers on 20/08/2022 - 22:05
    +60

    GP here, your GP has one job, to care for you and your family. In Australia, this is mostly funded by the federal government, in the form of a Medicare rebate.

    If you are as angry as we are GP’s mostly work in privately owned and operated practices. There are many costs, including staff wages and medical equipment. We all know that the cost of living has increased in recent years, and costs to medical practices are no different. In fact, medical equipment costs increase at more than twice the rate of inflation every year . Despite the increase in costs, which are being felt by everyone, the government has not increased the Medicare rebate enough to support your ongoing healthcare. In reality, Medicare rebates have barely increased in the last 10 years. Labor started the Medicare “freeze” in 2013, and the Liberal coalition continued it. As a result, the current funding for General Practice is less than half of what it should be if it had kept up with real world costs.

    We don't get sick leave, parental leave, annual leave etc…It takes 12 years on average to become a GP and the rate medical graduates are becoming one is significantly dropping. I have seen many of my colleagues burnt out and some have stopped practicing or retiring early.

    I mainly see mental health as that's my passion but this means I have to see less patients a hour, maybe 2 or 3 and if I bulk billed, I would have to change career because I would most likely get bankrupt. In addition, we spend thousands on insurance, education, colleague and registration fees, equipment and practice fees.

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