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

    • May4th on 22/08/2022 - 21:53
      +1

      I'm silently knowing a lot indeed but probably not the ones you are thinking

    • [Deactivated] on 23/08/2022 - 01:43
      +4

      My interests are I know several GPs, but I am not one (I knew some growing up so their stress levels and work hours were a good reason to avoid the whole medical field!) There are undoubtedly GPs out there like you claim, I know, because the GPs I know bitch about them. But outside city clinics they’re reasonably rare because people that really want money instead of providing care generally become specialists. So much of being a GP is dealing with people at a personal level, people who end up seeing the same GP their parents did, and their kids will.

      Until very recently most GPs I know bulk billed children etc even at private billing practices, now some are starting to limit bulk billing to health care card holders.

      Your inner thoughts seem to have been crafted some way from this reality.

      I can’t imagine what bizzare fantasy situation you have constructed where a patient has sought help before a price increase? So, they have their consultation before the price increase? They’ll probably have a bunch of free follow up and then they’re free to see whoever for future treatment, though it’s probably going to be a specialist who has never bulk billed! They’ll probably have the GP (unpaid) have to write up a referral for them also. Repeat visits are often (but increasingly less often) bulk billed.

      I’m sure there’s lots of patients that doctors would rather leave, I know one GP who recently moved to a private billing practice after 40 years in a bulk billing practice, and they remarked at how much less often they have to call the police on violent patients.

      But yeah, definitely dismiss anyone who’s ever met a GP as being irrelevant and go on imagining the reality as you see it rather than getting answers from anyone that might know.

      • dangerdanger on 23/08/2022 - 08:01
        +1

        Some people choose to believe what they want to believe and nothing else. I think Trump and the pandemic made them think it's even more real.

  • FlexBargain on 23/08/2022 - 07:22
    +5

    If I need to see a engineer or a lawyer, even at the billable hours, it's going to cost me a lot more than $40 out of pocket to access their professional knowledge and authority.

    For those who can't afford it, the centre I go to at least, has options such as offering bulk billed slots per day, the rest are co pay.

    One change I noticed is even if I rang the centre when the phones opened at 7am I may have to wait 3-4 days for an appointment at best. Since this change an appointment on the day is not uncommon.

  • User123321 on 23/08/2022 - 07:27
    -1

    All the people saying stop complaining and pay are what's wrong with this country and why it will end up a 3rd world $hithole and that's the absolute truth

    • dangerdanger on 23/08/2022 - 07:46
      +2

      Let me guess, you go to work.. and you expect to get paid so you can pay your bills. But GPs :don't pay them! Good logic. Imagine a world where everyone gets free plumbing work, or electrical work or supermarket food. Imagine train drivers working for free (look at nsw rail problems today). Lawyers and engineers not billing by the minute. Wow.

      This OP : angry that his GP has to bill a gap to keep up with stagnant Medicare rebates and income… and yet he is also sick his own wage doesn't rise.

      That's what's wrong with this situation : the level of entitlement and expectation that medical care is free.

  • MessyG on 23/08/2022 - 12:11
    +5

    Just here to lend support to the GP's on this forum. The public has fallen hook, line, and sinker for the 'greedy GP's' riff perpetuated by the establishment to ensure that Medicare can continue to be unashamedly stripped right in front of them.

    You're incredible and us non-GP specialists can't live without you.

    And for for f*** sake people. General practice HAS BEEN A SPECIALTY SINCE THE 1990S, HAS A ROYAL COLLEGE, AN ENTRANCE EXAM AND FOUR SPECIALIST EXAMS BEFORE YOU CAN QUALIFY LIKE EVERY OTHER SPECIALTY SO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS DONE HERE.

    • FairlyHappy on 23/08/2022 - 12:26

      Someone needs to pay for that you realise? This isn't socialism.

      • [Deactivated] on 23/08/2022 - 16:07
        +1

        Ironically our system is way cheaper for both the taxpayer AND patients than countries with less socialized healthcare. And the pandemic proved yet again that having other people being healthy benefits the community as a whole, not just the individual. Doubly so having a system set up to serve the entire population so it’s ready in a crisis.

  • FairlyHappy on 23/08/2022 - 12:23
    -2

    I see a pattern of doctors mentioning that this is our rebate and we should fight for it?

    Why should we do that? You do realise every taxpayer goes to funding it. You fight for that rebate and it just goes into the pockets of the GPs and no extra additional service is provided than otherwise required.

    This is inefficiency at its best.

    The Medicare Rebate is NOT your Rebate.

    Cut it out with the propaganda. We all see it. If doctors really want "their rebate", go pay for it.

    • MessyG on 23/08/2022 - 13:01
      +6

      No it doesn't. GP's have already explained in detail on this thread where that rebate goes - it pays to run the business and everyone in it. FFS, stop willingly simping for the destruction of Medicare.

    • [Deactivated] on 23/08/2022 - 16:11

      They don’t really need the rebate, their patients do, patients pay out of pocket and get the rebate back. The problem is if people put off swing the doctor because they can’t afford it, it ends up costing the taxpayer more later to deal with something that could have been treated earlier more cheaply and with better outcomes.

      If they didn’t care about their patients they’d probably double their charges again, and probably be better off financially with half the work.

    • dangerdanger on 23/08/2022 - 16:36
      +4

      Why should we do that?

      Because if you don't, then you foot the full bill

      The Medicare Rebate is NOT your Rebate.

      Correct. It's your (the patient's) rebate. So patients (you) should fight for it to be increased to match the full cost of running the health service, or the patient (you) will pay the shortfall (gap).

      If doctors really want "their rebate", go pay for it

      Correct. Drs don't want YOUR rebate. They just want their ~$80 for service provided. So you should go and get your rebate from the govt.

      Personally what you think on this forum is irrelevant. Drs are charging gaps, like it or leave it. You can continue your expectations of 'free' till the cows come home.

      As Yoda might say, "I sense the entitlement is strong in you".

  • locknuts on 23/08/2022 - 13:51
    +1

    Copay everywhere. Except for veterans…maybe. Then cut taxes in half. Oh yeah.

  • xdigger on 23/08/2022 - 14:03
    +1

    If we spend more on healthcare to maintain our universal free healthcare system in Australia, how would we be able to afford all the shiny nuclear submarines Scomo promised to buy from the USA that would make us a nuclear target?

    • [Deactivated] on 23/08/2022 - 16:12

      It’s generally cheaper to cut out that concerning mole than pay for chemotherapy. So it’s a bit of a net savings really.

  • Johndknm on 23/08/2022 - 22:02
    +11

    Medicare levy is basically an insurance premium we all pay to fund Medicare. For 20 years they have not increased what they will pay cover for you as your benefit. So $40 gap is about right on $80 consult fee. Tell me is your plumber charging 1990 fees for a callout? No way. You get what you used to pay for……

  • Vinny79 on 24/08/2022 - 21:35
    +4

    It seems there is lot of questions around $40 gap and why the fees need to be doubled from bulk billing ($39.75 rebate) to $80 fees.
    Most of the private billing GP practices private bill only around 10% to 15% of the patients, rest of the patients gets bulk billed ( pensioners , kids, concession card holders etc, follow up visits, and so on).
    GP’s tend to sympathise lot more while charging patients for out of pocket.
    When we look at average GP only private billing less than 15% of their patients it is far below inflation rate.

    • May4th on 27/08/2022 - 16:55
      +1

      My wife just paid $80 to paint her nails, no rebate. I offered to do this for half what she paid but she wouldn't have a bar of it

  • unity1 on 23/12/2022 - 18:52

    Anyone know how much a telehealth consultation should cost? 2 minute call to have some prescriptions renewed cost $85 upfront payment with $39.75 rebate from Medicare. Is this the correct charge for a telehealth consultation under 6 minutes?

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