Our OZ Prime Minister recently tried to apply a $7.00 co-payment to see your GP....but the opposition & independents canned that in the Senate
His next step is to reduce the Government payment to all GP's by the same $5.00 who use the bulk billing system [pensioners & health card holders excepted]
When I saw my very tall dark skinned GP this week....she spoke for 10 minutes on her views of our PM
........ appears he makes her blood boil.......
.... Derek
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my thoughts on the matter as below
"Please excuse me if I appear misguided…but my understanding is….
1. In 2014……the Abbot Government budget proposal for a GP consultation $7.00 co-payment was rejected by the Senate
2. Today the PM advises that proposal is scrapped but the following will apply
• A new Government reimbursement will apply to all GP’s under the Government Health regulations
• They will be paid $5.00 less for each standard consultation they provide to clients
• It the Doctor wishes to maintain be paid the standard Government rebate for each standard consultation…they must charge a $5.00 co-payment to the client [which is electronically remitted to the Government]
• Under 16’s, pensioners, & Health Card recipient’s will be exempt from the new co-payment system
• So my question is two fold
3. Is the Government simply shifting the unpleasantness of asking patients for $5.00 extra to see the Doctor onto the Doctors shoulders?
4. The PM today also remonstrated on Doctors charging the standard schedule fee but for consultations less than his standard 10 minutes
5. If a Doctor worked 8 hours per day = 480 minutes of chargeable time @ 10 minutes per patient there would be approx 48 patients per day
6. If the Doctor worked 48 weeks per year we have [48 patients per day x 5 days per week x 240 working days PA = 56,250 patients]
7. If the standard Government payment to a GP is $38.00 for a standard consultation…we see the GP being paid $2,137,500 PA
8. Will the NXT & the PUP & Lambie have the intestinal fortitude to speak up about this?