Photo caption: Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall has welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment to triple the Medicare bulk-billing rate in tonight’s 2023-24 Budget.
Tuesday, 9 May 2023
MEMBER for the Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall has welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment to triple the bulk billing rate for general practitioners, opening up another 11 million possible appointments for patients.
“This is one piece of the primary health solution that GPs have been crying out for – make it sustainable for them to run a practice and be able to bulk bill those most in need,” Mr Marshall said.
“Tonight’s budget finally addresses this huge gap in the system that is quite literally driving people away from their GP – the person that can and should be their point of call for their health – and into our hospitals.
“The challenges for our health system are at their most critical in a generation, but making bulk billing unsustainable for GPs was breaking the system at its most day-to-day level, was seeing many doctors simply retire or close their books as they couldn’t cover their basic costs.
“This of course hit the most vulnerable – the elderly, First Nations, those with chronic health issues and those on low incomes like students and single parent families, who simply can’t afford to pay full cost regularly, if at all, and were struggling to even find a doctor at all.
“Bulk-billing not being viable was also hitting rural and regional general practise harder than in the city as it made recruitment of new doctors into the regions even more difficult – if not at times almost impossible, without additional incentive programs kicked in by the State Governments.
“Finally, the Federal Government seems to have got the message that the health of the patient and GP bulk billing model is how we keep doctors’ doors open, and relieve pressure on the entire system, while ensure those that most need medical care get it from their own GP – not a rotating locum an hour away in an emergency ward.”
The 2023-24 Federal Budget funds a bulk-billing increase to $20.65 for city-based GPs and $39.65 for rural GPs and a 4 per cent increase of the Medicare rebate.
The increased incentive system will be based upon the ‘Modified Monash Model’ system, meaning most of the Northern Tablelands would be eligible for the highest incentive payments to GPs.
“This is a critical step forward for health in our region,” Mr Marshall said.
“We need people to be able to afford to see their GP, for GPs to be able to offer bulk-billing and all parts of the health system to be working together.
“I have been fighting for better health services since I became the state MP and it was frustrating watching this piece of the puzzle not be addressed budget after budget.
“The Budget also finally recognises that taking pressure off hospitals is crucial – and there will be incentive payments made to GPs who can take on vulnerable patients who are frequently presenting to emergency for primary care reasons, often through a total lack of access to a GP.
“I will be urging the State Health Minister to work with his federal colleague to prioritise the new schemes rolling out in the regions as fast as possible – if not first – while I continue to work on further upgrades for our health infrastructure, recruitment and retention and our course rolling out a working model that makes being a rural GP one of the most rewarding medical professions to take up and ensure everyone in the Northern Tablelands has access to the health care they deserve.”