GPs welcome Medicare review but rebate freeze needs to go
22 April 2015
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) welcomes the Federal Government’s Medicare review and is looking forward to playing a key role in a new advisory group but will continue to push for the immediate lift of a freeze on Medicare rebates.
RACGP President Dr Frank R Jones said it was vital GPs were strongly represented in the Government’s Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Review taskforce, Primary Healthcare Advisory Group and the development of clearer Medicare compliance rules.
“The RACGP represents grassroots GPs who know what needs to change to make the system better for their patients and a strong GP voice will help create a more effective healthcare system,” Dr Jones said.
“The RACGP welcomes Minister Ley’s announcement to ‘work hand-in-hand’ with GPs and other health professionals and we urge the Government to be brave and look beyond electoral cycles so that real, long lasting reforms can be implemented.
“A well-resourced primary healthcare system is key to this. Collectively GPs see more than 80% of Australians population each year but general practice spending represents less than 8% of Government healthcare spending.
“Investment in primary care will result in long-term health savings because fewer people will be treated at hospitals, including out-patient services, where costs can be 10 times higher.”
Dr Jones said the RACGP had much to contribute and just last week released its own model – Vision for a Sustainable Health System - proposing a major overhaul of primary healthcare funding. If implemented, the RACGP’s model would help keep patients out of hospital and treated in the community through improved, patient focused, chronic disease management and integration of care.
Dr Jones said the Government’s MBS review needed to support a range of patient services.
“We need to better support longer consultations for patients who need them, as well as the delivery of patient services in aged care facilities, chronic disease management and mental health services. Better integration between hospitals and primary health care is also vital so that patient outcomes can be improved through more coordinated care,” Dr Jones said.
He said the RACGP supported the appropriate use of Medicare item numbers and systems that sought to improve government processes around Medicare compliance.
“However, we would not support any initiative that would increase red-tape in general practice, which is already subject to more than 200 one-off, periodic or ongoing, administrative requirements associated with the delivery of patient care.”
Dr Jones said while it was encouraging Minister Ley was open to a review of the freeze on Medicare rebates, there was no reason why annual indexation for patient rebates could not immediately be reintroduced.
“It will be some time before any changes stemming from the Government’s reviews can be implemented and lifting the freeze immediately will stop patients having to pay more to see their GP,” Dr Jones said.