Time for GPs’ rising costs to be recognised
Costs associated with good quality healthcare continue to rise and private health insurance members will again feel the impact when premiums increase by an average of 6.18% tomorrow.
The cost of providing quality care is also rising for GPs, who are facing a Federal Government-imposed freeze on rebates, as well as the subsequent dilemma of how to meet rising costs without forcing patients to pay more.
A freeze on indexation for patient rebates in general practice has been in place since July 2014. In comparison, private health insurance premiums rise every year and this year’s increase, approved by Health Minister Sussan Ley, follows rises of 5–6% over the last five years.
Minister Ley had little choice but to grant the request of insurers because, according to the Private Health Insurance Act, the minister of the day must approve proposed changes unless they are contrary to the public interest.
In announcing the rise in premiums, Minister Ley told the public it was essential that a strong and competitive private health insurance market was maintained and in order to achieve this, ‘we must ensure any premium increases strike the right balance between keeping them affordable for consumers without putting the financial viability of the sector at risk’.
Surely the same applies for general practice. GPs need to make services affordable while, at the same time, ensuring practices are viable so patients can continue to access services into the future.
If the Government fails to reinstate annual indexation on patient rebates, GPs will have little choice but to reluctantly pass on costs to patients, potentially creating yet another barrier to people accessing quality healthcare.
It is of great concern that patients will decide to delay making an appointment with their GP, or not make one at all, because of the cost. The end result will be these patients treated in hospitals at a much higher cost.
The RACGP will remain firm in its opposition of the freeze and lobby for annual indexation on patient rebates to be reinstated because of its impact on the provision of quality care for our patients. We will keep members informed of developments.
Dr Frank R Jones
RACGP President
Roundtable on sexual harassment in the medical profession
The RACGP will tomorrow be part of a roundtable discussion on sexual harassment in the medical profession, hosted by the Australian Medical Association (AMA). The RACGP maintains that sexual harassment, sexism and any form of bullying is completely unacceptable and should not be tolerated anywhere in the medical profession or any other workplace.
The discussion will consider the existing legal framework, processes for dealing with sexual harassment and why they may not be working, and steps the profession can take to address the issue. A wide range of stakeholders will attend the roundtable, including representatives from other medical colleges.
The RACGP is committed to participating in discussions aimed at creating safe clinical working environments and supports a zero tolerance approach towards sexual harassment and bullying in the medical profession. Any updates will be communicated to members in future editions of In Practice.
RACGP 2015.1 AKT exam results now available
The RACGP is pleased to announce the 2015.1 Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) results are now available online. Candidates can access their results by logging in to the RACGP website. The 2015.1 Key Feature Problems (KFP) exam results will be released on Thursday 23 April. For any enquiries, please contact the RACGP on 1800 626 901 or via email at racgpeducation@racgp.org.au
Clinical pearl – Understanding the health needs of refugees
Refugees have complex and diverse healthcare needs. Newly arrived refugees have a higher prevalence of psychological disorders as a consequence of forced dislocation, prolonged repression and/or family separation. The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) health assessment for refugees is a service provided to refugees within the first 12 months of arrival or grant of visa. Understanding the components of the health assessment will enable you to develop a detailed history, identify immediate and long-term healthcare needs, and initiate appropriate treatment. Register for the RACGP’s refugee health online gplearning activity to learn more.