General practice leaders welcomed the Government’s willingness to negotiate on the proposed $7 co-payment model for general practice services at today’s United General Practice Australia (UGPA) meeting in Canberra.
In May, UGPA publically called for an overhaul of the proposed co-payment model, concerned over the potential impacts on Australia’s most vulnerable populations’ access to healthcare and the divestment of general practice services.
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has been requested by Prime Minister, The Hon. Tony Abbott MP, to propose an alternative co-payment model.
UGPA supports the AMA in leading negotiations with government on an alternate model on behalf of general practice with the AMA committed to working with UGPA as discussions progress.
The AMA indicated its negotiations with the government will be centred on the following principles:
- No cuts to Medicare Benefit Schedule (MBS) patient rebates for general practice, pathology and imaging services
- The need to protect vulnerable patients, including children to ensure timely and clinically appropriate access to general practice services at no detriment to the general practitioner
- Improving the value patients place on general practice services, recognising it is reasonable for those with appropriate means to share in the costs of accessing general practice care.
UGPA is committed to work alongside the AMA in finding a workable solution to the proposed co-payment model.
UGPA comprises the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), the Australian Medical Association (AMA), the Australian General Practice Network (AGPN), General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA), General Practice Supervisors Australia (GPSA), the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM), and the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA).