Post by Banjo on Apr 23, 2014 7:26:23 GMT 7
Call to exempt pensioners from $6 GP fee in May Budget
OLDER Australians will bear the brunt of a $6 fee proposed in the May Budget, with over-55s making up 40 per cent of the most common types of GP visits.
Welfare groups are warning aged pensioners struggling to survive on $383 a week won’t be able to afford the extra charge to see a doctor, and could become more unwell and end up in hospital.
Pensioners and those aged over 65 account for 13 per cent of the population but 25 per cent of visits to a general practitioner, according to Medicare data.
When the previous Labor government introduced a GP fee in the early 1990s it exempted people on the age pension from the charge.
Former adviser to Tony Abbott and the author of the $6 GP fee proposal Terry Barnes said the fee must build in protections for the less well off, elderly and chronically ill.
“Provided that the Budget measure builds in protections for the less well off, elderly and chronically ill, as I recommended, it is a modest price signal that will reminds patients that world-class GP services come at a cost,” he said.
Health Minister Peter Dutton was yesterday “unavailable for comment” on whether Tony Abbott’s budget measure would include an exemption for age pensioners, after the move was reported by media outlets.
The Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Federation said in a statement many age pensioners “survive from one fortnight’s pay to the next”.
“A $6 fee will prevent many from seeking medical advice when required,” the federation says.
However, National Seniors Australia is supporting the introduction of a $6 GP fee in its budget submission arguing it is a “small price to pay” and will force people to “prioritise” the health conditions for which they see a doctor.
Mr Barnes said any $6 fee must be accompanied by a charge for attending a hospital emergency department so GP type patients did not move there to get free care, he said.
“To be fully fair, the Government must go further and impose a means test on all Medicare bulk-billing, so that those who do have the means to pay as they go do so,” he said.
Opposition health spokeswoman Catherine King said she was deeply concerned that this tax will deter Australians from visiting GPs and that people will end up sicker and potentially in emergency departments.
“This is lazy policy driven by ideology not evidence. It is Tony Abbott’s attempt to transfer costs onto vulnerable patients so he doesn’t have to pay,” Ms King said.
It comes as Medicare Locals warn a rumour their number could be slashed from 61 to 20 in the budget would jeopardise access to the one million health services provided by them.
Health costs would rise as more people ended up in hospital because they could not get the care they need for their chronic illness in their local community, Medicare Locals Alliance spokesman Arn Sprogis said.
“The only financing issue in health is the explosion of costs in the hospital system and what makes me angry is every other country knows the solution is to increase resources in primary care to get the gains at the hospital end,” he said.
The Consumer’s Health Forum says Medicare’s goal of making primary care accessible to all is under double threat if the Federal Government introduces a $6 GP co-payment and dismantles Medicare Locals.
“The argument is made that the co-payment would reduce ‘unnecessary’ use of GPs. We have yet to see evidence to support the assertion of widespread misuse of GPs and to support the idea that a $6 co-payment would reduce that alleged overuse, says CHF Chief Executive Officer, Adam Stankevicius.
The Australian Health and Hospitals Association says there is strong international evidence that supports investment and coordination of primary care and general practice to take pressure off the health system and keeping people out of hospital.
www.heraldsun.com.au/lifestyle/health/call-to-exempt-pensioners-from-6-gp-fee-in-may-budget/story-fni0dgux-1226892578477
OLDER Australians will bear the brunt of a $6 fee proposed in the May Budget, with over-55s making up 40 per cent of the most common types of GP visits.
Welfare groups are warning aged pensioners struggling to survive on $383 a week won’t be able to afford the extra charge to see a doctor, and could become more unwell and end up in hospital.
Pensioners and those aged over 65 account for 13 per cent of the population but 25 per cent of visits to a general practitioner, according to Medicare data.
When the previous Labor government introduced a GP fee in the early 1990s it exempted people on the age pension from the charge.
Former adviser to Tony Abbott and the author of the $6 GP fee proposal Terry Barnes said the fee must build in protections for the less well off, elderly and chronically ill.
“Provided that the Budget measure builds in protections for the less well off, elderly and chronically ill, as I recommended, it is a modest price signal that will reminds patients that world-class GP services come at a cost,” he said.
Health Minister Peter Dutton was yesterday “unavailable for comment” on whether Tony Abbott’s budget measure would include an exemption for age pensioners, after the move was reported by media outlets.
The Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Federation said in a statement many age pensioners “survive from one fortnight’s pay to the next”.
“A $6 fee will prevent many from seeking medical advice when required,” the federation says.
However, National Seniors Australia is supporting the introduction of a $6 GP fee in its budget submission arguing it is a “small price to pay” and will force people to “prioritise” the health conditions for which they see a doctor.
Mr Barnes said any $6 fee must be accompanied by a charge for attending a hospital emergency department so GP type patients did not move there to get free care, he said.
“To be fully fair, the Government must go further and impose a means test on all Medicare bulk-billing, so that those who do have the means to pay as they go do so,” he said.
Opposition health spokeswoman Catherine King said she was deeply concerned that this tax will deter Australians from visiting GPs and that people will end up sicker and potentially in emergency departments.
“This is lazy policy driven by ideology not evidence. It is Tony Abbott’s attempt to transfer costs onto vulnerable patients so he doesn’t have to pay,” Ms King said.
It comes as Medicare Locals warn a rumour their number could be slashed from 61 to 20 in the budget would jeopardise access to the one million health services provided by them.
Health costs would rise as more people ended up in hospital because they could not get the care they need for their chronic illness in their local community, Medicare Locals Alliance spokesman Arn Sprogis said.
“The only financing issue in health is the explosion of costs in the hospital system and what makes me angry is every other country knows the solution is to increase resources in primary care to get the gains at the hospital end,” he said.
The Consumer’s Health Forum says Medicare’s goal of making primary care accessible to all is under double threat if the Federal Government introduces a $6 GP co-payment and dismantles Medicare Locals.
“The argument is made that the co-payment would reduce ‘unnecessary’ use of GPs. We have yet to see evidence to support the assertion of widespread misuse of GPs and to support the idea that a $6 co-payment would reduce that alleged overuse, says CHF Chief Executive Officer, Adam Stankevicius.
The Australian Health and Hospitals Association says there is strong international evidence that supports investment and coordination of primary care and general practice to take pressure off the health system and keeping people out of hospital.
www.heraldsun.com.au/lifestyle/health/call-to-exempt-pensioners-from-6-gp-fee-in-may-budget/story-fni0dgux-1226892578477
