Federal Government Has A New Plan For Non-Bulk-Billed Consultations

The Federal Government has a new plan for non-bulk-billed consultations (C-M Oct 27). It wants to allow the Medicare rebate to be directly deposited into patients’ bank accounts at the time of consultation. It says this will be more convenient for patients.

In reality, this proposal makes it more convenient for doctors to stop bulk-billing and to increase patients’ out-of-pocket costs. Bulk-billing restricts doctors’ incomes and the AMA does not want that.

In 2000, Michael Wooldridge said he was not the minister for doctors, he was the minister for health. Early indications are that current health minister Tony Abbott could never make the same claim.

Dr Andrew Gunn

The Courier-Mail

Tues 28 Oct 2003