DOCTORS REFORM SOCIETY

Media Release

14 May 2005

$30,000 PAY RISE FOR GPs FAILS TO HELP PATIENTS

“Yesterday’s bulk billing figures show that despite an unconditional $30,000 pay rise for GPs since January 1^st, only one extra patient in every 100 is bulk billed, and out of pocket cost if you aren’t bulk billed is a record $15.38,” said Dr Tim Woodruff, President, Doctors Reform Society

“The bulk billing rate remains 7% below the 1996 level, which means that seven patients in every hundred who would have been bulk billed when the Howard Government came to power must continue to dig deep now for that copayment, and last year, according to the Commonwealth Fund, 17% of Australian did not see their doctor because of costs,” said Dr Woodruff.

“When one also sees the increasing record out of pocket costs for specialists, obstetricians, and radiology, one has to wonder how the Government can spend so much money for so little benefit to patients.”

“Doctors are certainly better off and happier, but one might hope that our health system focused on patients rather than doctors,” said Dr Woodruff.