GP co-payment: Children and vulnerable groups exempt from paying extra in AMA's alternative plan

Updated

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has unveiled its own plans for a GP co-payment and urged the Federal Government to adopt it, and ditch its own policy for a $7 co-payment.

AMA president Brian Owler says his organisation's plan is fair as vulnerable groups such as concession card holders are exempt.

"We propose a minimum $6.15 co-payment, which aligns with the current bulk billing incentive, that applies to all patients, but the Government will pay the co-payment for concession card holders and patients under 16 years of age," Associate Professor Owler said.

"The AMA co-payment model protects vulnerable patients in the community, values general practice to encourage quality care and support prevention and chronic disease management, and it also sends a price signal for non-concession patients."

The AMA put their proposal to the Government three weeks ago but heard nothing back from them.

"Under our model, there will be no cut to the Medicare patient rebate, and there is an incentive for general practices to collect the co-payment," Associate Professor Owler said.

"The AMA has long supported well-designed and well-intentioned co-payments, and that is what we are releasing today."

Under the AMA plan, there would be no co-payment on:

Residential aged care visits

Home visits

Chronic disease management services

Health assessments

Mental health treatment items

The AMA says plans to charge an extra $7 for blood tests and scans should be put on hold for at least two years.

"The AMA is not opposed to the principle that people with the means should contribute to the cost of their health care, but it has to be done in a way that is practical, values general practice, and protects disadvantaged patients," Associate Professor Owler said.

Health Minister Peter Dutton accused the AMA of a cash grab, saying their proposal benefitted doctors without addressing the Government's aim of arresting spiralling costs.

"The current proposal put forward by the AMA with regards to the $7 co-payment will result in a windfall for doctors while wiping out 97 per cent of the Government's estimated savings," he said.

Opposition health spokeswoman Catherine King says people should be able to access healthcare based on their needs, not their capacity to pay.

"Labor will not be voting for the GP tax in the House or the Senate in any form, because it is bad health care policy and it unpicks Medicare," she said.

$7 co-payment plan is not unreasonable: Abbott

Speaking on the Central Coast, Treasurer Joe Hockey said if Australia wants to have a sustainable Medicare system, Australians should make a contribution along the way because ultimately nothing can be for free.

"We can't build roads, we can't create jobs unless we all make a contribution in one form or another," he said.

"We are always prepared to have sensible discussions with sensible people about making sure that those most vulnerable are properly taken care of.

"Of course we want to do that, but also we want to make sure that what people have today is affordable in the future."

Both the Treasurer and Prime Minister Tony Abbott referred to the fact that pensioners and concession card holders already pay extra for medicines subsidised under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

"Well, I think that $7 is a good amount," Mr Abbott said.

"It's about the same that pensioners pay for their subsidised drugs under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and if it's fair and reasonable for people, including pensioners, to pay about $7 when they receive their subsidised PDS drugs, I don't think it's unreasonable for a comparable amount to be paid for visits to the GP."

There has been widespread concern about the effect a GP co-payment would have on vulnerable sectors of the population, such as the elderly and chronically ill.

The Government is still negotiating with the crossbench members of the Senate to get key budget measures such as the co-payment passed.

AMA given 'privileged position' in debate

The Australian Council of Social Service opposes any GP co-payment, and said it was concerned the AMA was being given a privileged position in the debate.

ACOSS chief executive Cassandra Goldie said the Government must listen to health and welfare groups "which have deep expertise both in the health system itself and also the impact of the health system on people who are some of the most vulnerable in the Australian community".

"It seems that we're on the eve of potentially a negotiated agreement between the Government and the AMA, and yet there has been no participation in those discussions by organisations such as ourselves, such as the consumer health forum," she said.

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Topics: doctors-and-medical-professionals, health, health-policy, government-and-politics, federal-government, budget, australia

First posted