Medicare rebate cut likely to be blocked in Senate as Labor, independents vow to oppose change

Updated

The Federal Government's cut to the Medicare rebate for short consultations looks likely to be blocked in the Senate.

From Monday, the rebate for appointments lasting less than 10 minutes will be cut from $37.05 to $16.95.

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) said in many cases doctors would have to pass the cost onto patients instead.

The Opposition and key independent senators have confirmed they will try to disallow the $20 rebate cut when Parliament resumes next month.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the cut would be damaging for patients and the health system.

"Our position is unequivocal, it's in black and white," he said.

"We will oppose Tony Abbott absolutely changing the rebate system for our GPs, making it a lot harder and through this sneaky backdoor method.

"We will say to Tony Abbott 'you are not going to damage the Medicare system if we've got anything to do with it'."

With Labor joining the Greens to support a disallowance motion, only another four votes are needed from the crossbench.

Health Minister Sussan Ley has accused Labor of a "sneaky backflip" for confirming they will move to disallow the rebate cut.

When the regulation was announced before Christmas, Mr Shorten said Labor was open to considering it as a move to discourage so called "six-minute medicine".

In a statement Ms Ley said: "Today's backflip further demonstrates that Labor will always put politics before patients."

Move will put further strain on hospitals: Lambie

Independents Jacqui Lambie and Nick Xenophon have both declared they would support a disallowance.

Senator Xenophon said he believed the cut was terminal.

"I cannot in good conscience support these measures," he said.

"The Government's policy seems to be driven by the bean counters in Treasury and Finance, not by the health experts."

In a statement, Senator Lambie accused the Government of being sneaky and said it had failed to properly consult the community.

"Sick people, who can't afford to go to their GPs, will now go to their accident and emergency departments in their local public hospitals," she said.

"This will put further strain on a public hospital system in Tasmania that is already in crisis."

Ricky Muir from the Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party said he had listened to GPs in his community and there was little chance he would support the $20 reduction for short consultations.

The Palmer United Party and independent John Madigan have not declared their positions but are unhappy with the rebate change.

Only Liberal Democrat Senator David Leyonhjelm and Family First's Bob Day support the Government.

Government serious about economic reform: Abbott

Earlier today, the Prime Minister defended the Government's decision to cut the rebate for short consultations.

Mr Abbott told Fairfax radio these were difficult decisions but Medicare had to be sustainable.

He said the changes were designed to ensure doctors spent "reasonable" time with their patients.

"Just a few months ago the AMA was saying that they didn't want to see six minute medicine, they didn't want to support bulk billing clinics," he said.

"They wanted to see doctors spending more time with their patients and that's exactly what these changes are designed to produce."

Mr Abbott said it was up to doctors to decide exactly how much patients were charged.

"This is a Government which is serious about economic reform and price signals in our health system is an economic reform.

"We're serious about budget responsibility. Is the Senate? Now that's the question."

Mr Abbott said Medicare must be sustainable and he has challenged the Opposition and the crossbench senators to put forward their own proposals.

"It seems that the Labor Party and the Senate are just not prepared to accept any tough decisions.

"That puts our nation in a very difficult position; that puts Medicare in a very difficult position."

Topics: federal-government, doctors-and-medical-professionals, budget, health, community-and-society, health-policy, abbott-tony, federal-parliament, australia

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