Fed: Doctors disagree on benefits of $917m Medicare package

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Fed: Doctors disagree on benefits of $917m Medicare package

CANBERRA, April 29 AAP - Doctors' groups have given varied reactions to the federalgovernment's $917-million Medicare reform package.

The government yesterday unveiled the plan to encourage doctors to bulk-bill but saiddoctors would continue to make the final decision on the cost of a visit to a generalpractitioner.

The package provides more incentives for doctors to bulk-bill pensioners and concession-cardholders and promised extra doctors and nurses for rural and remote areas.

However, millions more Australians would have to pay to see a GP as the package didnot offer an incentive for GPs to bulk-bill patients who did not hold a concession card.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) said the government hadfailed to adequately address the crisis facing Australia's general practice.

"We have been offered a band-aid solution," RACGP president Michael Kidd said.

Professor Kidd said the package, announced by Prime Minister John Howard and HealthMinister Senator Kay Patterson, showed the government had recognised the need to addressa GP workforce crisis.

It showed the government was also committed to ensuring Australians with health cardswould have access to affordable general practice services.

"However, the initiatives fail to adequately address the core challenges facing Australiangeneral practice," Professor Kidd said.

"General practice is the frontline of Medicare. There is no international evidencethat this package, by creating a two-tiered system, will actually improve health care."

But Rural Doctors Association of Australia president, Ken Mackey, said the packagewas a shot in the arm for rural general practice.

"The measures recognise the difficulties rural communities often have in assessinga GP, exacerbated by the medical workforce shortages in rural and remote Australia, andgo some way towards addressing them," he said.

Dr Mackey said there was a definite benefit in the package for rural doctors who mightbe faced with a high proportion of card holders among their practice population.

"For practices in small rural and remote towns, the incentive represents a 25 per centincrease over the bulk-billed rebate for each concessional service and this could be significantfor those doctors," he said.

AAP dep/rs

KEYWORD: MEDICARE DAYLEAD