Medicare changes don't sway doctors

The Federal Government's plans to fix Medicare will have little effect on the billing practices of medical centres on the Peninsula

Local surgeries are not supporting the scheme, claiming it is not cost effective.

Practice manager at the Clocktower Medical Centre, Ms Angela Mason, described the Government's recent budget announcements as a "joke" saying she hopes it is blocked in the Senate.

"We won't be taking up the scheme. It will be of no benefit to us whatsoever," she said.

Ms Mason said that the Woy Woy General Practice had not bulk-billed patients since it opened.

"It's just not financially viable," she said.

Practice manager from Peninsula Medical Centre in Umina, Ms Jill James, agreed saying that the centre had no plans to introduce bulk billing.

"The current rebate does not keep up with costs," she said.

Under the Federal Government's new plans for Medicare, those medical centres that choose to opt into the package will be required to bulk bill all services to concession card holders with incentive payments going to practices, rather than the individual general practitioners.

General practitioners in the city will only receive an extra $1 per consultation for bulk billing their concession card holding patients.

They will not be subsidised for any patients they bulk bill who do not hold concession cards, locking out the "working poor" from the scheme.

Ms Daphne Kneale, practice manager at Umina Surgery, described the Federal Government's plans as a step backwards.

"I really could not see it being of any benefit to our practice," she said.

Ms Kneale said that the costs of running a practice could not sustain bulk billing.

"We couldn't keep doors open."

She said that, while Umina Surgery had bulk-billed patients in the past, it had been scaled back over the last three years due to rising costs not corresponding with the Medicare rebate.

"A relative value study done by the Federal Government two years ago found that a fair fee for GP's was $42 yet the rebate is still only $25," she said.

She said the medical centre would not be opting into the Government's package as an extra $1 per bulk-billed patient was not enough.

The Department of Health and Aging has stated that "a fairer Medicare" would make a range of medical services more affordable, particularly those delivered through general practice.

"For people without a Commonwealth concession card, and where the GP chooses to charge a 'gap', there will be a significant reduction in the up-front costs of seeing a GP at a participating practice," it stated.

A survey done by Peninsula News found that of three doctors' surgeries in Woy Woy not one openly bulk-billed.

The situation with the six surgeries in Umina and Ettalong was the same.

All of the surgeries gave discounts to pensioners, Health Care Card holders and veterans, however some medical centres did not provide discounts until after one to three visits.

The most expensive general consultation was $65. The cheapest was $40.

The highest rate for concession card holders was $55, the lowest was $7 after an initial visit.

Only one surgery bulk -billed concession card holders and then only after charging for the first visit.

The Woy Woy After Hours Medical Service was the only advertised bulk-billing service, stating in its flier that "pensioner and health care card holders are usually bulk billed".

Ms Mason said that some doctors did provide bulk billing for the disadvantaged.

"It's up to the doctor's discretion," she said.

Ms Kneale said doctors there also provided bulk billing in some circumstances.

"We are a private billing practice, but if there is some hardship, we will bulk bill.

"I wouldn't like to comment for other practices though."

Practice manager for Ettalong Family Medical Centre, Ms Libby Kerr, said a similar situation occurred at the Ettalong practice.

Alison Branley, May 23