Why is there a gap for GP consultations?
Standard childhood immunisation appointments will be bulk billed as all of the doctors believe that childhood vaccinations should be covered by Medicare and accessible for all.
*Please note that Dr Rogenmoser will privately bill for childhood vaccinations.
Unfortunately your “gap” is widening. This means your out of pocket expenses are increasing annually. Did you know that your Medicare rebate for a standard GP consult up to 20 minutes increased by only 1.6% = 65 cents on the 1st of July 2022. The problem is that the cost to operate medical practices has gone up by over 10% just in the last year alone.
A decade of underinvestment in General Practice will continue to affect many services in General Practice. Did you know that GP nurses are paid about 20% less than hospital nurses (as per the federal award) despite both nursing groups being equally skilled. This is a direct result of the chronic underfunding of General Practice.
Did you know that by 2032 there will be 11000 less GPs in the Australian work force. In 2023, only 13% of medical school graduates opted to train as GP's. That is because the federal government has failed to invest in General Practice and GP training.
The Doctors working from Tweed Health suggest that you write to your federal member (Justine Elliot ) and also the Health Minister (Mark Butler) and demand an improvement in Medicare funding for General Practice and an improvement in your Medicare rebates.
Minister.Butler@health.gov.au & justine.Elliot.MP@aph.gov.au
Just to be very clear. Doctors are not asking the Government for more money for them, they are asking for a better rebate for you.
If you are an aged pensioner reading this information, this may affect you in due course. Please take note, many practices around the country have now made the decision to no longer offer bulk billing to aged pensioners. They have done this for all the reasons stated above. Aged pensioners, please understand that your free access to health care is now under threat.
Please read the articles below about bulk billing practices having to close due do failing financially.
More practices may follow over the next year.