While at the doctor’s today I had a chat about how this proposed $7 copayment would affect them.
As a bulk billing surgery it is going to have a huge impact and cost to them.
Is the government going to pay to change the business practices and software to collect this new tax of will the GP’s have to wear it?
- They have to change their software
- They will have to report the copayment to the govt
- They will have to pay the copayment to the govt
- They will have to get an eftpos machine
- They will probably have to charge $10 if you pay by eft so they don’t loose money by being paid $7 they do t actually get
- They will incite eftpos machine charges every month
- They will have to start carrying cash
- They will have to start banking daily
- Non standard consultations will have to be billed differently. If you need more than a standard consultation it will either cost more or you will have to make 2 appointments
On top of this there is the privacy issue around tracking the 10 dr visits before the $7 copayment stops. Will all Doctor surgeries have access to some new database to check this and log your visit or will patients be issued some new record keeping book where they receive a stamp or something each time they visit a doctor?
If you see the doctor, have to get an X-ray and blood test and go back to the gp that is 4 $7 copayments relating to the one illness.
So to those who say “it’s just $7”, you are very ill informed
Source: Facebook