In response to media questions at the National Press Club on 28 May, Health Minister Peter Dutton referred to modelling undertaken by the Commonwealth Government in the development of the co-payment policy. He stated, “… the modelling that we’ve done shows an increase in the number of GP presentations, even with the changes that we have made, over the course of the next couple of years. There will be, on the modelling that we’ve done so far, an estimate around one per cent of people who won’t present to general practice, and we say that in year two that drops off to about half a per cent.” On 6 June 2014, the Department of Human Services refused an Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA) request for information on the number of people who were bulkbilled in 2012-13 on the grounds that the information did not exist and that to produce it would require the development of a computer program. The AHHA has now obtained information that the Department of Health has refused a Freedom of Information request for summary documents arising from all modelling conducted under the current government regarding co-payments for medical services and increased co-payments under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. The refusal is based on the grounds that the “Department has been unable to find any document containing modelling of recommendations from the Commission of Audit regarding co-payments for medical services or increased co-payments under the PBS.” Read More…