GP co-payment: Q and A on new measures

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What are the changes?

The Medicare rebate will be reduced by $5 for non-concessional GP consultations, with an optional co-payment of up to $5 charged at the doctor’s discretion. The Medicare rebate for GP visits shorter than 10 minutes will also be reduced.

What does this mean?

If you are not bulk-billed, the money you receive from Medicare for each visit to the doctor will be cut by $5 if you don’t hold a concession card. If you are bulk-billed, it means doctors receive $5 less from Medicare for each consultation if you don’t hold a concession card.

Why would I pay an optional co-payment?

It’s optional for the doctors, not for you. The extra $5 co-payment will be available to bulk-billing GPs who are getting less money from the government.

Who is exempt?

There won’t be rebate reductions or co-payments for bulk-billed concession card holders, children under 16, veterans, aged care residents, GP mental health plans and GP management plans.

Pathology services and diagnostic imaging services (like X-ray, CT scans and MRI) are exempt from changes.

How are these measures different from the previous proposals?

The previous co-payment was a $7 fee on all bulk-billed GP visits, pathology services and diagnostic imaging services.

When will the changes take place?

Rebates for non-concessional patients will be reduced from July 1, 2015. Reduced rebates for GP visits shorter than 10 minutes will be introduced from January 19, 2015.