Doctors are taking their fight against the Federal Government’s changes to Medicare consultations to the waiting rooms of their practices.
GPs are soon expected to display posters in their surgeries explaining to patients why they will have to pay more under the Government’s changes to consultation rebates.
Late last year Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced a revised healthcare policy which includes an optional $5 co-payment.
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) wants Parliament to disallow another element of the package – a cut to the rebate for short consultations which takes effect in the next fortnight.
The Government has moved to reduce Medicare rebates for consultations that last less than 10 minutes.
AMA president Brian Owler said doctors were preparing to campaign against the Government’s changes.
“It’s very likely that early in the new year there are going to be a number of public meetings with GPs for them to air their grievances because we’ve received more feedback on this issue from GPs than probably any other issue that’s effected GPs in the past decade,” he told 666 ABC Canberra.
Associate Professor Owler said doctors would also try to convince the Opposition and crossbenchers to overturn the changes.
“These changes are due to come in on the 19th of January,” he said.
“Parliament can disallow them when they resume back in early February, so they will be introduced before Parliament has a chance to make a disallowance, but when they come back the AMA and the other groups will be campaigning very strongly to make sure these changes are stopped.”
The AMA has previously warned the Government’s proposed copayment changes would lead to fewer doctors’ appointments being available.