As crisis meetings were being held in doctors’ surgeries across Australia about how to deal with the new Medicare rebate changes, the news came that the new Health Minister Sussan Ley was scrapping the changes.
It took many GPs by surprise, as they had been waging a public war against the proposed changes.
Many put up posters in waiting rooms outlining the fact it was the Federal Government behind the new charges and that doctors were not to blame.
“The reaction from the public and from doctors around Australia is of horror,” Sydney GP Dr Brad McKay said.
“It’s a significant change to funding without consideration of doctors and our patients.
“The Prime Minister explained the new Medicare changes by saying in his interview yesterday that ‘These are difficult decisions…’
“Since they are so difficult, why weren’t doctors asked our opinions and why did the changes come into effect so quickly?”
The Australia Medical Association was vocal in its opposition to the changes, and many doctors joined a campaign by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).
The College of GPs strongly argued against what it called the government’s “ill-considered targeting of general practice patient services” with its ”You’ve been targeted” campaign.
As part of the campaign, an online petition was established, gaining more than 44,000 signatures from GPs and patients in fewer than seven days.
Another campaign from Australian Doctor magazine produced an anti-Government poster for GPs to display in their surgeries.
The poster called on patients to contact Tony Abbott or their local MP to complain about any extra fees they may be asked to pay, and not blame clinic doctors or staff.
Patients angry amid claims of ‘death of universal health care’
Patient groups were angry and vocal about the plans to charge many patients a new $20 fee for short consultations.
When the rebate changes were announced, the Consumers Health Forum said the Government was turning GPs into its bagmen “for the death of universal health care”.
“The Government’s action in slashing GPs’ payments by $5 is damning evidence that it is intent on turning the clock back on Medicare, away from principles of fairness and universal access,” the CEO of the Consumers Health Forum, Adam Stankevicius, said.
“It will be patients who will suffer, as many doctors will have no option but to demand the $5 from patients. It will be the chronically ill, families, and the elderly not covered by concessions, who will be hit hardest.”
Many patients and doctors were vocal on social media, and in local papers, voicing their concerns. And it’s clear that much of that displeasure made it to federal backbenchers around the country.
One NSW backbencher, South Coast Liberal MP Shelley Hancock, broke ranks, telling her local paper patients would suffer.
“The Federal Government has to make tough decisions, but these tough decisions are impacting on the poor,” she said.
“Local GPs will not be able to absorb the increased costs and if they don’t patients will suffer.”
But this is not the end of the Medicare rebate story.
Ms Ley told the media that she had listened to the concerns of many people over the Christmas break about the upcoming changes.
But despite these immediate changes being off the table for now, the Federal Government has not ruled out sending “a price signal” to “keep Medicare sustainable”.
In other words, watch this space.