Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley suggests there could be further changes to the Government’s proposed GP co-payment, a day after dumping a contentious plan to cut Medicare rebates for short doctor visits.
The rebate for GP consultations lasting less than 10 minutes was due to be slashed by around $20 from Monday, but after a fierce political backlash and campaign by doctors, Ms Ley yesterday announced the changes would not go ahead.
The new Health Minister said she would now undertake “wide-ranging” consultation with doctors and the community across the country to come with “sensible options” for Medicare reform.
But she said the Government remained committed to a GP co-payment as a price signal in the health system.
“It is still Government policy, but that doesn’t mean I’m not keen to hear people’s views about it,” she told ABC News Breakfast.
“Broadly there actually is support for a co-payment measure.
“I will be working with them in how we refine perhaps the details of the co-payment, but the principle of the co-payment is sound and it’s one I think that will be supported across the board.”
Under the revised co-payment plan announced in December, doctors would be encouraged to charge most adults patients a $5 fee for each consultation.
Ms Ley is due to meet peak medical groups in Canberra next week, and told Channel Seven she had also started making appointments with the crossbench.
“You realise they may have different philosophies but when it comes to health, there is a lot of common ground,” she said.
“I don’t want to be at war with the crossbench, I don’t want to be at war with doctors.”
GP co-payment needs to be considered ‘in context’
Rural Doctors Association president Dennis Pashen said he hoped they could find common ground within months.
“I think you can come to some fairly sensible decisions in three months, let alone six months,” he said.
“So it depends whether people work together or not, or whether they start to have fractitious discussions and angst brought into the situation.
“I don’t think it’s a time for political dogma, I think it’s a time for sensible decisions and good policy.”
Dr Pashen said he was not opposed to the principle of a co-payment, but said the policy needed to be considered alongside other measures.
“I’m prepared to look at it but it’s got to be in a context,” he said.
“A co-payment by itself may or may not be a good idea, but it’s the stuff around it that actually makes it.
“It’s the whole package you have to look at when you’re dealing with these kinds of issues.”
Independent senator Nick Xenophon said he hoped Thursday’s backdown would signal a new direction for the Government’s health policy.
“There are savings to be made, efficiencies to be gained in a way that doesn’t compromise patient care,” he said.
“And doctors who are at the front line of our health system are very much willing to be part of the solution, whereas the Government’s been treating them as part of the problem to date.”
Labor and the Greens remain strongly opposed to the proposed GP co-payment, with Greens leader Christine Milne declaring the fight was far from over.