OPINION: Ley's action, a new way?
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EDITORIAL: Ley's move a good step
A FEDERAL government backdown on Medicare rebate cuts has been welcomed by the Border’s peak medical body.
The government had planned to strip $20 from rebates for short visits to the doctor but yesterday scrapped the plan.
Health Minister and member for Farrer Sussan Ley said the cuts, which were to be implemented from Monday, were now “off the table”.
Other measures, including the $5 GP co-payment, were still on the agenda, but Ms Ley told The Border Mail the co-payment was up for discussion and she did not rule out further changes.
Border Medical Association chairman Eliza Tweddle welcomed the scrapping of the rebate reduction but said the group “awaited further developments”.
“I think there has to be something done to address health budget costs,” she said.
“It has to be well thought out, rational reform.
“There was significant concern in the medical community about the proposed changes.
“Patients may have chosen not to see a doctor and delayed their presentation.
“The emergency departments of both Albury and Wodonga are already under significant pressure, and that’s one of the primary areas that needs to be addressed with government funding.
“Any changes that result in the sudden increase in patients’ use of these already under pressure services is not good.”
But Wodonga doctor Bill Walton said he had supported the rebate reduction.
“It was aimed at improving the quality and I didn’t have a problem with it, so I’m a little disappointed,” he said.
“I think it would stop this so-called six-minute medicine where people ... are rushed through their consultations.
“I think what GPs want to do is move towards preventative health measures, and a lot of that takes longer than six minutes.
“I was glad to see the standard consultation was expected to be longer than 10 minutes.”
Ms Ley said the “overwhelming feedback” on the rebate cut was that it was not supported.
She said she was open to meeting with doctors and the Border Medical Association as part of consultations.
“I’m happy to discuss what doctors want to raise with me,” she said.
“They were concerned about changes to the Level A and B rebate.
“I have acted on that.”
Ms Ley said Medicare needed to become sustainable.
“The $5 co-payment is yet to be the discussion of either regulation or legislation,” she said.
“It’s a bit too early to talk about the detail of it.”
