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Aussies are set to be charged more than $100 for a standard non-bulk billed GP appointment from next month, following a third price increase this year.
The Australian Medical Association has recommended doctors raise their fees for a standard GP consultation to $102 to cope with the rapidly increasing costs of running a practice.
This change marks the third time that recommended fee has gone up in 2023, after it went up to $90 in March and then $98 in July.
The Medicare rebate is also set to go up – but only by 20 cents.
Patients will therefore have to pay a $60.60 ‘gap’ fee to see a GP.
However, there is good news for Australia’s most vulnerable patients including welfare recipients, pensioners and children under 16.
The federal government has announced it will triple the bulk billing incentive for GPs for these patients from November 1.
It’s hoped this change will mean more GPS can afford to bulk bill these patients, which is estimated to be likely to help more than 11 million Australians.
The NSW President of the Australian Medical Association Dr Michael Bonning told Today the small rise in the Medicare rebate for ordinary patients would have little impact.
“The patient rebate hasn’t kept pace with inflation over a long period of time,” he said.
“If you look back over history the Medicare rebate hasn’t kept pace with any measure of inflation.”
