Premier coy on boost for GPs ahead of meet

PREMIER Jeremy Rockliff has stopped short of recommending the federal government increase the Medicare rebate as first ministers prepare to discuss the health care system at a national cabinet meeting this Friday.

It comes after a report by online health directory Cleanbill, published in early January, found that just 6.9 per cent of Tasmanian GPs bulk bill, well below the national average of 42.7 per cent.

Cleanbill’s Blue Report revealed that Tasmanians on average pay $87.19 for a standard GP consultation, with an outof-pocket cost of $47.44 after the rebate – $7 more than the national average.

While Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet have been strident in their criticisms of Medicare and have called for it to be reformed, Mr Rockliff would not be drawn on whether he supported increasing the payment to GPs when asked on Monday.

“We are coming up with innovative solutions in terms of GPs to improve access outside emergency departments,” he said.

“The Medicare levy is a matter for the Commonwealth.

“We are also urging a 50-50 funding split on health care between the federal government and the states.”

A federal task force has produced a new report on Medicare reform, with the Albanese government pledging to adopt its recommendations using its $750m Strengthening Medicare Fund.

Together with Mr Albanese and Health Minister Mark Butler, Mr Rockliff, who is also the state’s Health Minister, announced a new pilot single-employer GP training model for Tasmania on Friday.

The $13m pilot will see up to 20 GP registrars specialising in rural medicine employed by the Tasmanian government for up to four years while in training, with the aim of boosting the number of doctors working in regional areas.

“This is about boosting primary care and taking pressure off the hospital system,” Mr Albanese said about the pilot on Friday.