Cost of doctor visits to fall
THE cost of seeing a doctor could fall for the first time in four years and the price of some medicines will drop as a result of last night’s Budget.
Families will also get an extra $ 300 to spend on their children’s dental care every two years as the Government tries to rebuild its health credentials after a near election loss.
The unpopular Medicare freeze will end from July 2018 when the Medicare rebate for a doctor’s visit will rise by around 50c per visit.
Medicare rebates for specialists will be indexed to inflation for the first time in five years from 2019.
And doctors who bulk bill will get a pay rise from July this year with bulk billing incentives paid to them indexed to inflation in a $ 9.5 million move that will shore up bulk billing.
The end to the Medicare freeze will cost the Government $ 1 billion over four years but it won’t make up for lost indexation and as a result Medicare rebates will still cover less than half the cost of the AMA’s recommended fee.
The price of some medicines could fall when the Government saves $ 1.8 billion by slashing the price it pays for subsidised medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Big drug companies will wear the pain for these cuts in return for certainty of funding a new five- year agreement with the Government.
Some contraceptive pills, epipens and other medicines could become cheaper as a result of this deal. The Government has also funded three new medicines – Entresto for heart failure, Ofev for pulmonary fibrosis and Invega for schizophrenia in the Budget.
Millions of families eligible for the Child Dental Scheme will get an extra $ 300 to spend on dental care every two years.
The amount families can spend on dental check- ups, fillings and other basic dental work every two years will rise from $ 700 to $ 1000 as a result.
Health Minister Greg Hunt has announced every Australian will automatically be given an online health record and will have to opt out if they want to protect their health privacy under a $ 374 million plan.
After nearly losing the 2016 election over its Medicare cuts the Government has moved to show its commitment to the national health insurance scheme by setting up a Medicare Guarantee Fund.
From July this year proceeds from the Medicare Levy and personal tax receipts will be paid into the fund to ensure it covers the combined costs of Medicare and the PBS.
Treasury officials said if more people visit the doctor or use more medicines than forecast the fund will be automatically topped up from general revenue.
People in the bush with mental health problems will get access to psychiatrists in the city via a new $ 9 million telehealth program that means they can chat over a computer without having to travel.