War of words over GP costs

Herbert MP Phillip Thompson has cast a light on the soaring cost of seeing a GP in his electorate, but Labor say the buck stops with the former federal government that “trashed Medicare”

Mr Thompson cited figures provided by online healthcare directory Cleanbill that showed his electorate was the eighth most expensive region in the country to see a general practitioner.

“This research has revealed the average out-of-pocket cost for a standard 15-minute consultation in Townsville is $42.49, with only 36 per cent of practices fully bulk-billing,” Mr Thompson said.

“In the context of increased prices of electricity, fuel and groceries, this is simply unaffordable for many people at the moment.

“I’m constantly contacted by locals who tell me it’s extremely difficult to get into a bulk-billing GP which means they either go without the health care they desperately need, or are forced to go the emergency department at the hospital.”

Mr Thompson said the blame for the current situation should be shared across both state and federal governments, despite Medicare being a federal responsibility and that increases to Medicare and a payroll tax exemption for GPS should both be put into place.

Queensland Health and Ambulance Services Minister Yvette D’ath said the comments were ‘galling’.

“He was part of a Coalition government that trashed Medicare, refused to properly fund hospitals and consistently attempted to undermine our health response to the pandemic,” Ms D’ath said.

“If he wants to identify who is responsible for the low rates of bulk billing in Townsville, he should look in the mirror.

“In contrast, the Palaszczuk Government has increased the Townsville HHS’S budget by 59 per cent and have delivered 183 more doctors, 295 more nurses and midwives and 75 more allied health professionals.

“Not only that, the Palaszczuk Government and the

Albanese government are working together to deliver a Medicare Urgent Care Centre in Townsville – something that the Coalition government would have never delivered.”

Federal Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler said that freezes to the Medicare rebate under the former coalition government had ‘ripped billions’ out of primary care.

“The Morrison government hid the shocking decline of bulk billing during its term of government, but I’ve released the data so Australians can see for themselves.

In the year to June 2022, fewer than two-thirds of Australians had all of their visits to the GP bulk billed,” Mr Butler said.

A spokesman for the Queensland treasurer said that one of Mr Thompson’s areas of concern, the impact of payroll tax and the need for an exemption, was already being addressed via an amnesty put in place in Queensland.

.“Townsville GPS have been granted a payroll tax amnesty, like GPS across Queensland,” the spokesperson said.