MEDICAL advocacy bodies have welcomed the roll-out of bulk-billing to all Australians but a local GP has warned of a critical GP shortage if not addressed as a priority.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese delivered Labor's major election promise as an instrument to help reduce the cost of living while also addressing key health sector challenges in affordability and accessibility for everyday Australians.
Under the plan Labor said nine out of 10 GP visits will be free from out-of-pocket expenses by 2030 under an $8.5 billion Medicare election funding promise.
Labor said will deliver more doctors and nurses into Medicare, with 400 nursing scholarships and the largest GP training program in Australian history, funding the training of 2000 new GP trainees a year by 2028.
Wangaratta South Medical Centre principal Dr Julian Fidge said the aspiration to increase bulk-billing rates was great, and it may allow his clinic to continue to bulk-bill concession and pension card holders for now.
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"But in rural Australia we first need more doctors to provide consultations, whether they are bulk-billed or not," Dr Fidge said.
"For us, the government has put the cart before the horse.
"You may remember the first thing this government did was to declare the outer suburbs of the capital cities to be areas of need, which led to many doctors moving to the capital cities.
"There is no incentive for the government to look after rural Australians, because we don't have enough voters to influence them."
Indi MP Helen Haines welcomed the government’s announcement that will deliver 18 million bulk billed GP visits each year, more nursing scholarships and more places for GP training programs.
"This announcement could be a positive step towards reducing the persistent, intergenerational healthcare inequities experienced by rural Australians," Dr Haines said.
"If re-elected as the Independent Member for Indi, I will be watching closely to ensure these measures meaningfully address the shortfalls in regional and rural Australia."
Dr Haines made special note of the $265.2 million to expand GP training must include Rural Generalist training places, "so that we get more GPs in the bush".
She also said $48.4 million for an extra 100 Commonwealth Supported Places for medical students must include places in universities like LaTrobe University and University of Melbourne’s Rural Medical Pathway, which enables medical students to stay in their communities while they study and train to become a doctor, increasing their likelihood of staying and working in rural areas.
"As a former nurse, midwife and health research, I have long advocated that training rural students close to home is the most effective way to get more rural doctors," she said.
Liberal candidate for Indi James Trenery said it has never been harder and more expensive to see a doctor than it is right now.
"GP bulk billing has collapsed from 88 per cent under the Liberals to 77pc under Anthony Albanese, " Mr Trenery said.
"Last financial year alone there were 40 million fewer bulk billed GP visits under Labor, in comparison to the Liberal's last year in government.
"To address this, a Dutton Liberal government will invest $9 billion into Medicare to address Labor’s healthcare crisis and ensure Australians have timely, affordable access to a doctor.
"We will match the $8.5 billion investment into Medicare dollar-for-dollar to fix Labor’s mess and restore bulk billing back up to Coalition levels.
"We have also previously announced that we will invest $500 million to restore critical Medicare funding for mental health support, after it was slashed in half by the Albanese government."
Minister for Health Mark Butler said patients and families will save hundreds of dollars a year in out-of-pocket costs, with patient savings of $859 million a year by 2030.
He said the expanded bulk-billing to all Australians will take place from 1 November at the same time a new Bulk-Billing Practice Incentive Program will support practices that bulk-bill all their patients.
"On top of the bulk billing incentive, fully bulk-billing practices will receive an additional 12.5 per cent loading payment on their Medicare rebates," Mr Butler said.
"The combined investment means around 4800 practices will be in a better financial position if they adopt full bulk-billing."
