Consumers Health Forum Concerned about Threat to Medicare

Medicare’s goal of making primary care accessible to all is under double threat if the Federal Government introduces a $6 GP co-payment and dismantles Medicare Locals, according to the Consumers Health Forum.
“The Consumers Health Forum urges the Government against taking such substantial steps to undermine Medicare without at least first considering the report of the Senate committee into out of pocket health care costs,” says CHF Chief Executive Officer, Adam Stankevicius.
“The argument is made that the co-payment would reduce ‘unnecessary’ use of GPs.  We have yet to see evidence to support the assertion of widespread misuse of GPs and to support the idea that a $6 co-payment would reduce that alleged over-use.
“Reports that Medicare Locals are to be abolished and replaced by more centralised agencies would, if carried through, constitute another backward step.  Many Medicare Locals have already shown after just three years of operation that there is great potential in having a local focus to generate local coordination of care.
“Indications that the Health Minister, Peter Dutton, is also considering extending  private health insurance to cover GP visits would be another blow to the principle of universal access to primary care as it would increase the likelihood of a two-class system in which those with insurance would get preferred access over uninsured patients.
“These developments indicate the Government is more intent on cutting health costs instead of delivering better community health outcomes.
“Before considering such wholesale changes to private health insurance, we urge the Government to take a reasoned and methodical approach by commissioning the Productivity Commission to investigate this issue, given the last such inquiry was more than 15 years ago."