Worsening Primary Health Crisis in Fisher
The Albanese Labor Government is overseeing a serious primary healthcare crisis in Fisher, which is making it harder and more expensive to see a doctor.
The recent report released by Cleanbill has confirmed a trend that has been evident for months – bulk billing is collapsing under Labor, after being at record highs under the former Coalition Government.
Cleanbill’s report states that there has been a “catastrophic” reduction in the number of bulk billing options available across the country and that over 1.2 million Australians avoided attending a GP over the last financial year due to cost concerns.
In Queensland, the report shows that the number of clinics offering bulk billing to all adult patients has reduced by 9.4%, while the average out-of-pocket cost of a GP appointment has risen to $41.13 (+2.8%).
This study follows the RACGP’s Health of the Nation report released late last year, which showed that the number of GPs who bulk bill all their patients has halved in just one year.
Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace said that the Albanese Government is overseeing the collapse of bulk billing at a time when local families are struggling to pay the bills, let alone cough up for an unexpected GP appointment.
“It is unacceptable that Labor is overseeing a complete collapse of bulk billing, which is forcing some families to make the choice between accessing critical primary healthcare or putting food on the table.
“With our hospitals already overrun and facing serious ramping issues, the last thing we need in Fisher is for this health crisis to be made worse because patients cannot afford to see their GP,” Mr Wallace said.
The Shadow Minister for Health, Senator the Hon Anne Ruston said bulk billing rates have dropped consecutively every single month since Labor came into government, with the latest quarterly data showing rates have plummeted to the lowest levels in over a decade.
“This Government was elected with a promise to ‘strengthen Medicare’, yet all of the data is
steamrolling in the opposite direction.
“This is a seriously concerning trend that Australians just cannot afford. Not only is it pushing up out- of-pocket expenses for families, but we also know that a weakened primary care system only increases the pressure on our over-burdened hospitals,” Shadow Minister Ruston said.
Without urgent action from the Government to address this concerning collapse in bulk billing, access to critical healthcare will be increasingly at risk for the people of Fisher.
