July has been an unhealthy month for the people of Milton Ulladulla. First, there was the cessation of maternity services at Milton Hospital. Then came the announcement from the Milton Medical Centre that a visit to the doctor was to become more expensive from August 1.
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Dr Brett Thomson lays the blame for the medical centre’s decision to increase prices squarely at the feet of the Medicare rebate freeze, which was introduced by the Labor government in 2013, extended by the Abbott government and, with the narrow re-election of the Turnbull government, is set to remain until 2020.
Any business – including a medical centre – has to balance costs and revenue. Like death and taxes, rising costs are an inevitable fact of life.
So when a core component of revenue – in the medical centre’s case the Medicare rebate – stands frozen in time, remaining viable will necessitate passing on costs to patients. Imagine if your wages had not grown in seven years as the costs of food, housing, power and transport all rose. There would have to be sacrifices made – some kind of belt-tightening.
Before the election, the government said the rebate freeze was not permanent but after only two years, the Australian Medical Association this year said medical practices were at breaking point.
Both the Labor and Liberal governments have struggled to keep pace with the rising cost of health care. In the last decade, the cost of primary health care and services, including Medicare, have risen by 60 per cent and with the ageing population the national medical bill is set to increase even further.
The challenge for governments of all persuasions is to set national priorities according to need. Politically, health is a minefield because the electorate cherishes easy access to affordable medical care. Earlier proposals for GP co-payments of $7, minimum consultation times and even a $5 reduction in the Medicare rebate for GP visits proved electorally poisonous. The strident, so-called Mediscare campaign by Labor during the election campaign no doubt contributed to the flagging fortunes of the Turnbull government.
Our primary concern is the welfare of patients and intrinsic to that is access to services. If people delay having their health checked because they feel they can’t afford to, it really only shifts the costs down the line if conditions become chronic and require intensive treatment.
