2022
Incorporating
Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Phone: (03) 5775 2115
www.mansfieldcourier.com.au
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FUNDING PLEA FOR FATAL INTERSECTION
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HERITAGE MUSEUM WORKS DELAYED LADIES IN PINK AS part of the High Country Festival Grand Parade on Saturday morning, mother and daughter Louise Drysdale and Tawney stood out among the crowd. Louise and Tawney joined the parade with the Mansfield Pony Club’s entry. There were more than 60 floats, cars, animals, bands and orchestra joining the parade. For more stories and photos of the weekend events turn to pages 11 to 16. PHOTO: Pam Zierk-Mahoney
Sport
EGAN’S RIDE IN MELBOURNE CUP
System under pressure MANSFIELD’S two GP practices will not impose recommended fee increases on patients, but both concede they are struggling to meet the increasing demand from the local community. From November 1, the Australia Medical Association (AMA) recommended doctors raise their fees to $102 for a short consult (less than 20 minutes), a $4 increase from July. This is the third national increase this year. The Medicare rebate for this consult has risen by 20c to $41.40, meaning patients
Australian College Mansfield GPs call for more support pp amid national fee hike of Royal GPs president Dr Nicole BY HANNAH KENNELLY hkennelly@ nemedia.com.au
will be $60.60 out of pocket after a routine check-up. Currently Mansfield Medical Centre charges $98.30 for a standard consult, while Mansfield Central General Practice charges $93.95. Despite the recommended fee change, Mansfield’s two medical centres confirmed they were not planning to raise their fees again this year.
However, representatives from both clinics reported struggling to meet patient demand with a rapidly growing and ageing population. Doctor Graham Slaney has been a GP at Mansfield Medical Centre for more than 26 years and has seen the shire’s population skyrocket over the past decade. He has also simultaneously witnessed the Medicare Benefits Schedule remain surprisingly stagnant despite increased cost of
living pressures. “The Medicare rebate has not increased in line with inflation and consequently patients are paying more of a gap to see a doctor,” Dr Slaney explained. “That’s the problem with general practice in Australia; it continues to be incredibly underfunded by the Federal Government.” Mansfield Central General Practice co-owner and GP Ben Nally agreed, saying the burden on medical centres had risen dramatically in the past decade.
“Twenty or 30 years ago you could easily run an entirely bulk-billing clinic and make it viable,” he said. “You can’t do that anymore.” The Federal Government recently announced it will triple the bulk-billing incentives for GP’s as part of a $3.5 billion package. However, these increased incentives will only be available for medical practitioners who bulk-bill patients with a Commonwealth concession card or children under 16 years of age.
Higgins welcomed the increases but cautioned there was still more work to be done. “These changes are essential targeted relief for patients who need it most, but this significant investment follows decades of underfunding,” she said. “It’s very clear there is a long way to go in strengthening Medicare, but this is an important first step and a major investment for families and our most vulnerable patients.” ■ Continued page 2
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