Medicare funds lag behind rising costs

BY GRACE CRICHTON

CRITICAL shortfalls in Medicare funding have put pressures on practices and, in turn, patients.

Medicare indexation has not kept up with rising costs, necessitating the introduction practices, according to the Australian Medical Association (AMA).

AMA president Professorla for indexing Medicare was ‘broken’.

“Years of inadequate Medicare rebate no longer the actual cost of providing patients,” he said.

Practice co-owner and GP viable.

standard consultation… it’s around $32,” he said.

“Now, if that was adjusted

[Medicare] was started in larger than that.

“It’s nowhere near being what it needs to be.” bodies and practice owners have brought the issue to thetion for ‘decades’.

“It hasn’t been listened to,” he said.

“In fact, there was a prolonged period up until so that rebate didn’t change at

Minister for Health and announced the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce report on - challenge...as a Labor gova whole range of options about the Medicare rebate asforce report put out good ideas but lacked substance.

“It’s so light on details and said.

“We have to continue to adjust our fees to keep theoption we have.”