Labour's Focus on Bulk Billing Off Target
AMA President, Dr Bill Glasson, today welcomed Labor leader, Mark Latham's commitment to major health reform but said his focus on bulk billing missed the point.
Dr Glasson said the real issue for the Australian community is the chronic and worsening shortage of doctors.
"There are not enough doctors to meet the demand for medical services and waiting lists are getting longer," Dr Glasson said.
"Pressuring GPs to bulk bill their patients is a simplistic response to a very serious issue and will discourage doctors from practicing in areas of need. This will make the problem worse - not better.
"Australian voters are more worried about finding a doctor when they need one rather than whether that doctor bulk bills.
"There's a serious shortage of doctors in outer urban and remote areas.
"We need more doctors, but it takes at least 10 years to train a GP.
"We need to encourage medical students to study and practice in the bush and not try to insist on bulk billing when the result would be to make the practice non viable.
"In the short term we must also streamline the process for properly qualified overseas doctors to practice in Australia to help with the chronic doctor shortage.
"Mr Latham talked about teams of GPs and nurses visiting areas of need. The fact is there are not enough doctors to go around. Not for general practices, not for public hospitals, not for special medical teams.
"Both parties should focus on access and affordability of medical services for all Australians.
"If the ALP has concerns about health costs for families Mr Latham must insist that the Senate passes the Government's Medicare safety net proposal to help protect the poorest and sickest people in the community from unaffordable expenses," Dr Glasson said.
30 January 2004
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