Page 2610 - Week 09 - Thursday, 8 August 1991
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Mr Humphries: Yes.
MR BERRY: Mr Humphries has got his crystal ball out. He says that it is going to happen.
Mr Humphries: I think you know that it is going to happen, too.
MR BERRY: If it does happen - - -
Mr Duby: What will be the result?
MR BERRY: Are we allowed to hypothesise?
MR SPEAKER: It is your answer; you are going on the record.
MR BERRY: The proposal, or the leak, is that, for those patients whose doctors bulk bill, an up-front consultation fee of about $3.50 will be applied. That is according to the leak, and we will just have to wait and see what happens. Also, patients going to doctors who do not bulk bill would have their refunds from Medicare reduced by the same amount, so the leak says. I do not know why we answer questions on leaks.
Patients on social security benefits would be exempt and there would be safety net provisions for the chronically ill. The ACT has a low percentage of doctors who bulk bill, compared to other States, so the impact here would be expected to be less.
In general, however, I am concerned about the effect - that is, if the leak proves to be true - particularly for the more disadvantaged. The evidence that an up-front payment does prevent overservicing is still uncertain. The proposal would have more impact on those on lower incomes than on others. The health strategy review also indicates that up-front payments reduce both necessary and unnecessary consultations equally. So, I would be worried that it presents either a real or a perceived barrier to care for those in need.
Essentially, what we have to say is that it is only a leak at this stage. It is a little silly to be asking questions on leaks, and it is a waste of time for government Ministers to be called on to answer them. I am required to answer them, if one is to be professional about this; but it is a bit of a waste of time.
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