Top Doc Tells Libs To Piss Off - Medicare

[Redneck]

Stop 'fiddling around' with Medicare: AMA president Michael Gannon

The new head of the Australian Medical Association has warned conservative politicians that altering Medicare will come at a political cost.

The new head of the Australian Medical Association has warned conservative politicians to stop "fiddling around" with Medicare, saying it is a "totem" for voters who do not want it changed.

Dr Michael Gannon told the National Press Club in Canberra that Labor's so-called Mediscare campaign in the federal election campaign was successful because there was a "very strong undercurrent of fear and uncertainty" among voters as a result of the Coalition's 2014 budget.

"The Coalition government went to the election oblivious to, or unprepared for, the community's concerns about health services," Dr Gannon said on Wednesday.

"Right or wrong, co-payments became code for attacks on poor and disadvantaged people in the community. They were seen as attacks on sick people. They were seen as attacks on working families with young kids. In short, the co-payment strategy was a political disaster."

Dr Gannon said Medicare was a "totem" for voters who supported it regardless of their political beliefs and conservative politicians accepted this.

"When Australians say 'Medicare' what they mean is that they want ready access to public hospital treatment, free treatment in public hospitals and they want subsidised treatment to see their GPs and for their basic healthcare . . . I think that wherever we sit as individuals on an ideological continuum, I think collectively the Australian people have said that they are very comfortable with the state, to a large extent, being in charge of their health and their education. They don't want the right of politics fiddling around with them," Dr Gannon said.

Dr Gannon, an obstetrician and gynaecologist from Perth, took over the presidency of the Australian Medical Association from Brian Owler in May.

He has promised to repair the group's relationship with the Coalition, which he said had been partly damaged by speaking out on asylum seekers.

Dr Gannon made it clear he believed it was the responsibility of the Commonwealth, rather than state governments, to find a sustainable, long-term solution for hospitals' funding.

When states and territories failed to meet national targets for waiting times and treatment in emergency departments and for elective surgery, Dr Gannon said, it was as a "direct consequence of the Commonwealth failure to fund their share of public hospitals".

"The states and territories have narrow tax bases, with an unhealthy reliance on old, inefficient taxes, and immoral sources of funding like that from pokie machines. The Commonwealth government needs to step up," he said.

Dr Gannon also urged doctors to consider their fees where they charged above the scheduled fee saying people were often "afraid" of seeking specialists' advice and should not also be worried about the bill.

"Excessive fees are not appropriate. I'm pleased to say that I didn't have a torrent of resignations when I asserted that I've never seen anyone who's worth five figures for two hours' work," Dr Gannon said.

"I think that there is some quite amazing work that gets done out there every day by urologists, by general surgeons, by vascular surgeons. At the same time, I would not stand before you and try and defend $5000, $10,000, $15,000 gaps. I think that they are difficult to defend . . . It's up to individual doctors to be very considerate of their patients and their means, taking into account how afraid they are, let alone the limited means they may have to pay for out-of-pocket expenses."

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[Neferti]

How many GPs do you know in Canberra who bulk bill, Redneck? I don't know any Northside. Some don't even bulk bill Pensioners.

We have the so-called Clinics where you pay a joining fee and then so much a month or whatever, but you get which ever GP is available (mostly Indians) ... great if all your kid needs is (in your opinion) antibiotics.

I prefer the old-fashioned GP who gets to know you over the years and that you have to pay for. Fortunately, these days, you can register your Bank details with the surgery, so no more trudging along to claim your Medicate rebate, it is paid immediately into your Bank account.

IF everybody wants to be bulk billed, they need to raise the Medicare "contribution" at Tax time .... it is still 1.4% of Annual Income, isn't it? Should be raised to maybe 2%, at least.

[Redneck]

How many GPs do you know in Canberra who bulk bill, Redneck? I don't know any Northside. Some don't even bulk bill Pensioners.

We have the so-called Clinics where you pay a joining fee and then so much a month or whatever, but you get which ever GP is available (mostly Indians) ... great if all your kid needs is (in your opinion) antibiotics.

I prefer the old-fashioned GP who gets to know you over the years and that you have to pay for. Fortunately, these days, you can register your Bank details with the surgery, so no more trudging along to claim your Medicate rebate, it is paid immediately into your Bank account.

IF everybody wants to be bulk billed, they need to raise the Medicare "contribution" at Tax time .... it is still 1.4% of Annual Income, isn't it? Should be raised to maybe 2%, at least.

Re bulk billing.

Funny you should say that Nef, mine doesnt to a point I am thinking of finding one that does, as I am on about 4 scripts on a regular basis. (Bad lifestyle and old age!)

Anyway I believe the ones do bulk bill at Kippax (according to a bloke I was chatting to at Kmart Auto Hawker) and I believe the doctors up in Belconnen near Project lighting (Egan Crt?)

[Neferti]

How many GPs do you know in Canberra who bulk bill, Redneck? I don't know any Northside. Some don't even bulk bill Pensioners.

We have the so-called Clinics where you pay a joining fee and then so much a month or whatever, but you get which ever GP is available (mostly Indians) ... great if all your kid needs is (in your opinion) antibiotics.

I prefer the old-fashioned GP who gets to know you over the years and that you have to pay for. Fortunately, these days, you can register your Bank details with the surgery, so no more trudging along to claim your Medicate rebate, it is paid immediately into your Bank account.

IF everybody wants to be bulk billed, they need to raise the Medicare "contribution" at Tax time .... it is still 1.4% of Annual Income, isn't it? Should be raised to maybe 2%, at least.

Re bulk billing.

Funny you should say that Nef, mine doesnt to a point I am thinking of finding one that does, as I am on about 4 scripts on a regular basis. (Bad lifestyle and old age!)

Anyway I believe the ones do bulk bill at Kippax (according to a bloke I was chatting to at Kmart Auto Hawker) and I believe the doctors up in Belconnen near Project lighting (Egan Crt?)

The Clinic at Kippax charges $100 joining fee, then something a month, I understand. You will never, ever get the same GP each visit. You get who ever is "available" ...

There is a new Clinic starting up at Higgins shops, I believe. Same deal as the one at Kippax.

IF all you need is a new prescriptions ... go to one of the Clinics.

[Redneck]

How many GPs do you know in Canberra who bulk bill, Redneck? I don't know any Northside. Some don't even bulk bill Pensioners.

We have the so-called Clinics where you pay a joining fee and then so much a month or whatever, but you get which ever GP is available (mostly Indians) ... great if all your kid needs is (in your opinion) antibiotics.

I prefer the old-fashioned GP who gets to know you over the years and that you have to pay for. Fortunately, these days, you can register your Bank details with the surgery, so no more trudging along to claim your Medicate rebate, it is paid immediately into your Bank account.

IF everybody wants to be bulk billed, they need to raise the Medicare "contribution" at Tax time .... it is still 1.4% of Annual Income, isn't it? Should be raised to maybe 2%, at least.

Re bulk billing.

Funny you should say that Nef, mine doesnt to a point I am thinking of finding one that does, as I am on about 4 scripts on a regular basis. (Bad lifestyle and old age!)

Anyway I believe the ones do bulk bill at Kippax (according to a bloke I was chatting to at Kmart Auto Hawker) and I believe the doctors up in Belconnen near Project lighting (Egan Crt?)

The Clinic at Kippax charges $100 joining fee, then something a month, I understand. You will never, ever get the same GP each visit. You get who ever is "available" ...

There is a new Clinic starting up at Higgins shops, I believe. Same deal as the one at Kippax.

IF all you need is a new prescriptions ... go to one of the Clinics.

The trouble is Nef I am a bit like you I like having the same Dr that has looked after me for years, she nags me about my weight and drinking to much etc but I prefer her to the one my wife likes at the same practice

"She is so lovely!"

I reply

" I dont give a sh1t if she is lovely, mine is a good Dr that is very thorough!"

i go to GPCrace $65 a visit ($37.05 refund)

[Neferti]

How many GPs do you know in Canberra who bulk bill, Redneck? I don't know any Northside. Some don't even bulk bill Pensioners.

We have the so-called Clinics where you pay a joining fee and then so much a month or whatever, but you get which ever GP is available (mostly Indians) ... great if all your kid needs is (in your opinion) antibiotics.

I prefer the old-fashioned GP who gets to know you over the years and that you have to pay for. Fortunately, these days, you can register your Bank details with the surgery, so no more trudging along to claim your Medicate rebate, it is paid immediately into your Bank account.

IF everybody wants to be bulk billed, they need to raise the Medicare "contribution" at Tax time .... it is still 1.4% of Annual Income, isn't it? Should be raised to maybe 2%, at least.

Re bulk billing.

Funny you should say that Nef, mine doesnt to a point I am thinking of finding one that does, as I am on about 4 scripts on a regular basis. (Bad lifestyle and old age!)

Anyway I believe the ones do bulk bill at Kippax (according to a bloke I was chatting to at Kmart Auto Hawker) and I believe the doctors up in Belconnen near Project lighting (Egan Crt?)

The Clinic at Kippax charges $100 joining fee, then something a month, I understand. You will never, ever get the same GP each visit. You get who ever is "available" ...

There is a new Clinic starting up at Higgins shops, I believe. Same deal as the one at Kippax.

IF all you need is a new prescriptions ... go to one of the Clinics.

The trouble is Nef I am a bit like you I like having the same Dr that has looked after me for years, she nags me about my weight and drinking to much etc but I prefer her to the one my wife likes at the same practice

"She is so lovely!"

I reply

" I dont give a sh1t if she is lovely, mine is a good Dr that is very thorough!"

i go to GPCrace $65 a visit ($37.05 refund)

Most GPs do NOT bulk bill in Canberra ... never have as far as I know. Specialists do have a "reduced fee" for Pensioners but they still don't bulk bill.

FREE medical treatment is just not sustainable .... at least with the Clinics that Canberra has initiated, people can go along, whenever they need to and take whichever GP is on duty and not have to pay .... not my cup of tea but .... it is better than nothing.

Family Practices have "closed books" ... until one of their patients carks it. You need to ring around ... meanwhile, if all you need is new scripts, check the Clinic at Kippax .... as I said, you need to "join" but ask the Receptionist person about the costs, etc.

Why do parents take a kid with a blood nose to Emergency?