(Transcript from SBS World News Radio)
The federal government has scrapped its planned changes to the Medicare rebate for short doctor visits.
The government had planned to reduce the rebate for GP consultations of less than 10 minutes by $20, and the change was due to start on Monday.
But it's now ditched that plan after Labor and four cross-bench senators aligned to strike it down in the Senate.
Greg Dyett reports.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
Speaking on the campaign trail in Queensland, Opposition leader Bill Shorten made this appeal.
"This morning, I am personally asking Tony Abbott and his government to take the regulations off the table. They don't come in until January 19. The reaction in the community is widespread and unanimous. GPs, nurses and clinicians, parents and patients all of one voice are saying to the Abbott Government, do not add extra charges and taxes to go and see the doctor."
The proposed changes had been generating plenty of headlines in recent days.
Health Minister Sussan Ley called a news conference to announce the changes would not take place.
She says Australians have been panicked by misinformation about the nature of the planned changes.
"I am deeply concerned by the misinformation that is causing confusion for patients and confusion for doctors. As a result, I'm announcing today that the changes to Level A and B Medicare consultation items will not commence on Monday as planned. The government is taking them off the table."
The changes would have meant the rebate for doctors being reduced from just over $37 to just under $16 - a cut of $20.10 for bulk billing GPs.
And from July 1st there would have been another cut to the rebate of almost $12 for longer consultations.
Labor, the Australian Medical Association and other groups warned doctors would be forced to pass on the changes to patients, resulting in fewer GPs able to offer bulk billing.
The President of the Australian Medicare Association, Doctor Brian Owler, has told the ABC he's relieved the plans have been dropped.
"Oh look I'm pleased, I'm pleased very much for grassroots GPs and particularly for their patients because they were the ones that were going to bear the brunt of these changes. I think clearly commonsense has prevailed and I'm very pleased that the government is not going ahead with these Level A and Level B rebate changes on Monday."
Dr Owler says the AMA will begin consulting with the government to try to enhance general practice and make the healthcare system sustainable.
The sustainability of the Medicare system is one of the federal government's stated key goals.
Health Minister Sussan Ley says the government remains committed to some form of price for users who can afford to pay, such as a GP co-payment.
But Greens Senator Richard Di Natale says the government should immediately rule out other changes its foreshadowed.
"This wasn't just an announcement to reduce the rebate for short consults. There were two other very important initiatives that the former health minister introduced. That was to introduce a $5 co-payment for patients and the second was to freeze Medicare payments for doctors. Well both of those things must now also be taken off the table."
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