Medicare: Labor says Turnbull can’t be trusted

A Eurobodalla GP has lashed out, saying the issue of Medicare bulk-billing could bring down the government.

Dr Andrew Gibson said bulk-billing patients was under threat due to the frozen Medicare rebate.

He said the Coalition would maintain the current freeze “at it’s peril”.

“Doctors will not be able to afford to continue to bulk bill; it will become unaffordable,” he said.

Coalition Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis says the freeze is a temporary measure to curb ballooning costs in the health system while a review is completed.

However, Dr Gibson said the freeze must be lifted.

“The costs of running a practice have not been frozen,” he said.

“It goes up at least by CPI or more. It is getting to the point where it is intolerable.

“They say 70 to 80 per cent of GP consultations are bulk billed - that will not be sustainable.”

Dr Gibson said doctors would soon be forced to charge formerly bulk-billed patients.

“It may mean some patients who should come to the doctor won't come to the doctor,” he said.

“It is a co-payment by stealth, which was rejected.

“To ignore this will be at their peril. The Labor Party has said they will unfreeze the rebate and there may be a lot of people, patients, maybe even doctors, who would not have voted for the Labor party before, who might decide this is the thing that is going to change their mind.”

Asked if GPs were simply trying to protect high incomes, Dr Gibson said their incomes could no longer be considered high.

“I don't think, compared to the rest of the community, doctors are on a high income,” Dr Gibson said.

“Once upon a time, they possible were.

“I’m not prepared to speak about our specialist colleagues, but financially there is no doubt they are better off.

“If we bulk bill, we discount. Does Woolworths discount pensioners? Does the Shell service station discount pensioners?”