Govt considers alt to co-pay
July 24, 2014
AUSTRALIAN Medical
Association (AMA) president
Associate Professor Brian Owler has
said the Government has agreed to
consider an alternative approach
to the GP co-payment proposed in
the 2014-15 Budget and due to be
introduced in July next year.
“The Government has listened
to our concerns and has agreed
to consider an alternative and
fairer approach, which the AMA is
currently developing.”
Owler said the AMA recognised
that it was reasonable for people
with appropriate means to make
a contribution towards seeing a
doctor but it could not support
the GP, pathology and radiology
policies that disadvantaged the
poor, elderly, chronically ill and
Indigenous Australians, which
the Government model had the
potential to do.
He said he had told this in
person to the Prime Minister, the
Treasurer, and the Health Minister.
“We have seen some
acknowledgement from the
Government that it is willing to look
at aspects of its co-payment model,
starting with the impact on people
in aged care.
“We hope to be able to present
the Government with a fair and
workable alternative policy in a
matter of weeks.”
Pharmaceutical Society
of Australia (PSA) national
president Grant Kardachi said
the organisation had expressed
concern at the Pharmaceutical
Benefits Scheme co-payment,
saying increasing it could result in
more Australians needing closer
monitoring to ensure they were
compliant with their medicines
regime, due to an increase putting
added pressure on people’s ability
to continue taking their medicines.
The PSA would continue to
monitor the situation, he said.
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