A third of doctors likely to end bulk billing - HIV infections to rise?

It's a pretty small survey of only 50 doctors, but never the less was conducted by the Doctors Reform Society. One third of these doctors said they will have to end bulk billing for everyone.

This will have serious consequences for people's health. How pensioners are supposed to come up with extra money to see a doctor is beyond me. For example our rent has gone up to $400 a week now and we're paying that as pensioners (me the DSP and David the Carers Payment). There's nothing to spare believe me. 

I'll be asking my doctor about this when I see him next. Likely they'll simply keep doing what they are presently. It's $85 up front to see a doctor there, but pensioners are bulk billed. Given that many clients are HIV+ it would be doubtful for them to end this. 

But that doesn't help everyone else in the community who attends 30% of other clinics does it. And how will that affect people in the community at risk of HIV infection who attend said clinics? Will this cause infection rates in Australia to rise? After all if HIV isn't diagnosed and treated the person is infectious and can spread the virus to others.

In which case huge expense is caused to the PBS and Medicare with each new infection. HIV medication is incredibly expensive and a huge cost to the PBS. Talk about a false economy. Bloody morons.

Well you never know. The election result is as yet unknown.

More than 30% of doctors say they will have to stop bulk billing all patients due to the Medicare rebate indexation freeze, a survey by a doctors’ group has warned. 

The survey of 50 GPs in Sydney by the Doctors Reform Society also found more than half of those surveyed said they would increase their fees. 

The society’s vice-president, Dr Con Costa, said “because of the cuts we’ve seen under this government, many doctors are telling us that they will stop bulk billing all patients”. 

“Based on our survey, I predict patients will be paying a GP copayment of up to $39 – more than five times the Abbott GP copayment of $7,” he said. 

“With fewer and fewer doctors bulk billing, we’re genuinely concerned that people are going to stop seeing their local GP because the cost will be too high.” The Guardian