Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

This government's attacks on Medicare are starting to be felt in regional Australia, particularly in regional Victoria. To highlight the struggles that the small regional town of Hamilton in the electorate of Wannon is facing, I will read something that has been texted through to me. Hamilton Medical Group just posted this:

In view of the Government freezing of the Medicare rebate, in order to sustain a medical service and attract doctors to come and work in Hamilton, the Hamilton Medical Group will be changing its billing policy.

From Monday, September 28, 2015 full payment will be required for all consultations on the day of service.

This is how this government is breaking Medicare. This is how this government is smashing bulk-billing. It is a backdoor way to freeze the rebate to force local medical services to increase their fees. For people in Hamilton, like people in Bendigo, where other practices have been forced to do this, it means that, before they can get support, before they can get to see a doctor, they have to have the money in the bank. Another example in my own electorate relates to psychology services. Patients have been asked to have $165 up-front in their bank account before they can see somebody. Of course, this will be reimbursed, but they have to have the money up-front. They will be out of pocket by $40. These are the attacks of this government. (Time expired)

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