Medicare patient rebates fail to keep pace
Posted
by DPS
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) called for proper and realistic indexation of Medicare patient rebates following notice from the Department of Health and Ageing that the patient rebate for a standard GP consultation will increase by just 60 cents from 1 November 2010.
AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said the overall Medicare fee increase of 1.8% is inadequate when compared with the Labour Price Index of 2.96% and CPI of 2.92%.
The MBS rebate for a standard GP consultation will be $34.90, up from $34.30.
Dr Pesce said that the long history of MBS indexation lagging well behind the cost of delivering high quality patient care is the reason for the difference between MBS fees and AMA fees.
