If Hunter GPs are forced to stop bulk billing vulnerable patients, don't be surprised if deaths occur.
This might sound like an exaggeration, but it will ring true at the coalface of medicine across the region.
The federal government has changed Medicare rebate incentives, meaning the Hunter will be on the same level as Sydney from January 1.
Bulk-billing incentives for GPs in the Hunter will fall from $9.50 to $6.30 per patient. If doctors feel they have no choice but to reduce bulk billing, some poor and disadvantaged people will be badly affected.
Some won't be able to afford to see a doctor when needed.
It might be a single mum with three children all sick. Or an older person who barely has enough money to pay for food and electricity.
Being unable to get medical attention in a timely fashion for certain illnesses can make symptoms a lot worse. This could be illnesses like influenza and pneumonia, a severe ear infection or meningococcal disease.
Sick people may choose not to return to their doctor for critical follow-up consultations. They may be referred to get an X-ray for pneumonia, but be unable to afford it.
These are simply a few examples of problems requiring urgent medical attention.
Concern about people dying because of reduced bulk billing is a worse-case scenario. But there will be other ramifications. More people will turn to emergency departments at hospitals.
This seems ridiculous given that free or affordable care at the GP and pharmacy stage of the health system reduces the chances of people ending up in hospital.
Another foreseeable scenario is that some disadvantaged patients may find the extra money needed to see their GP. But then they might not have enough money to pay for the medicine they need. Or they might be unable to afford the rent.
The Australian Medical Association says the changes were introduced to better target financial incentives to attract and retain medical staff in rural and remote areas.
But Hunter doctors say they will be faced with having to charge those they were bulk billing, or find savings in other ways.
They may have to charge other people more or push more people through their surgeries faster.
Anyone who has seen a doctor recently knows that quick consultation times are already a problem. Many doctors are having to see too many patients. Some can't find the time to talk through people's problems.
There can be a tendency to prescribe patients a pharmaceutical and send them on their way, which can lead to misdiagnosis, medical errors and oversubscribing.
All governments have to juggle spending priorities. And the medical system does have cost problems that need attention.
But this change to Medicare seems particularly heartless.
ISSUE: 39,475.
