Hospital emergency departments in WA could be swamped with up to 85,000 extra patients a year under Federal Government plans to overhaul Medicare, the peak body representing after-hours GPs says.
The National Association for Medical Deputising Services (NAMDS) says it expects a review of Medicare to recommend that patients can only be seen in their homes by their regular GP.
The Medicare Benefits Scheme review, announced in April 2015, was asked to investigate "clinically unnecessary service provision".
Based on the latest Medicare patient data, after-hours doctors say if implemented, the review recommendations would result in 85,412 extra emergency visits each year in WA.
NAMDS president Spiro Doukakis said emergency-trained doctors currently providing after-hours visits billed to Medicare would no longer be able to provide the service.
"I think the main thing that the Government is concerned about is budget. It's looking for cuts in the Medicare sphere," Dr Doukakis said.
The organisation said restricting home visits to a patient's own GP would send up to 85,000 extra patients to emergency departments.
"The last thing a majority of GPs want to do is after-hours home visits," Dr Doukakis said.
"It's a safety issue for them but it's also a safety issue for their own patients. Imagine working nine to five then being up all night on call to see patients.
"The simple fact is that the only alternative for local patients would be to queue up at emergency departments, if after-hours home visits are no longer available.
"Emergency department overcrowding is already a massive issue in Perth and cutting the main service set-up to divert patients from unnecessary visits would be like throwing fuel on a fire."
'State Government forced to fit the bill'
WA Health Minister Roger Cook said the State Government would be forced to foot the bill for the change.
"If even a portion of those people tip into our emergency departments that means that our EDs will come under further pressure, and they are already struggling to cope with demand," he said.
"WA already doesn't receive its fair share of funding for primary health through the Federal Government, so this is just another example of how these costs will be shifted to the State Government."
Dr Doukakis said there has been growth in the sector but that has been a result of good government policy, an increase in the Medicare rebate as well as rising consumer awareness.
"Five years ago, only 50 per cent of the Australian population was covered by after hours home visits but now 80 per cent of the population has access to care."
The Federal Health Department has been contacted for comment.
