The peak body for general practitioners has called on the government to support its plan to ensure access to afforable GP for all Australians.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has propsed a plan that would half out-of-pocket costs, and deliver 6.2 million more bulk billed consultations each year.
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Presenting the plan at Parliament on Tuesday, the RACGP said its independent analysis of the plan would reutn the bulk billing rate to 85 per cent to help Australians needing care.
The average cost for a consultation lasting more than 20 minutues would be halved from $59 to $25.
The plan would also increase the GP workforce, generating over five million appointments each year.
RACGP President Michael Wright this year’s federal election was critical for Australians who were struggling with rising cost-of-living.
“Despite Australia’s world class health system, many people are missing out on essential care,” he said.
“Our population is growing and ageing, and there’s an epidemic of chronic illnesses. Compounding the issue, our GP workforce is ageing, with a third of doctors planning to retire in the next five years.
“If our plan is implemented, it will immediately improve access to affordable GP care and ease cost-of-living pressures. Long term, it will improve health and wellbeing and reduce the number of people who end up in hospital with preventable illnesses, saving the health system nearly half a billion every year.”
The RACGP estimated the plan would save the health system around $485 million a year, preventing more than 15,00 emergency department presentations and 42,000 hospitalisations.
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