What is a good name for the proposed GP charges?

[donnashuggy]

Should they call it a GP Tax?

[cherry*135]

I have noticed the bull billing centres (free to all) do tend to 'overservice' their patients.

By that I mean, they often treat you/prescribe medicine then say come back in a week.  Not come back in a week if you are still feeling ill.. just comeback in a week and I will check you out.. completely unecessary.

[imastawka]

So families without health cards pay for 12 bulk billed visits p.a. then  they are free? 12 visits per family no matter which person sees the Dr?

Sorry, am.  That article dates to December.   They have since backed down to 6 paid visits p.a.

Just too confusing.   All I know is.... I don't pay  : )

[cherry*135]

All proposals at present anyway.

He said his plan could be fined tuned by exempting families and welfare recipients from the $5 charge.

Alternatively, he said instead of paying the charge for 12 visits it might only apply for six visits to the doctor a year (the average number of doctors visits per person per year).

Uni students could do with an exemption too. Even if they are on Youth Allowance that doesn't mean they are eligible for a HCC.

[amber-eyed-girl]

I hate going to a GP and tend not to even when I know I should. I am out of pocket by 50 to 70$ where I live. Five practices within ten kilometres. All charge. All have doctors straight out of med school who are hapless and know less than I do about the everyday malaise, breaks etc. (because of my training, not exaggerating here). So unless it is something out of the ordinary, which would require a referral, I don't. I can't justify it in terms of either the care or the cost.

[catsnknots]

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@punch*drunk wrote:

How often does the average person see a doctor? More than once a month would be pretty extraordinary woldnt it?

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It is not the average person that is the owrry but it would be the once that really need to go. I needed to go a lot last year, some months three or four times.... but thinking about it I don't think it was more than 12 visits and if it was it was just over. But I would be happy to pay a small amount if needed. 

On the overall topic of services...... 

People are not realising that we can't keep paying and paying and paying for everything via the government. We need to take some responsibility upon ourselves. An example I can give is blood tests.... you might not realise that some of those tests that the Dr has ordered cost anything from $20 to $600 each (some cost less but some cost more)  some people will have five or six blood tests every few months. So on top of that Dr visit your blood tests might also add up to $200 every few months. Who pays for that? 

[polksaladallie]

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@polocross58 wrote:

The world is filled with malingerers and many of them frequent doctors' surgeries

They go there to feel important

They go because they're self-absorbed hypochondriacs

They go so they can tell people, ' MY doctor said .... '

 They go to have someone to talk to

They go in order to force doctors to pay them undivided attention if only for ten minutes

They go because it's free

They go because they have nothing of worth to fill their empty lives and heads

They go because they can

Doctors' time and energies are abused by these people.  They hold up the line.  They force the genuinely ill to sit and wait

They go far more often than twelve times per year.  For some, it's a twice-weekly indulgence

If charging them a few dollars will force them to cut it out, I'm all for it

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I think you are confusing dr surgeries with hairdressers, although they are not free