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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums(Australia) Health groups fear $5 GP fee will hit hospital emergency departments
Hospital emergency departments could be overrun by patients trying to avoid a proposed $5 fee to see a doctor being considered by the Abbott Government.
And health groups have warned chronically ill patients who put off seeing a doctor because of the cost could see their condition worsen and require much more expensive hospital treatment.
The government's Commission of Audit is considering the introduction of a $5 fee for bulk billing doctors to reduce unnecessary visits to GPs and save the government around $750 million a year.
Mr Abbott has refused to rule out the introduction of the fee and has warned in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph the country does "need a massive fiscal repair job".
Health Minister Peter Dutton said yesterday "we won't be commenting on speculation around what the Commission of Audit may or may not recommend".
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-groups-fear-5-gp-fee-will-hit-hospital-emergency-departments/story-fneuz9ev-1226791543887
dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)What happens in the USA out of curiosity ?
The Straight Story
(48,121 posts)Orrex
(63,216 posts)Depending on how your insurance is set up.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)-Laelth
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)Violet_Crumble
(35,961 posts)This $5 fee may not sound like much to people in America who pay much more to see a doctor, but this is specifically aimed at low income earners and pensioners, not people like me who can afford to pay to see a doctor. My parents are on a pension and because they're getting old, both of them have regular trips to their GP and specialists as my mum has Alzheimer and my dad has skin cancer. The pension's not much, so multiple necessary trips to the doctor at $5 a go is really going to add up quick for them.
Abbott's a disgusting POS...