Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid a surprise visit to the Central Coast on Thursday, February 1, to mark the 40th anniversary of Medicare and the success of the region’s two Medicare Urgent Care Clinics – one at Lake Haven and the other at Umina Beach.
Albanese joined local Federal MPs Gordon Reid (Robertson) and Emma McBride (Dobell) at the Peninsula Urgent Care Clinic at Umina Beach and talked-up the clinic’s success since it opened on November 20 last year.
“About 1,400 patients have been seen just since November and (numbers are) rising every week,” he said.
“People are coming into this centre and getting the care they need.”
Central Coast residents have seen some of the largest increases in bulk billing in Australia, since the Government tripled the bulk billing incentive as part of its $6.1B Strengthening Medicare reforms.
In October, before the incentive was tripled on November 1, 71.3 per cent of all GP visits were bulk billed across the Central Coast electorates of Dobell and Robertson.
By December that increased by about 4.5 percentage points to 75.7 per cent.
The increase in the bulk billing rate means an estimated 10,000 additional trips to the GP were bulk billed on the Central Coast in November and December, saving locals an estimated $370,000 in gap fees and helping to ease the cost-of-living.
The bulk billing incentive is paid on top of the standard Medicare benefit when doctors bulk bill children under 16, pensioners and other Commonwealth concession card holders.
Nationally, the GP bulk billing rate has risen by 2.1 percentage points to 77.7 per cent.
Member for Robertson Gordon Reid said Labor introduced Medicare and only Labor could be trusted to strengthen and protect it.
“People on the Coast are finding it easier to see a bulk billing doctor because of Labor’s efforts to strengthen Medicare,” he said.
Member for Dobell Emma McBride said the tripling of the bulk billing incentive was the largest investment in bulk billing since Medicare was established 40 years ago.
“Eligible patients account for about three out of five visits to the GP, and in some communities much more than that, meaning a very significant increase to general practice incomes,” she said.
Health Minister Mark Butler said doctors’ groups had called the tripling of the bulk billing incentive a “game changer”.
“The Albanese Government committed to making it easier for people to see a bulk billing doctor – and the first two months of data show that is exactly what is happening right around the country, and particularly on the Central Coast,” he said.
“This is a win all round – for patients, doctors and the health system – and it is helping make Medicare stronger than it has ever been since Labor introduced it 40 years ago.”
Albanese said in a radio interview on the day that Government measures were making a big difference in easing cost-of-living pressures.
“Australians have saved $250M since we introduced our cheaper medicines plan that took place in January last year,” he said.
“The tripling of the bulk billing incentive is making a difference.
“The 11 per cent drop in childcare costs … since July 1, that’s making a difference.
“Our tax cut plan for every Australian taxpayer to get a tax cut will also make an enormous difference.”
Terry Collins