Well, you can’t say general practice has been completely abandoned by politicians.
The Greens have answered the prayers of general practice by promising a 20% bump to rebates for long appointments, equalising GP registrar pay and extending the tripled bulk billing incentive.
They have also pledged to set up 1000 free local healthcare clinics – that’s at least six per electorate – with government-employed GPs, dentists, nurses and psychologists.
The only hitch is that it will cost $54 billion.
Luckily, the minor party already has a plan to come up with the money: its so-called “Robin Hood Reforms” would raise $514 billion over a decade by imposing a tax on big corporations.
“One in three big corporations pays no tax,” party leader Adam Bandt said.
“The Greens will make big corporations pay their fair share of tax so you can see the GP for free.”
The Greens also promised to “triple the bulk billing incentive for all” by opening up the rebate, which is normally only available to children and concession card holders, to anyone with a Medicare card.
Longer appointment rebates would get a further 20% boost, and $900 million would be set aside to reduce the pay gap between GP registrars and their hospital-based peers.
A 20% increase in Medicare rebates has long been on the RACGP’s list of budget asks and pay parity for GP registrars appeared on the pre-budget submissions of no less than three doctor advocacy bodies earlier this year.
Greens health spokesman Senator Jordon Steele-John said the party recognised that the future of general practice was in crisis.
“With the cost-of-living so high, students are making a financial decision to pursue careers other than becoming a GP,” he said.
“This is why the Greens are announcing our commitment to the future of the GP workforce with our plan to offer pay-parity to trainee GPs.”
RACGP president Dr Nicole Higgins said the Greens’ policy demonstrated an “understanding of the investment needed to increase access to affordable GP care”.
She also welcomed the idea of extending the bulk billing incentive.
“Patients who don’t qualify for bulk billing incentives are paying more out-of-pocket because Medicare rebates are nowhere near the actual cost of providing care,” Dr Higgins said.
“Meaningful investment is needed to improve access to affordable GP care for all Australians, and I applaud the Greens for matching the RACGP’s calls for a 20% increase for patient rebates for longer appointments – this will make a huge difference at a time when many are struggling.”
The other component to the Greens’ plan is putting dental into Medicare, a policy it has been pursuing for over a decade.