AMA:Medicare freeze co-payment by stealth – sneaky new tax that punishes Australian families

AMA President Brian Owler said today that the Medicare patient rebate freeze extension means that health is going to cost more for all Australians.

Mr. Owler said today that many doctors have absorbed the impact of the freeze until now, but the two-year extension has pushed them over the edge. “And it is not just general practice. It affects all medical specialties, including pathology and radiology, which are already reeling from the cuts to bulk billing incentives” said Mr. Owler.

Mr. Owler also said the freeze on the Medicare Rebate patients will face higher costs for their health every step of their healthcare journey – every GP visit, every specialist visit, every blood test, every x-ray.

“The medical profession is united in its efforts to put an end to the Medicare freeze, and protect patients,” Professor Owler said.

Bill Shorten has said the Turnbull government’s extension of the Medicare Freeze is a disaster for Australia.