Way now clear for restoration of bulk-billing GP clinics

AFTER meeting with the Minister for Health Greg Hunt today, I've been given a guarantee that the Medicare rebate freeze, which has been blamed for the closure of bulk-billing GP clinics, will be lifted from July 1.Local doctors had contacted me and said the Medicare rebate freeze was an issue in enabling them to offer bulk-billing for all patients.Ultimately, the decision to restore bulk-billing services rests with doctors themselves, but I had given an assurance that I would do all I could to provide assistance on this. I was able to meet with the Minister for Health today who who gave me a guarantee that the phased commencement of indexation will start from July 1 this year for standard GP consultations (level A to D consultations) and specialist attendances.Indexation for other services will also be phased in.Medicare indexation on specialist procedures and allied health services will resume from July 1 2019, and the Medicare indexation for diagnostic imaging services for computed tomography (CT), mammography, fluoroscopy and interventional radiology will resume from July 1 2020.The Medicare Freeze was introduced by the Labor Government, and it is this government which is removing the freeze.The Liberal National Government will increase Medicare funding by $2.4 billion over the next four years, and that includes a $1 billion towards restoring indexation of the Medicare rebate.I now look forward to our GPs being able to restore their bulk-billing services.