ACRRM welcomes commitment to end Medicare freeze but it must be coupled with greater investment in rural health

The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) welcomes Labor’s election promise to end the Medicare freeze, but urges all political parties to adopt this commitment as part of a broader strategy to address the growing health inequities experienced by people in our rural and remote communities.

ACRRM President Dr Ewen McPhee says cutting the Medicare freeze on 100 General Practitioner (GP) services is an important step, but there is more to be done if we are to significantly improve health outcomes in rural and remote Australia.

“Labor’s commitment to reducing out-of-pocket costs for patients within 50 days if the party wins the election is a welcome step in the right direction,” Dr McPhee says.

“However, all political parties need to be serious about addressing the inequitable access and costs of delivering healthcare services in rural and remote communities.

“Right now, people in rural and remote communities are expected to put up with lack of access to care that people in cities would consider unthinkable. 

“We know that despite the much lower health status of rural people, far less of the government’s Medicare expenditure occurs in rural and remote areas.  “It’s time to turn this around,” Dr McPhee says.

In addition to the lifting of the MBS indexation freeze, the College urges all political parties to commit to the full implementation of a National Rural Generalist (RG) Pathway, which will provide appropriate recognition for the range of advanced skills and services that RG practitioners provide. 

In recognition of the important role of general practice in improving health outcomes, ACRRM’s budget and election statement includes the call for a return to full indexation for MBS rebates and continued funding for general practice incentives with associated rural loadings.

“With the Rural Generalist pathway and some key funding initiatives, rural communities can and will enjoy not just good but great medical care, but this will take Government commitment to supporting brave and transformative change,” Dr McPhee says.

To access ACRRM’s pre-election, pre-budget submission, please click here.