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NewsIs the GP Co-payment dead, or is it just resting?
Is the GP Co-payment dead, or is it just resting?

Is the GP Co-payment dead, or is it just resting?

Tags: Consumer Action Cost of Living Private Health Insurance Sticking Up for FiftyUps
Last updated by Someone on

d&mHere at the FiftyUp Club, we’ve been banging on about healthcare costs for the over-50s all year.

Never more so than when Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey announced plans for a $7 co-payment every time we visit the GP, X-ray or pathologist as part of the Budget earlier this year.

It’s been nearly three months since we travelled to Canberra to meet with the Federal Health Minister on behalf of the Club’s members.

More than 10,000 of you added your voice to Our Submission to Minister Dutton.

So what’s happened since?

Good news is, the Federal Government’s proposal has stalled and we sure hope it stays that way.

Reluctantly the Government put the measure on ‘hold’ as they don’t have the numbers to pass it through the Senate.

The official line from the Government is that they “are still committed to the measure.”

So whilst they haven’t entirely backed down, for the time being at least, it looks like you won’t be paying $7 every time you visit your GP.

Further, I have it from reliable sources in Canberra that it’s as good as dead. Read: too much political pain for too little electoral or fiscal gain.

That’s a huge win for the Club and for each one of you.

On top of our submission, more than 13,000 of you signed our petition calling for greater transparency on the rising cost of private health insurance for FiftyUps.

We made our stance loud and clear when we asked Mr Dutton to publish figures on premium increases by age band, and to reduce the impact of co-payments on Australians aged 50 and over, particularly those on fixed incomes.

To his credit, Mr Dutton gave us a fair hearing. Ours was not the only disenchanted voice.

The sheer weight of numbers has forced a re-evaluation of a universally condemned measure to raise revenue.

It wouldn’t be right for us at the FiftyUp Club to take sole credit for the backdown, but boy, did we add pressure!

Thank you members for your increasing support. And thank you Victoria for jumping on… we now have more than 10,000 of you joined up in less than two weeks.

Victorians have now unlocked deals on Electricity, Car and Health Insurance like the rest of us. And it won’t stop there.

We’ve already filled at least an MCG on Grand Final Day. Politicians and Corporate Australia have realised they ignore that voice at their peril. And we’re barely a year old.

Keep getting on the train. This ride to improve our spending power has only just begun

CLICK HERE to send a Thankyou email to Health Minister Peter Dutton

Originally posted on .

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Is the GP Co-payment dead or is it just Resting?

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james
james from NSW commented:

i do not think a $7.00 co payment is bad if this money is to go for medical research 

Jeff
Jeff from NSW commented:

Chairman John Mangos and colleagues As Aged Pensioners my wife and I look on the combined savings fiftyup Club has provided my wife and I which this year I expect to be close to $2000 and now I am re-directing our health coverage, you people are a god send thank you from our family ! Jeff and Dawn Wilkie Dapto NSW 

Jeanette
Jeanette from QLD commented:

I am more than happy to pay $7 knowing the money will be put into research - Imagine the financial advantage Australia would have by finding cures for cancer, Alzhimers etc - the jobs manufacturing the required drug and selling this to the rest of the world - this would take Australia to a whole new source of income now mining is in decline 

jennine
jennine from NSW commented:

I have read some of the comments and found most have good reasonable valid points but there is no perfect system & there is no getting away from the fact that it costs 100's of billions of $ run our country, and on a world scale I feel it's a very good one at that . If we as Australian's want it to stay this way then we all have to share the financial cost's to maintain it. Although I would rather keep that money in my wallet or purse like most I realise that the funding has to be gathered and it will be via increase's in income tax , GST , fuel tax for example those increases will make all of our lives more expensive through the knock on effect so down the line working or retired alike will pay one way or another . If you really need to see the GP do so, pay the fee it is nothing to not having a health system at all , just remember all of the incompetence , mismanagement of our taxes along with the hollow & broken promises of past and present political party's at election time that's our time to right the wrong and ridiculous. 

Beryl
Beryl from VIC commented:

Well done on our behalf, but I suspect that it caused the petrol excise tax to go through.! 

O P
O P from VIC commented:

I have a very strong beliefs, and that is !!! The only things our goverments have to deliver is a, "Free education, Free health care of all circumstances, and a pension which covers a decent quality of life for the aged and disabled, a Defence Force that protects us against aggressors, and naturally good roads and rail transport systems, for this I have been a willing participant in our tax system, I am against foreign aid while our own pensioners are living on the bread line, I am against subsidies for arts and literature only to be enjoyed by a minority, And my favourite pet hate is against the amount of money we pay to the United Nations organisations just to sit there as a member and be ignored. Under no circumstance should we pay a $7.00 co-payment for medical services of any kind, on this issue and this issue alone I would change my vote, I see it as a broken promise which is unforgivable. 

Ian
Ian from NSW commented:

John you are wasting your time. Send the whingers to Africa or sond other third world environment to see what the equivalent of their $7 will buy them there. I'm happy as an immigrant with experience of 3rd world medical treatment, to forego the two cups of coffeeor pack of cigarettes or scooner to pay for when I might need the medical system most. I pay my taxes and dont complain. To all the complainants... if you don't like it here then go back to where you or your ancestors came from. 

Margo
Margo from QLD commented:

Well its back! AND I can see them doing some disgusting deal with Clive Palmer and co and I bet yu it gets passed now! I need ongoing scripts and medication for arthritis and atrophy cream and I have no alternative but to go the the drs for these as I cannot buy direct from chemist - Co-payment is going to happen! 

Dan
Dan from NSW commented:

Remember there is no free health or education. Someone has to pay, with the population ageing and living longer, the present system is not sustainable. Where is the personal responsibility. New Zealand has a co payment of $30.We have become a nation of wingers and bludgers. 

Frank
Frank from VIC commented:

Perhaps if the co-payment had been destined to offset debt in the medical funding field it might have had traction, instead it is simply another great big tax that would be used to fund "research, that to all intents and purposes is already going on, whilst not saving a cent of expenditure on provision of medical services. Like so many of the Hocky/Abbot budget provisions, it places a huge burden on lower income earners but negligible impact on the wealthy, those who are well placed to contribute more to help the nation recover from Labors incompetent excesses. 

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