We all want healthcare to stay affordable, but pretending it’s free while underfunding it isn’t the solution.
Every time I hear the phrase “free GP visits” I wince a little.
Because general practice isn’t free, and calling it free is quietly hurting the very clinics keeping our communities healthy.
Most people – that is, the general public – don’t realise this:
- General practices aren’t government services;
- We’re not publicly funded like hospitals;
- We’re small Australian businesses.
We pay for everything ourselves:
- Staff wages and superannuation;
- Rent and utilities;
- Medical equipment;
- IT systems and cybersecurity;
- Accreditation and compliance;
- Insurance;
- Software subscriptions;
- Training;
- Supplies;
- And the growing administration that comes with Medicare.
All while rebates stay frozen or shrink in real terms. Item numbers get removed. Funding gets tighter. Costs keep rising.
But the public message from the federal government is still: “It’s free.”
So where is that money supposed to come from? Because it has to come from somewhere.
It comes from:
- doctors working longer hours;
- staff stretched thin;
- owners taking financial risks;
- clinics cutting services;
- or practices closing their doors completely.
And that’s what scares me most, because when independent practices disappear, communities lose continuity, relationships, preventative care, and local access.
You don’t just lose a clinic. You lose your family doctor.
Related
We all want healthcare to stay affordable, but pretending it’s free while underfunding it isn’t the solution.
General practice is the backbone of the system, and it’s time policy and messaging reflected that reality.
Roxanne Suwas is a practice owner and practice management mentor. She is director of The Life of a Practice Manager, and Majesty Medical Corporations in Perth.
This article was first published on Ms Suwas’ LinkedIn feed. Read the original here.
