Another explosive senate estimates hearing saw opposition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston accuse Labor MPs of bullying GPs into bulk billing.
Finance minister Katy Gallagher has defended her fellow Labor MPs against accusations that they had “bullied” GPs into bulk billing, arguing that it was “entirely appropriate” for politicians to write directly to individual doctors urging them to bulk bill.
Opposition health spokeswoman senator Anne Ruston questioned Ms Gallagher – who was appearing on behalf of the health minister – in a fiery exchange during the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee estimates hearing on Wednesday.
The Liberal senator brought up media reports about letters sent from local MPs to GP clinics which had not signed up for the bulk billing PIP. One politician in Tasmania even sent out a flyer publicly listing the clinics which had not switched to universal bulk billing.
“[The department’s own figures suggest] 30% of GP practices would be financially worse off if they switched to [universal] bulk billing … Labour MPs are basically bullying…,” Ms Ruston began, before being cut off by Ms Gallagher, who objected to her characterisation.
Ms Ruston went on to ask whether Ms Gallagher believed that “putting pressure on a practice by expressing great disappointment that they’re not bulk billing” was appropriate.
“MPs engaging with local businesses and talking about what the government is doing to support their work and engaging in a conversation with them is the MPs doing their job,” Ms Gallagher said.
“I don’t characterise it as you have, in those terms that are politically convenient for you. I think it is standard engagement with businesses.”
She then challenged Ms Ruston by pointing out that the bulk billing PIP had bipartisan support going into the 2025 election.
“I supported the choice, minister,” Ms Ruston replied.
“I didn’t support them being bullied into doing it.”
Related
Ms Ruston was not the only politician to focus on hostilities around bulk billing.
Earlier in the hearing, Labor senator Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah asked senior public servants with the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing whether they had heard about doctors in smaller regional communities who were facing backlash from their peers for wanting to bulk bill.
“I’ve received some anecdotal feedback, just on my travels, from community members – particularly in the regions – where there’s been some pressure on doctors to not bulk bill,” she said.
“This is in areas where there are few clinics and it’s a little bit like cartel behaviour, if you know what I mean.”
Both chief medical officer Professor Michael Kidd and deputy secretary for health resourcing Penny Shakespeare answered in the negative.
“The answer is no, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not happening,” Professor Kidd said.
Ms Shakespeare said that she had heard from rural doctors and medical groups that were “enthusiastically participating” in the new bulk billing PIP.
Doctors at clinics which are not participating in the bulk billing PIP can still bulk bill all patients if they choose to do so; they just will not receive the extra incentive money afforded by the PIP.
Senate estimates will continue on Friday.
