Premium
An Analysis of the General Practice Access Scheme on GP Incomes, Bulk Billing and Consumer Copayments
Author(s) -
Savage Elizabeth,
Jones Glenn
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
australian economic review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.308
H-Index - 29
eISSN - 1467-8462
pISSN - 0004-9018
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8462.2004.00306.x
Subject(s) - incentive , payment , global positioning system , government (linguistics) , scheme (mathematics) , business , actuarial science , low income , public economics , computer security , demographic economics , economics , finance , computer science , telecommunications , microeconomics , mathematical analysis , linguistics , philosophy , mathematics
In response to falling rates of bulk billing, in April 2003 the Australian Government proposed changes to the way that general practitioners (GPs) are reimbursed. It claimed that the General Practice Access Scheme (GPAS) would benefit all Australians by providing more affordable access to GP services and improved access to free GP consultations for concession cardholders. This article examines the likely impacts of the GPAS, focusing on the proposed changes to bulk billing and payments to GPs. It examines the current spatial distribution of bulk billing and discusses how the package changes the incentives for GPs to charge patients and likely impacts on GP income, patient copayments and bulk billing rates.