Patients on the southern Gold Coast are benefiting from the Turnbull Government’s commitment to Medicare with the national GP bulk billing rate for the September quarter increasing to a record 85.9 per cent.
Member for McPherson, Karen Andrews, said it’s the highest bulk billing rate ever achieved for a September quarter – and significantly higher than Labor’s 82.2% when they were last in Government.
“In McPherson, the bulk billing rate for patients visiting their GP is 87.7 per cent, which is higher than the national average and above the 84 per cent level in Labor’s last year in office,” Mrs Andrews said.
“It’s great news for southern Gold Coast residents as it means more people are able to visit the doctor without having to reach for their wallets.
“And we’re spending more than ever before on Medicare – with record funding increasing each and every year from $23 billion in 2017-18, to $24 billion, to $26 billion to $28 billion in 2020-21.
“Spending under Labor was $19.5 billion in 2012-13.”
“These figures highlight the shocking lies that Labor continues to peddle about Medicare,” Mrs Andrews said
Last financial year, Australian patients received an additional 21 million bulk billed GP visits compared with Labor’s last year in Government in 2012-13 – an increase of more than 20 per cent.
“In this year’s Budget, we established the Medicare Guarantee Fund to secure the ongoing funding of the Medicare Benefits Schedule and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme – to guarantee Australians’ access to these services and affordable medicines into the future,” Mrs Andrews said.
“Our commitment to Medicare is rock solid and the figures released today show that under the Turnbull Government, Medicare is providing more support to Australians than ever before.”