Andrew Wilkie (Denison, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, your personal commitment to health care is compromised by the freeze on the Medicare rebate for a visit to the GP. Indeed, yours is a regressive policy that burdens the poor, because the freeze is driving down bulk-billing rates. This is just plain dumb, because primary care at seven per cent of the health budget is not the cause of healthcare inflation; it is actually what helps keep people out of expensive hospitals. Tasmania is being slugged especially hard, because bulk-billing was down another two per cent there in the last quarter, even though we are the most disadvantaged and sickest state. Prime Minister, please, will you immediately lift the freeze on the Medicare rebate for a visit to a GP?

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