How Labor Ensured the Death of Universal Bulk Billing

Yes yes, the LNP froze the Medicare rebates for years, pushing GPs away from being able to bulk bill all their patients, but many still chose to bulk bill, or offered bulk billing to kids and concession card holders. Others moved to private billing entirely, with some offering a slightly lower upfront cost if you’re a cardholder, but not all.

In all the cases where the GP is choosing to bulk bill or take a lower upfront payment they are effectively having to absorb that cost into the practice and have to covered by full fee paying patients.

But the changed to have a different bulk billing incentive for those that have a concession card and those that don’t has certainly stopped some bulk billing non-eligible patients, as they would then be worth $13 less per consultation, and where is the sense of obligation to bulk bill regular patients if they are worth less on the books than those with concessions and kids?

The RACGPs recommends a level B consult fee of just over $100. So, when they bulk-bill a patient, they are accepting a lower payment than if they charged them privately. If they private bill though, the patient will only get the regular rebate back, and that $20 is lost to the empty promises.

Who does the bulk billing incentive apply to? This incentive only applies to the following vulnerable patient groups, and only if they are bulk billed: Children under 16 years Commonwealth concession card holders (Centrelink or DVA cards): Pensioner Concession Card Health Care Card Commonwealth Seniors Health Card How much is the bulk billing incentive? The bulk billing incentive applies to eligible patients as per the following locations: Metro (MMM1): $20.65 Regional centres (MMM2): $30.15 Large-medium rural towns (MMM3-4): $31.95 Small rural towns (MMM5): $34.05 Remote communities (MMM6): $35.80 Very remote communities (MMM7): $39.65

So, when Labor defend the stage three tax cuts with the bulk billing incentives and the chance they make a difference to people’s ability to access the medical care they need, I laugh and cry.

If you’re on $45k, you’re unlikely to have a health care card (you might if you have a family member with a disability) so your 43c a week isn’t exactly going to cover the $90 upfront my GP charges, or the $70 with concession. You might be able to buy some of that “summer sports gear” for a certain upcoming long weekend, but you won’t be able to cover the “$30” meds that went up to $31.60 on Jan 1.

So, while the LNP starved Medicare, by creating a three-tier system, Labor are killing the last of the will for universal bulk-billing. So every time they tout the tripled bulk billing incentive, remember that it only applies to kids under 16, concession card holders and some eligible Indigenous Australians, and so leaves out the precious middle Australia that I thought they were trying to win over? No?

Who even is the Labor target market these days?

First week back on EveryPlate

Aaaaand it’s good to be back with some sort of order, this time in the form of getting the ingredients for 6 meals a week delivered by EveryPlate and me not having to think too much after 5pm. Started Monday with chicken penne since Bruce’s son was over and the pasta usually goes a long way.

Bruce picked the nachos for Wednesday night. Crisped up the tortillas just right in the oven.

I thought I’d try getting a fish since there was one on the regular menu – they’re usually only on the upgrade ones that end up being $10 more for the meal for us two so I don’t. This was butter and garlicky yums.

Yeah, this was good.

Stretched this one by using oven fries that we’ve been trying to clear from the fridge since the kids moved out.

Tatery cottage pie!

And this week:

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25 degrees at 8am

What do you mean it was hot last night? I mean it was warm though the day, but it just didn’t cook down. And here’s the proof from the Govee tracker I have set up in my bedroom to report back to Better Renting’s summer tracking.

And this was after Bruce put the aircon back on in the living room around 3am to hopefully push some relief down the hallway to us. We had our ceiling fan and Bunnings fan going all night, window was open, closed it when the aircon went back on, but no luck. No wonder I had to strip off and woke up feeling dehydrated and grumpy.

The news keep talking about the humidity and the high dew point, and yeah, while the temp’s only been a tad over thirty you start dripping when you leave your car or and other aircon. Even had the fogging up glasses going in one transition this morning!

So I don’t know the best approach. Our new home has an air con in the living room, where we spend our days so we use that. But we’d gotten used to having the aircon in the sleeping area from sleeping in the living room at the last place after the kids and bub moved in. We have a spare queen mattress from the bed that’s not assembled so we could drag that to the living room for the next month or so for spells sleeping out here. The mattress is okay but not ideal like that.

Decisions decisions.

a frozen fruit

In the mean time, it’s snacks of Frozen Poppers and Zooper Doopers to keep the sugar and the spirits up. At least Zooper Doopers were half price when I was at woolies yesterday!

Greens candidate faces court following Port Blockade arrest

Greens Candidate for Lake Macquarie City Council North Ward Bryce Ham was among members of the Rising Tide 109 facing court today following last year’s blockade of the Port of Newcastle.

Greens leader Adam Bandt with Lake Mac candidate Bryce Ham at the blockade in Novermber

Bryce Ham was announced as the Greens’ candidate for Lake Macquarie City Council North Ward last month ahead of the election in September this year.

NSW Greens spokesperson for Climate Change and Member of the NSW Legislative Council Sue Higginson said:

“The actions of the 109 community members that were arrested during the Rising Tide Blockade last year stand as a testament to the determination and courage of people resisting the fossil fuel industry.

“Bryce has proudly taken a principled position on the need to end our reliance on fossil fuels and to call out the corporations and Governments that are driven by short term profit motives. I will stand today, and everyday, shoulder to shoulder with Bryce and others as we work to combat climate change in this world.”

Bryce on his commitment to climate action: “I’ve been on the frontlines of the climate action movement since I was a high school student. I’ve petitioned, penned letters, rallied, met with politicians, and helped educate our community. I have called out governments at all levels for not acting quickly enough to spare us the massive costs of climate change, from the Black Summer bushfires to the floods of 2022-23.”

Bryce on the People’s Blockade: “I proudly joined the People’s Blockade, the largest civil disobedience action for climate justice in Australia’s history. We blocked coal trade at the Port of Newcastle for 32 hours. We had received an unprecedented permission from Police to occupy the shipping channel for 30 hours. But we are in a crisis, and we have to keep pushing the boundaries.”

Bryce on the federal government’s actions: “Anthony Albanese’s Labor government continues to approve new coal projects. Despite the clear and present danger posed by climate change, they have chosen to prioritise short-term economic gains over long-term sustainability. This is not the leadership we need.”

Bryce on his arrest: “Being arrested was not an act of rebellion, but an act of commitment and resolve to send a clear message to our governments: We cannot afford to be complacent in the face of the climate emergency. Being arrested is a small price to pay in comparison to the disasters already occurring due to climate change. We will continue to fight for our planet and for climate justice.”

Bryce on his Council candidacy: “As a Greens’ candidate for Lake Macquarie City Council, I am running to safeguard our shared future. If elected, I promise to bring the same resolve to Council that prompted me to paddle out in the Port of Newcastle in front of coal loaders and container ships. I will challenge Council to adopt policies in the long-term best interests of Lake Macquarie residents, and ensure our community’s voice is heard. Because when it comes to the future of our planet and our community, we cannot afford to be silent.”

Pub Lunch at the Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks (I met @artistaffame!)

Ready to fight for another year, I was priveledged to have lunch wtih Mel, Kristen and Jay from the Antipoverty Centre yesterday when Mel came across from Adelaide for planning with the others. It was her first time in Sydney, so Kristen chose the Harbour View Hotel, under the harbour bridge in The Rocks to give her the ultimate Sydney backdrop for a pub feed and networking lunch.

Jay and I had the Fried Chicken Bacon & Cheese Burger Supreme ($27) – such crispy little fries that I couldn’t stop eating and a great piece of fried chicken. I was SO full but it was so good.

Kristen had the pumpkin ravioli ($34) and also wasn’t able to stop once full.

Mel got the Fish and Chips ($33) which she was able to control herself with, I’m told it was still delish though!

All a bit pricey, but it was good food with a great view and great company. Certainly a treat for some Antipoverty activists!

Harbour View Hotel

18 Lower Fort Street
Dawes Point, NSW, 2000
Australia
02 9252 4111