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Medicare Locals: More bureaucrats, less care?
Medicare Locals were proposed by the Commonwealth Government as a solution to the difficulties faced by patients trying to navigate the increasingly complex and fragmented healthcare system, by increasing access to primary care. However, GPs point out that Medicare Locals will aggravate the very problem they are trying to solve, by adding yet another layer of bureaucracy. The Commonwealth has provided scant detail on how Medicare Locals – at a cost of $477m over four years – would operate, how their performance would be measured and what actual role they would have in providing patient care.
AMA Victoria opposes Medicare Locals in their current form and has called on the Victorian and Commonwealth governments to defer their implementation the government has consulted further with the medical profession.
AMA Victoria has proposed an alternative solution to the problems posed by the fragmented health system. This model would use the funding currently allocated to Medicare Locals to employ care coordinators that would work within general practices, alongside patients’ doctors. To have your say on Medicare Locals come along to one of the subdivision meetings or leave your comments below.
RELATED CONTENT
- Dr Hemley's speech to National Conference on Medicare Locals
- Read the briefing note AMA Victoria sent to MPs
- Information from the Commonwealth about Medicare Locals
- Media release on Medicare Locals
- Ballarat Courier Op-ed on Medicare Locals
- Croakey op-ed on Medicare Locals
Have your say on Medicare Locals
Briefing note for MPs on Medicare Locals April 2011
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