The Wire

As a way to fix the broken Medicare system, Associate Professor Fiona McDonald from the Australian Centre for Health Law Research at the Queensland University of Technology suggests making a bold restructuring effort.

Medicare will be restricted to GPs who agree to bulk bill all patients, while those who choose not to will need to rely solely on out-of-pocket payments. Fair remuneration should underpin all this.

Australian Medical Association (AMA) Vice President Dr Danielle McMullen thinks such a proposal is inherently unfair to all Australians who should have equal access to medical health care. Moreover, she predicted it would take ages to implement, whereas Australians desperately need a practical solution now.