Australian patients are paying more to see their general practitioner (GP). According to reports, the federal government's failure to increase the Medicare rebate has resulted in an increase in out-of-pocket gap fees.

Even the health minister is now not sugarcoating the situation. According to Mark Butler, Medicare is in the "worst shape it's been in its 40-year history," and the Australian health service is in a "truly parlous state."

The medical community has quickly criticized the government's lack of urgency, citing a 3.6 percentage point drop in bulk billing in the last quarter, resulting in delayed visits, consultations with different doctors, or a complete halt to visiting altogether.

Doctor Michael Mrozinski has been talking with the people who follow him on TikTok about these issues with Australian Medicare.

Educating Patients Through TikTok

As first reported by News.com.au, Doctor Michael Mrozinski, a TikTok-famous general practitioner in Melbourne, has taken to the social media platform to explain the reasons for the increase in out-of-pocket gap fees.

He explains that in Australia, there are three types of GP practices: fully privatized practices, mixed billing practices, and fully bulk-billed clinics. The latter has existed since the inception of Medicare when the rebate was only $20.

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Here are some more of Doctor Mrozinski's insights on TikTok:

Most doctors try to schedule four consultations per hour to minimize costs. Since GP offices are not supported by the government, each patient's rebate must cover all operating expenses, such as rent, staff, insurance, electricity, internet, and IT. The Medicare rebate was frozen in 2013 as it had not kept up with the rising costs of operating a doctor's office.

Because of this grim reality, graduates are less likely to pursue careers as doctors. According to the ABC, only 16% of medical graduates choose to become GPs, contributing to a shortage that is only expected to worsen.

According to Dr. Mrozinski, the Medicare rebate should now be around $60, while the Australian Medical Association (AMA) believes it should be closer to $80. The government has only raised it to $39, causing patients' out-of-pocket gap fees to rise.

More from the TikTok Doc

Although paying a fee at the doctor's office may worry some patients, Dr. Mrozinski explains that they will get more than half of it back with the rebate. According to him, operating a general practitioner clinic requires adequate funding to cover all expenses, just like running any other kind of business.

   @dr_michael_says Replying to @Mikey #gp #australia #medicare #bulkbilling ♬ original sound - Doctor Michael    

Medical groups have expressed concern over the decline of bulk billing, saying that after a decade of underfunding, Medicare is "on life support." Doctors and patients are at odds with one another as a result of the government's lack of action on raising the Medicare rebate, and there are concerns that the healthcare system may revert to its pre-Medicare state, where access to care was only available to those who could afford it.

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