Indigenous health advocates say a proposed Medicare co-payment is breaching human rights. Source: AAP
THE Abbott government did no modelling on how its $7 Medicare co-payment would impact on emergency departments, despite doctors and the states warning patients may inundate hospitals to avoid it.
Doctors groups such as the Australian Medical Association have for months said a GP co-payment would cause some to delay going to the doctor, and could instead drive them into hospital emergency wards.
But health officials have revealed they did not undertake any modelling on whether a co-payment would cause a spike in hospital visits.
Instead they relied on analysis of the introduction of quicker four-hour targets for emergency department visits, which showed the measure did not create the feared "honeypot" for traditional GP clients.
The revelation shocked Greens Senator Richard Di Natale, who said the four-hour access target was "a completely different scenario" to the co-payment.
"You asked if we'd modelled what might occur with the introduction of a co-payment - we haven't done that," deputy health secretary Kerry Flanagan told a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra.
May's budget lifted restrictions on hospitals charging patients for GP attendances to address state and territory concerns.
However, most have already ruled out introducing such a payment.
"Some states and territories have already come out and said they're not intending to do that but it is up to the states and territories to make those decisions," Ms Flanagan said.
Earlier on Monday a prominent indigenous health advocate said the Abbott government was breaching human rights with the co-payment.
Julie Tongs, from the Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal health service in Canberra, said the charge would have a major impact on the centre.
"Health is a human right. And by doing what they are doing they are taking away that human right," she said.
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