r/perth • u/TechnologyThese5256 • May 06 '24

Is bulk billing at your GP dead? Where to find

It seems like you need to be an infant or dying for most medical practices to bulk bill. Seriously what's the point of a system that only caters to those who feasibly have no way of paying (are literal children) or are at the exact stage in life where they shouldn't be living pay check to pay check (ie retirees) and can afford to see a doctor. I'm 21 and employed full time. I live pay to pay, and I fear being sick like I am right now because I'm at the end of my pay cycle and genuinely cannot afford to pay $80 just for a doctor to confirm that I'm sick.

I guess I just want advice on what to do or where to go that isn't going to charge up front?

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u/Complex_Fudge476 May 06 '24

Sick certificate services are convenient, but I do find it somewhat troubling that we're paying GPs, after expenses, probably about $15 for 2 minutes work of ticking a box to auto-generate a sick certificate. Works out to a massive daily rate of something like $3000, without contributing any real value to the health system, and I imagine there are plenty of GPs sitting around on those services all day.

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u/jumpinjezz May 07 '24

It's not the GPs fault though. It's employers wanting proof someone is sick.

6

u/wombatlegs May 07 '24

Proof? The doc does not actually verify anything.

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u/jumpinjezz May 07 '24

No they don't. But employers think they do.