AMA Fills The Information Gap on Gap Cover - Poster delivered to 27 000 Doctors
The AMA this week released a poster to help explain the truth about health gap cover that will be displayed for the information of patients in the waiting rooms of 27,000 doctors - GPs and specialists - right around the country.
AMA President, Dr Kerryn Phelps, said today the poster is part of a concerted AMA campaign to combat attacks on doctors through the taxpayer-funded 'umbrella' gap cover advertising campaign that wrongfully attributes higher patient gaps to doctors' fees.
"It is time to expose the folly of the health funds' brolly," Dr Phelps said.
"The health funds are not the experts on patient care and it is wrong for the Government to be funding such a misleading campaign with taxpayer money.
"The message we are sending out to patients with this poster is simple: your GP is the best person to advise you of your specialist health care needs.
"Patients should be referred to specialists on the basis of that specialist being the best doctor for that patient's individual condition.
"Patients should be referred on the basis of expertise and quality, not just cost.
"The preferred provider lists promoted by the health funds are failing because many specialists are excluded or do not wish to participate - and because patients would prefer to place their health in the hands of their doctors not their health insurance providers.
Dr Phelps said that taxpayer money would have been better spent on a gap cover campaign that explained the real reason for increasing patient gap payments - an outdated and inadequate Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS).
"The Government and the health funds should be addressing the real problems of the health system instead of blaming doctors.
"In the meantime, the AMA will continue to explain to patients the real reasons why they are paying higher gaps for their health services," Dr Phelps said.
The 'gap' posters have this week been sent out to more than 27,000 AMA members. They will be sent to other doctors in coming weeks.
07 August 2001
CONTACT: John Flannery (02) 6270 5477 / (0419) 494 761