Medicare

In 2014 the Government put a freeze on indexation of Medicare rebates for four years from 1 July 2014 until July 2018. In the Federal Budget this week they announced extending this freeze until 2020. Freezing Medicare rebates for four years is simply winding back the Government’s contribution to patients’ health care costs. In practice it means that the $37.05 rebate you currently receive for a standard consultation will not increase at all until 2020. The relative value of this and any other medical rebates will decline significantly over time, as businesses providing medical care will likely increase fees in …