Tony Ryall MP
National Party Health Spokesman

27 September 2007

The truth about GP fees reviews

National Party Health spokesman Tony Ryall says Labour should drop the spin that it has a cap on GP fee increases - because it doesn’t.

“Labour’s fee review process allows GPs to increase fees up to a certain level, currently 6.1% on average, as of right.

“Beyond that, GP increases are approved by a committee. Latest information shows that by August, 63 of the country’s 1100 practices have had their fee increases reviewed - and 53 (84%) were approved.

“So Labour is being misleading about the impact of its review process - because as New Zealanders know fees are continuing to rise at the doctor for many people.

“The key driver of the cost to patients of visiting the doctor is the Government’s subsidy level – and National proposes to maintain these universal subsidies.

“Labour’s system has resulted in deterioration in trust between the primary health sector and the Labour Government - which has done nothing to drive innovation and co-operation in the sector.

“The family doctor is the cornerstone of family health care, and we want to work with the doctors to provide the best possible health care for families.

“There was nothing secret about National’s proposals to remove Labour’s bureaucratic and cumbersome fees review process.

“We’ve publicly raised this matter since March - including on a platform with Health Minister Pete Hodgson in June. Mr Hodgson office also responded to comments made on this in the NZ Doctor in August.

“I considered my previous public comments, including published speeches, had covered this proposal. However, I accept responsibility for not including it in the discussion paper.

“We welcome comments on this proposal, and those contained in the health discussion paper, which will help form our policy. The fee review process is but one element of the health sector and it will be covered in our final health policy.

“Practices which contract to have a low patient fee in return for an increased subsidy, are unaffected by National’s proposal, because they fall outside the fee review process. Labour is being deliberately misleading on this as well.”

ENDS

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