Summer polls: Doctors' fees still a barrier to some

Visiting a doctor costs over $30 for the majority of patients, more than three years after the Government launched its key health policy, aimed at lowering GP charges.

Nearly 60 per cent of respondents in a Herald/DigiPoll survey reported paying at least $30 to see a doctor. Some paid more than $60.

Those charged less than $30 were just over 30 per cent of respondents.

But the Health Ministry and the Medical Association say that most of the increased taxpayer funding for primary care has flowed through to reduced patient charges, although the ministry told the incoming Government it was concerned about some fees still posing a barrier to access.

The Government has committed $2.2 billion of new money to its Primary Health Care Strategy in the seven years to 2009.

It has encouraged the idea of low fees, but GP groups point out their fees agreement with the state refers to "low or reduced" patient charges.

More than half the population - 2.4 million people - are enrolled with health clinics and/or are in the age groups that receive state subsidies.

Ministry general practice chief adviser Jim Primrose said it was difficult to comment on the survey without knowing the ages of each respondent group and other factors like whether they were enrolled in one of the higher-funded Access Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) and if they had a community services card.

A spokeswoman for Health Minister Pete Hodgson said he had nothing to add to Dr Primrose's comments. Previously he has said the strategy is largely succeeding at making treatment more affordable, but "it's less than a total success".

Consumers Institute chief executive David Russell said that because the new funding system was still evolving, "There is an inequity in it. So it does depend on where you live as to whether you get a bigger subsidy than those in other areas."

Currently the higher, "access" funding goes to PHOs and health clinics in areas of greater poverty and Maori and Pacific population; and to certain age groups everywhere - those under 25 and over 64. This will eventually be extended to everyone else - those aged 45-64 next July and to 25-44-year-olds in July 2007.

Average patient fees for subsidised groups range from 47 cents for under-6s at access clinics to around $25 for over-64s at so-called interim practices - the practices which do not yet attract full subsidies.

Unsubsidised adults pay $50 on average, but some pay up to $70. Interim practices routinely charge 65 to 100 per cent more than access clinics for patients who attract virtually the same level of state funding.

Medical Association spokesman Dr Peter Foley said that since not all interim practice patients attracted state funding, there was some cross-subsidisation between patient groups within practices.

But even when all patients were subsidised in 2007, some practices would still charge more than others, because of factors like higher rent.