Region to miss out on cheap GP visits

Wairarapa's sick are not about to get cheaper doctor's visits despite Health Minister Pete Hodgson's announcement of an injection of $11.5 million a year over the next four years to keep GP's fees to a minimum.
All seven of Wairarapa's medical centres do not fall into the "access" category, because they cannot show half their patients are either deprived or Maori.
Joe Howells, manager of the Wairarapa Primary Health Organisation, to which all the doctors' practices belong, said no money has been made available to the region.
"When PHOs were established back in 2004 we had to nominate what type of population we served and we could not justify being an access PHO," he said.
The extra funding is available to any GP practice that charges no more than $15 for an adult consultation. If you have a Community Services Card, all you'll pay is $3 for a subsidised prescription item, but you will still have to pay the premium if there is one.
In Wairarapa, under-6s doctor's visits are free, 6-17 years range from $20-23, 18-24 years average $22 and the 25-65 years, the "bulk" of the population, pay an average $32 with a community services card and as much as $50 without. The over-65s pay around $22.
These figures are for patients enrolled at one medical practice. If they are not enrolled, top fees are charged, as the doctors do not get any subsidy from the Government.
Subsidies have been rolled out for GPs over the past few years, initially encouraging under-6s to get free visits and minimal charges for those over 65. In 2005 the 18-24s got a reduction in visits of around $3, a similar reduction has occurred this year for those 45-64 and it's the 25-44's turn in 2007.
Mr Hodgson's office said the areas that will get the latest funding would be large urban centres such as Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and regions such as Northland and Wanganui, which had a high Maori population.
National's health spokesman Tony Ryall labelled the extra funding as "healthcare by postcode".
Mr Ryall said it delivered health care on the basis of someone's address, not their needs or means.
"Beneficiaries or low-income workers in one part of a city will get more government help than even more needy people in another part of the same city. That's totally unfair.
"The most pressing need in the health system is for more elective surgery. That's where National would put immediate emphasis."
The Medical Association, while welcoming the extra funding, also said it would prefer subsidies go directly to individuals in need rather than on a geographical basis.