Doctors’ consultation fees set to increase within the fortnight

Visiting the doctor could soon cost more, with general practitioners set to raise consultation prices within the fortnight.

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has recommended GPs lift their fees by $3 for a 20-minute consultation, setting a new benchmark for the industry.

The change will mean less than half of consultation fees will be covered by Medicare with the rebate only giving patients back $37 of the $78 bill.

The federal government has ruled out the possibility of unfreezing the Medicare rebate to look at increasing it, claiming there’s no room for it in the budget.

AMA has recommended the change to counteract the rising costs of running a practice as inflation affects the price of rent, the cost of medical equipment and staff wages.