Labor’s centrepiece Medicare policy promising most patients will be able to see a doctor for free has been described as “smoke and mirrors” by the national association of general practice management.

The Australian Association of Practice Management is the peak professional body that supports effective administration in thousands of GP surgeries.

Many of its members have provided feedback they will not become a fully bulk-billing practice as a result of extra incentives on the table for GPs.

The association has joined peak medical groups in casting doubt on the idea that most practices will be financially better off if they bulk bill all patients, and also questions political messaging that patients will be able to see a doctor for free.



“That will not be the reality because there’s no such thing as free. It’s a nice vision and a nice political sell, but we are in the business of being practical,” AAPM chief executive Miranda Grace said.

“The idea that all you will need is your Medicare card to get free doctors’ visits – I think that is a beautiful dream to have but I don’t know how that’s going to translate in reality. I think it’s going to be a huge challenge.  A lot of practitioners bulk bill now based on particular patient needs and depending on the community they serve.  However, to make people think that everybody’s just going to walk around with their Medicare card and just get free healthcare, I think, it’s actually really a misinformed statement.  “I would say the policy needs more consideration. It’s all a bit of smoke and mirrors at the minute, a bit of a utopian sort of vision.”

The warnings came as the Prime Minister criticised the Australian Medical Association’s track record on Medicare during his final press club speech, when quizzed over the viability of his flagship policy.  “The AMA haven’t always been great fans of the whole concept of Medicare. That’s the truth. So we’re not shocked that occasionally not every doctor comes on board there. But the reason why we are so confident is because this is not some academic exercise,” Mr Albanese said in Canberra on Wednesday.