Christopher Harrison

Rose Marinelli/Shutterstock

January 16, 2025

Should we aim to bulk‑bill everyone for GP visits? We asked 5 experts

Health care is universal in Australia, but this doesn’t mean seeing a doctor is always free.

NotarYES/Shutterstock

December 18, 2024

Australia has an ongoing GP shortage. Why can’t we just train more GPs?

Christopher Harrison, University of Sydney; Julie Gordon, University of Sydney, and Marguerite Tracy, University of Sydney

The number of GPs has actually increased in the past five years. But the number of full-time equivalent GPs has gone down.

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April 18, 2023

Medicare billing is a problem but our research found many more GPs undercharge

Christopher Harrison, University of Sydney; Joan Henderson, University of Sydney, and Melissa Kang, University of Sydney

New research suggests GPs aren’t routinely defrauding Medicare, and in fact have saved the system hundreds of millions of dollars by under-billing.

The amount doctors are paid for each consultation has traditionally increased year to year to account for the increased cost of care. Shutterstock

June 6, 2016

Rebate freeze will set GPs back $11 per general patient consultation, but they’re likely to charge them more

Christopher Harrison, University of Sydney; Clare Bayram, University of Sydney, and Helena Britt, University of Sydney

By 2020, the average GP will have lost A$109,000 in income due to the rebate freeze. To make up for this lost income, GPs will need to charge an A$11.40 co-payment per consultation.

Almost two-thirds of over-65s have three or more diagnosed chronic conditions. Mostovyi Sergii Igorevich/Shutterstock

November 3, 2015

Can Medicare sustain the health of our ageing population?

Helena Britt, University of Sydney; Allan John Pollack, University of Sydney; Carmen Wong, University of Sydney; Christopher Harrison, University of Sydney; Clare Bayram, University of Sydney; Graeme Miller, University of Sydney; Janice Charles, University of Sydney; Joan Henderson, University of Sydney; Julie Gordon, University of Sydney, and Lisa Valenti, University of Sydney

Over-65s use twice as many health resources as the average Australian. But it’s worth the expense.

New modelling shows the Medicare rebate freeze will leave GPs A$8.43 worse off per consultation. DIBP images/Flickr

March 22, 2015

High cost of GP rebate freeze may see co‑payments rise from the dead

Christopher Harrison, University of Sydney; Clare Bayram, University of Sydney; Graeme Miller, University of Sydney, and Helena Britt, University of Sydney

With GPs facing greater economic pressure and the health minister considering legislative change to make it easier for GP to charge them, GP co-payments, like Lazarus, may rise again from the dead.

If we want to ensure the health system remains sustainable, it makes sense to use its cheapest and most efficient arm: general practice. Iakov Filimonov/Shutterstock

November 10, 2014

Medicare spending on general practice is value for money

Helena Britt, University of Sydney; Christopher Harrison, University of Sydney; Clare Bayram, University of Sydney; Graeme Miller, University of Sydney; Joan Henderson, University of Sydney, and Julie Gordon, University of Sydney

Last year taxpayers spent A$6.3 billion on GP services through Medicare, about 6% of the total government health expenditure. This was a 50% increase (A$2.1 billion) in today’s dollars over the past decade…

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