‘We’re not immune’: Radiologist clinics cut regional bulk billing

Well-known medical imaging provider Jones Radiology has made the move to cut its bulk billing to those not holding a concession or pension card at its regional South Australian clinics.
 
And its spokesperson cautions that similar moves could be considered across the country.
 
In a letter sent out to South Australian GPs the company said the cut is ‘due to increased cost to provide radiology services in regional areas’.
 
‘We will no longer be able to honour requests to bulk bill examinations from 1 July 2024,’ it reads.
 
‘We understand that any change in pricing may cause concerns, and we want to assure you that we have carefully considered this decision to ensure ongoing viability of our services.’
 
The clinics affected are in Whyalla, Yorketown, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Ceduna and Wallaroo – with Jones Radiology often the only provider in the area.
 
Jones Radiology is also the provider of services for South Australian hospitals – where people can still get free imaging.
 
Their current bulk-billing policy for pensioners and concession card holders remains unaltered.
 
Jones Radiology spokesperson Chris Ogilvie told newsGP there are several economic and logistical issues the company is facing in running regional services, including having to fly staff in and out of communities regularly to meet workforce demands.
 
‘There’s a lot of challenges in being able to provide specialised radiology in those communities but we’re not complaining about those,’ he said.
 
‘This is a proportionate change to be able to continue to provide services in the community.’
 
He said the company was struggling alongside a lot of other healthcare providers with the rise in costs and the cost-of-living crisis for patients and practitioners alike.
 
‘We’re not immune to those impacts,’ he said.
 
‘I think we stand with our GP colleagues in this challenge, and I would imagine that these are conversations that are occurring in many of the practice group meetings of radiology providers.’
 
RACGP SA Deputy Chair Dr Melanie Smith, a GP in southern Adelaide, says the move is synonymous with the issues GPs are having but it is concerning, nonetheless.
 
‘As GPS, we sympathize with the squeeze on maintaining a viable medical practice of any kind, but at the same time obviously anything that reduces access for our patients is really distressing,’ she said.
 
‘We are faced with similar decisions to have to increase fees to maintain viability of our practices.’
 
Jones Radiology is offering a 50% discount for hardship and patients under financial distress at their regional clinics.
 
Dr Smith says the move suggests ‘Medicare rebates across the board are probably not reflecting the cost of providing these services’.
 
‘It’s not just in general practice, but this is an example of the increasing disparity in access to affordable healthcare in rural and regional Australia, as compared to metro areas,’ she said.
 
‘It just seems to be getting worse.’
 
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