Doctors agree on ‘guideline’ fee

Press, 29 May 1981, Page 6

Doctors agree on ‘guideline’ fee

A group of Canterbury doctors wants to introduce ; standard fee to prevent the possible - overcharging of paclients. A spokesman for the meeting’s organisers, Dr P. W. Law, said that the doctors met in private last .evening because they were concerned fhat some people were being “financially disadvantaged” by the varying fees charged. He said that the possibility of a standard fee had been "discussed at some length” by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. The meeting was called because of the discussion.

The meeting agreed that a guideline figure of $11.25 would be set as the total fee. “This is only a guideline to .doctors." said Dr Law last evening. The general medical service benefit would be subtracted from this amount. The benefit for an ordinary daytime consultation is $1.25 for an adult. $3 for a pensioner and $4.75 for a child up to 16 years. “No. person should be denied care for lack of payment or available money,” said Dr Law. “We are all members of a- caring profession with high ideals."

Doctors had been urged to attend the meeting to “have a voice in our future and perhaps in the re-establiSh-ment of some sense or credibility, for our service in the eyes of the public.” ’ No legal limit has been set on doctors’ fees. Dr Law said that the fee was established to be “in keeping with,, the service provided." ' . Dr Law said that adults in Christchurch had been pay-, ing between $4 and $lO for a normal daytime visit. The fee . for children ranged between $1 and $6, and pensioners could expect to be r charged between $2.50 and $7. ' •” ’