'Luxury specialty': Why exercise physicians want rebate boost
Rebates to see a college fellow are even lower than those for a GP
16th May 2019
Exercise physicians say they are becoming a “luxury specialty”, accessible only to the rich because their patients’ Medicare rebates are even lower than those in general practice.
The Australasian College of Sports and Exercise Medicine (ACSEP) says a major boost in Medicare funding is urgently needed, with figures suggesting patients are facing out-of-pocket costs of $128 — the fifth highest of any specialty (see table below).
Fellows of the college are treated as ‘specialists’ under Medicare, and patients rebates are up to $73.85