Australia risks replicating the ballooning costs and fragmented care of the NDIS if nurses and pharmacists are allowed to bill Medicare, the RACGP says.

With the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce report due within weeks, Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said he wanted to see “a much more liberated ability for all healthcare professionals; doctors, nurses, allied health professionals” to contribute to primary healthcare.  

“There are too many regulations, too many constraints within the MBS system, too many turf wars that constrain the ability of people who want to deliver their full range of skills and training,” Mr Butler told reporters on Monday.  

However, RACGP president Dr Nicole Higgins said an expanded role for allied health had to sit within general practices under the “stewardship” of GPs.