Patients to be hit hard after too-little, too-late 4% offer to general practice

This is an early online publication of a story due to appear in the 3 July print issue
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Patients to be hit hard after too-little, too-late 4% offer to general practice

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General practice leaders are alarmed at expectations that they will have to increase patient fees to cover for capitation funding short-changing [Image: Josh Appel on Unsplash]

Expecting the public to bear the brunt of the Government’s ‘absolutely inadequate’ and ‘demoralising’ 4 per cent capitation offer through patient fee hikes is exasperating general practice leaders. Fiona Cassie summarises the feedback received by New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa as the ‘underwhelming’ offer goes out to consultation

Budget-pinched Te Whatu Ora telling practices they can increase patient fees, on average, by 7.76 per cent to make up for the capitation funding short, Proposed funding increases to PHO Services Agreement for 2024/25, Proposed funding increases to PHO Services Agreement for 2024/25 [Source: Te Whatu Ora consultation paper]