Changes in payments for general practice consultations 1989-93.

AIMS

Information generated by the computer systems of general practitioners was examined to determine whether general practitioners fee structures during 1993 were different from those reported in 1989.

METHODS

Copies of the general medical services (GMS) claims and actual consultation charges to patients were examined to determine whether patients had been charged the doctors' regular fee or an amount greater or less than this, in 1993. These data were compared with results from a previous study describing charging data in 1989.

RESULTS

Information on 59,215 consultations was collected in 1993 and compared with information on 97,869 consultations collected in 1989. The proportion of consultations which resulted in a regular fee being charge had reduced from 47.0% in 1989 to 34.1% in 1993 (p < 0.001). The proportion of cases in which a less than normal fee was charged had risen 7.9 times from 3.5% in 1989 to 27.5% in 1993 (p < 0.001). The contribution of Accident Compensation (ACC) funding for general practitioner consultations had reduced from 17.5% of consultations in 1989 to 10.1% of 1993 consultations (p < 0.001). Excluding consultations in which a maternity or immunisation claim was made, 19.4% of consultations in 1993 generated no fee to the patient.

CONCLUSION

In the 4 years between these two data collections, changes in the contribution of different agencies funding general practice care is marked. Public agencies have diminished input and both patients and practitioners are carrying more of the financial burden for access to primary care.