Bulk-billing for poor may be illegal in Victoria?!?

[The MaDDeSTMaN]

Community health centres fear they could be breaking the law with their medical services.

Victoria is seeking urgent clarification from Canberra about whether community health centres can provide bulk-billing medical services, amid fears disadvantaged patients might lose access to free medical care.

Community health centres employ doctors and bulk-bill patients. The Medicare payments go to the centre and the GPs are paid a salary.

The GPs were recently told by the Victorian Department of Human Services they may be contravening the Health Insurance Act 1973, which says that "unless the (federal) minister directs otherwise, a Medicare benefit is not payable in respect of a professional service that has been rendered by, or on behalf of, or under an arrangement with the Commonwealth, a state, (or) a local governing body …"

Complete article available here: http://theage.com.au/news/national/b...353209149.html

This is incredible IMHO, why has this become an issue now if the act they are referring to hasn't changed since 1973?!?

What does everyone else think?