Veteran healthcare cards promise free medical treatment, but patients say many GPs won't accept them
In short:
Veterans in Canberra have been struggling to find GPs who accept the veteran healthcare card, which entitles veterans to free medical treatment.
A spokesperson for the Department of Veterans' Affairs said they had not seen a decline in the number of health professionals that provide treatment to Veteran Card holders.
What's next?
GPs are calling for the federal government to increase the rebates paid for appointments with veterans, arguing the current system relies too heavily on the goodwill of doctors.
Pat McCabe was always destined for a life of service.
"My father was in the navy — he served in Korea," Ms McCabe said.
"And my grandfather was in the army. He wasn't fit enough to go overseas but he was chief cook at home.
"We got to HMAS Harman when I was about two, so I grew up in that atmosphere."
Ms McCabe joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1973 and worked as a communicator.
"I served within Australia because girls didn't go overseas in those days," she said.
Pat McCabe's family has a long heritage of service for Australia. (Supplied: Pat McCabe)
"It was the early era of computers, so I got into that sphere and learnt a hell of a lot — it was very exciting, it was new and innovative.
"And the camaraderie is just brilliant, and it remains with you for life.
"I'd still be there today if I hadn't been medically discharged."
Medically discharged with nobody there to help
Ms McCabe was involved in a serious car accident in 1978 and was medically discharged from the Navy the following year.
She was left with skeletal damage and has lived in constant pain ever since, relying on daily medication.
"There's no recovery really so it's just something you live with,"she said.
Pat McCabe (left) joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1973. (Supplied: Pat McCabe)
Living with the condition became a lot harder during the pandemic, when Ms McCabe began the hunt for a new general practitioner (GP).
For more than two years, she struggled to find a GP in Canberra who was taking on new patients, and accepted her Department of Veterans' Affairs-issued healthcare card.
It took a toll on her physical and mental health and as her pain got worse, she upped her dose of opioids to cope.
"Not having anybody there to help you was the biggest frustration," Ms McCabe said.
"We're the capital of the nation and we're the only capital city considered to be a GP desert. For a capital city, it is a disgrace."
A cabinet in Pat McCabe's house of her family's military history. (ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
Challenges with open books, specialists
A spokesperson for the Department of Veterans' Affairs said that there had not been a decline in the number of health professionals willing to see veteran patients.
"There are many Canberra GPs and specialists who accept the veteran card as full payment for services," the spokesperson said.
"The Department has not seen a decline in the number of health professionals in Canberra that provide treatment to veteran card holders.
"There has been an increase of approximately 8 per cent in the number of ACT-based GPs providing services to Veteran Card holders for the period 2020-21 to 2024-25."
The spokesperson also pointed to the availability of services that can help veterans connect with health professionals, including the Health Direct website and hotline.
Additionally, in the 2023-24 Budget, $33.3 million dollars was allocated to triple the Veterans' Access Payment for certain GP consultations over four years.
But John King from the Returned Services League's ACT Branch says that, according to his members, finding a GP with open books who accepts the white and gold cards is increasingly difficult.
"It's been like that for a heck of a long time, and it hasn't changed," Mr King.
"Apart from the illnesses and problems veterans have, it creates an anxiety and a stress they don't need. And it's not just for them but for their families as well."
John King, former president of the RSL ACT Branch, says veterans struggling to access GPs is not a new problem. (ABC News: David Sciasci)
Mr King said veterans were also finding it increasingly challenging to find specialists in Canberra who were willing to accept their gold and white cards for payment.
"I know of people who have been given a list of psychiatrists in the ACT and told to contact each one to book yourself an appointment," Mr King said.
"And after 15 phone calls, the books are closed — so, what do we do? We go to Sydney or Melbourne.
"I've experienced it myself with my white card. After 39 years of service, I basically rely on my private health."
A white card entitles the veteran cardholder to free medical treatment for specific health issues, whereas the gold card covers all medical conditions.
GPs in Canberra who accept the cards are paid a rebate of $50.50 by the Department directly, plus the Veterans' Access Payment, which is $25.70.
Doctors cannot ask veterans to pay a gap fee.
Relying on the goodwill of doctors
Australian Medical Association’s ACT Branch president and Canberra GP Dr Kerri Aust says the system relies on the goodwill of doctors. (ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
Canberra GP Kerrie Aust, who sees a veteran patient at least once a day, said the system had relied on the goodwill of doctors for too long.
"The DVA rebates have not been keeping pace with the cost of providing the services to the patients — the costs of running a practice just keep going up and up and up," Dr Aust said.
"Essentially, we're making those decisions between paying our own mortgages and continuing to service the veteran community.
"We are seeing, as a result, fewer GPs are taking gold and white cards for payment, and more people are closing their books and withdrawing from servicing veterans."
Dr Aust said the out-of-pocket cost for doctors to see veteran patients would depend on their individual fee structure but in some cases "it will be more than $50 or $60".
She also said finding specialists to refer veterans to was becoming harder, echoing Mr King's experience.
"And once again … the cost of providing the services is getting too far away from the reimbursement that's provided by the Federal Government," she said.
Ms McCabe said the camaraderie she found in the Navy was "just brilliant, and it remains with you for life". (ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
Dr Aust believes an easy solution is for the Department of Veterans' Affairs to increase the rebates for general practitioners so they adequately cover their costs.
She said not doing so would risk more doctors turning their backs on veterans for the sake of their own financial viability, and feared the impact that would have on Canberra's veteran community.
"The impact on mental health is significant," Dr Aust said.
"Many of our veterans are living with conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder.
"And for some, it's hard enough to reach out, so when they reach out and the doors are closed, it's very, very challenging."