The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has sought re-authorisation for general practitioners who operate within certain team based practice structures to engage in intra-practice price setting and collective bargaining with Visiting Medical Officer Service Purchasers (public hospitals) and Primary Health Networks (formerly Medicare Locals). An existing authorisation for the same conduct was granted in February 2013 for five years (until 15 March 2018). As with the current authorisation, the proposed re-authorisation is not limited to AMA members. Re-authorisation was sought for ten years.
On 28 February 2018 the ACCC granted authorisation to the conduct for a further 10 years. The ACCC has also decided to grant interim authorisation to the AMA to ensure that the AMA continues to have the benefit of authorisation until the new authorisation comes into effect.
