Pensioners on Tasmania's east coast are being forced to pay the full gap fee for consultations because of a shortage of doctors, Labor Senator Helen Polley said yesterday.

The Suncoast Medical Services started charging patients yesterday as part of a desperate move to attract more doctors to the St Helens region, Ms Polley said. 

"It's the first time pensioners in the region have had to pay the gap fee and I had a number of distressed calls before lunch," she said. 

The Medicare rebate is $31.45 and the practise charges $54 for a standard consultation. 

The difference between what Medicare covers and what practices charge is called the gap. 

Pensioners who pay their bill on the day of consultation will be asked to pay $12 on top of the Medicare rebate and those who elect to be sent an account will face a $26 charge, she said. 

Ms Polley said patients face the increase to make practicing in regional Tasmania look "financially lucrative" to interstate doctors. 

Ms Polley blamed the Howard Government's efforts to undermine Medicare, leading to a "stagnant Medicare rebate", as the underlying reason for the doctors' move to charge more.