Budget round-up: How health fared
THE government is set to net $644 million over four years by freezing indexation of Medicare rebates at current levels until 1 July 2014 as part of savings measures in the federal budget.
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MBS
The following articles have the tag MBS
‘Dumbing down the health system’ – doctors dissect budget
FREEZING Medicare rebates, targeting MBS double-dipping, and capping tax-deductible CPD costs claimed by doctors are all part of sweeping savings measures in the federal budget.
Health takes budget hit: $1.7 billion savings from Medicare
HEALTH was one of the major areas that took a hit in last night's federal budget as Treasurer Wayne Swan looked to limit the deficit, with more than $1.7 billion over four years collected through changes to Medicare.
Freeze on MBS rebate levels will threaten patient access: AMA, RACGP
DOCTORS have issued a final warning to government over a widely expected freeze on MBS rebate levels ahead of tonight’s federal budget.
‘Hands off Medicare’, AMA tells government
SPECULATION of a potential freeze on MBS rebates has led to a call from doctors for the government to keep its “hands off Medicare” ahead of next week’s federal budget.
Inadequate MBS rebates at fault for rising patient costs
DOCTORS have called for a “factual and credible” debate on the issue of patient out-of-pocket health expenses saying inadequate MBS rebates were the key factor in the continued rise in patient costs.
Rebate rise may save addiction specialty
ADDICTION medicine specialists have called for an urgent increase in MBS rebate levels, arguing the lack of adequate remuneration could lead to the demise of the specialty.
Govt gets tougher on practices with co-located services
GPs in group practices with co-located health services will be subject to increased scrutiny of their Medicare billing as part of a newly announced review targeting overservicing.
One step closer to ‘medical home’
GPs came a step closer to receiving Medicare rebates for enrolling and coordinating treatment of patients with chronic diseases last week when Health Minister Tanya Plibersek said she would consider the RACGP’s long-awaited ‘medical home’ proposal.
Call to keep chronic disease funding
GP GROUPS have made a unanimous call for the government to guarantee there will be no cuts to chronic disease management funding as part of a review into the sector.
More time for chronic disease management tops RACGP’s budget wishlist
MBS rebates for chronic disease management need overhauling to allow GPs to spend enough time with those patients, says the RACGP.
Chronic care items favour lower income groups
MEDICARE spending on chronic care items is primarily being used by patients from lower income households, according to research published in the MJA today.
PSR transition means $1.1m less for Medicare
THE forced resignation of all Professional Services Review (PSR) panellists in late 2010 has contributed to a $1.1 million drop in incorrectly claimed Medicare funds recovered by the peer watchdog.
Billing just got easier with this time-saving phone app
LIKE all GPs Dr Jane Ramsey has more useful things to do with her time than spend it thumbing through the MBS searching for appropriate items to bill.
Skype’s the limit for telehealth consultations
A MELBOURNE GP, fed up with not being able to find a specialist to conduct telehealth consultations, has launched a free website designed to connect doctors via the Skype video-conferencing program.
GP creates Skype site for telehealth consults
A MELBOURNE GP, fed up with not being able to find a specialist to conduct telehealth consultations, has launched a free website designed to connect doctors via the Skype video-conferencing program.
Physical health check call for severely mentally ill
GPs have backed a senior mental health campaigner who has called for MBS rebates for physical health checks for patients with severe mental illness.
Physical health check call for severely mentally ill
GPs have backed a senior mental health campaigner who has called for MBS rebates for physical health checks for patients with severe mental illness.
Govt branded 'hypocritical' over revised PSR laws
Laws to retrospectively validate past PSR findings, extend the scope of the review to all MBS-claiming practitioners and “automatically” deem any breach of the 80-20 rule inappropriate practice were introduced to federal parliament this morning.
Retrospective PSR legislation introduced by Minister Plibersek
Laws to retrospectively validate past PSR findings, extend the scope of the review to all MBS-claiming practitioners and “automatically” deem any breach of the 80-20 rule inappropriate practice have been introduced to parliament this morning.
Circumcision may be cut from MBS
THE government will consider removing circumcision from the MBS as part of a planned review of paediatric surgery, in a move certain to be opposed by proponents who compare the ethics and practice of infant male circumcision to childhood vaccination.
Time running out for $6000 telehealth incentive
ELIGIBLE GPs have “no excuses” for not taking up telehealth consultations, according to experts who urged practitioners to try a video consultation before the $6000 ‘on-board’ incentive payments are cut by 20% from July.
GPs should ask nurses to assist in telehealth
RURAL GPs have been encouraged to allow practice nurses to deputise for them in consultations to help increase the availability of telehealth services to rural patients.
BEACH to investigate GPs' unpaid work
General practice research program Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH) is for the first time gathering information on how much time GPs spend on patient care outside Medicare-rebatable consultations.
PCEHR set-up payments still in doubt
CONFUSION is lingering among GPs and doctor’s groups in the wake of Health Minister Tanya Plibersek’s announcement yesterday that MBS consultation items would be available for ‘nominated providers’ creating electronic shared health summaries.
Insomnia? Call Medicare, and sleep while you wait
THE federal government’s public sector cost-cutting drive has been slammed after a survey found people were waiting so long on hold to speak to a Medicare or Centrelink call centre operator, they were falling asleep by the time their call got through.
Registration fees and bulk billing don’t mix: Medicare
MEDICARE has warned doctors that charging patients an annual fee to stay on the books while bulk billing is illegal, amid reports the practice of charging so-called ‘registration fees’ may be growing.
Coalition, Greens urge govt to wipe dentists' $21.5m debt
THE government has been urged to forgive the debts of many dentists caught out in auditing of the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme (CDDS), or face being forced to via a private member's bill.
Battling insomnia? Call Medicare – the wait will put you to sleep
THE federal government’s public sector cost-cutting drive has been slammed after a survey found people were waiting so long on hold to speak to a Medicare or Centrelink call centre operator, they were falling asleep by the time their call got through.
Navigating the MBS now easier as service unveiled
GPs concerned about attracting the ire of Medicare and the PSR by incorrectly interpreting MBS item descriptors will be able to rely on a recently unveiled advice service.
Govt plan to boost PSR power causes division in the ranks
EXPERTS are divided over the prospect of the Professional Services Review (PSR) being given power to target corporate practices suspected of “coercing” GPs into inappropriate MBS claims, after the federal government agreed to consider lengthening the watchdog’s leash.
PSR legislation review could lead to PBS restrictions
GPs could be banned from prescribing specific drugs on the PBS, while PSR panels could include legally qualified representatives, after the federal government accepted all recommendations arising from last year’s senate inquiry into the Medicare watchdog.
Universal bulk billing plan to win back patients
PRIMARY Health Care is edging back toward universal bulk billing at its bigger medical centres to win back business from the growing number of people who put off visiting their GP because of the cost.
Doctors dispute Medicare misuse
GPs, ophthalmologists and obstetricians have reacted angrily to being made examples of in an article by former Professional Services Review (PSR) director Dr Tony Webber, who claimed the Australian health system is leaking up to $3 billion annually.
Provide nurse details or miss out on payments
Medicare is urging general practices to provide details of how they employ practice nurses by the middle of the year to avoid missing out on “top-up” payments for lost income under the new block payment scheme for practice nurses.
GFC could raise GP co-payments
PRIMARY care escaped Treasurer Wayne Swan’s pruning shears in last week’s emergency mini-budget, but health policy experts have warned another global financial crisis could raise the possibility of increased co-payments for GP visits in 2012.
E-records legislation to be investigated
THE Senate will investigate new legislation intended to create Australia’s personally controlled e-health record (PCEHR) system after the two relevant bills were referred to the Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs last week.
Better Access cuts will go back into mental health: Roxon
HEALTH Minister Nicola Roxon has given GPs a guarantee that every cent saved through the controversial cuts to the Better Access scheme will be reinvested elsewhere in mental health services.
PSR appoints Bill Coote as permanent director
FORMER AMA secretary general and GPET CEO Dr Bill Coote has been appointed permanent director of the Professional Services Review (PSR) and will begin his three-year appointment on 14 November.
Senate inquiry ignores GP role in mental health: AMA
THE undermining of GP involvement in mental health care through the slashing of Better Access rebates has been ignored by a key Senate inquiry examining the impact of the government’s cuts to the program, the AMA has claimed.
Nurse practitioners claim $700,000 in MBS services
NURSE practitioners (NPs) have claimed more than $700,000 in MBS services during the first 11 months since the profession was granted access to Medicare rebates in November last year.
GPs urged to promote generics
GPs have been urged to promote generic medicines after a report said Australians now pay $1 billion a year in primary healthcare out-of-pocket charges and a quarter are choosing not to fill prescriptions because of the cost. The Australia Institute paper also called for prescription software that defaults to active ingredients rather than brand names, automation of the Medicare safety net, and mandated government-supplied referral forms with estimated costs of treatment and different provider options. The research, based on a survey of 1411 Australians and available Medicare data, said Australians – ...
GPs are not ‘fat cats’, AMA tells Roxon
THE prospect of further cuts to the MBS has drawn an angry reaction from AMA Council of General Practice chair Dr Brian Morton, who said GPs already sacrificed their own incomes to act as the “government’s social conscience”. Dr Morton said comments made yesterday by Health Minister Nicola Roxon showed she considered GPs to be “fat cats who can take a cut”. Ms Roxon, addressing the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia in Melbourne yesterday, said the government had been “carefully running the ruler over existing expenditure”. She said ...
Simplifying the MBS puzzle
GP registrars often struggle with the MBS, but taking advice as gospel could lead to problems.
Govt couples telehealth rebates with $6000 set-up payment
THE Government will soon pay GPs $6000 to set up video-conferencing equipment, and another $40 each time they assist during a patient's telehealth session with a consulting specialist. The incentive payments will be available from 1 July for practitioners who attend the telehealth consultation at the patient end, when the consultation takes place outside the "inner-metropolitan" centres or in a residential aged care facility or an Aboriginal medical service. RACGP telehealth standards working group member Dr Nathan Pinskier said while it was encouraging to see telehealth being given priority, there were a number of issues for GPs ...
Health Department defers MBS item advice to doctors’ groups
GPs in doubt over how to interpret the MBS should be calling the RACGP and the AMA, according to advice from a senior Health Department official. The news has come as a surprise to both professional bodies, who have argued that providing such information has never been part of their role. The advice was given to Queensland GP Dr Scott Masters by Rose Ross, the director of the Medicare Integrity Section within the Department’s Medicare Benefits Branch, after Dr Masters requested advice on the appropriateness of claiming several MBS items. Ms Ross’s advice was based on ...
PSR panel suspended over error in selection process
MEDICARE watchdog the Professional Services Review (PSR) has suspended all operations of its peer review committees following revelations of irregularities in the appointment of panel members. A spokesperson for the PSR has confirmed that 40 matters before the PSR had been deferred after every panellist – understood to be almost 100 – was asked to resign and apply for reappointment. The move follows news that the Department of Health had failed to seek the necessary AMA approval for the appointment of an unknown number of panellists, as required by the legislation governing the PSR’s operations. “The ...
Medicare clamps down on fraudulent claims
GP CARE plans will continue to be targeted by Medicare’s National Compliance Program with its latest report revealing the key focus areas for monitoring in the coming year. According to the report, GP care plans, compliance with Practice Incentive Program (PIP) incentive payments, bulk billing incentive payments, and the monitoring of up-coding of procedural items are to be targeted by Medicare in the coming year. Ordering of diagnostic imaging and pathology tests are also to come under greater scrutiny following the PSR’s recent warning in its annual report of doctors inappropriately using tests for screening purposes. ...
Medicare audits planned for NP agreements
COLLABORATIVE arrangements between GPs and nurse practitioners (NPs) are set to be closely monitored by Medicare from next week to ensure compliance with new legislation. The arrangements, which require NPs to work in collaboration with doctors before they can have access to the MBS and PBS, will be scrutinised as part of a “risk identification” process, a Medicare spokesperson said. The results will be used to “inform any future targeted audit activity”. Medicare has also indicated it will grant NPs at least six months’ grace to understand the new system before it considers any targeted compliance audits ...
GPs urge: review nurse incentive next
BUOYED by a win on securing collaborative agreements with nurse practitioners, GP groups have issued a united call to the Gillard Government to review its practice nurse incentive. GP umbrella group United General Practice Australia called for the review, repeating claims that the decision to provide block funding for practice nurses, while stripping GPs of the ability to claim certain nurse MBS item numbers, would hurt practices. As it stands, the scheme will provide practices with up to $25,000 per GP to employ practice nurses. The maximum payment per practice is $125,000. GPs believe they are set ...
Divisions to pilot patient-controlled e-records
THE Government has announced the first sites to be involved in the launch of its patient-controlled e-health record, with GP divisions across three states set to pilot a national rollout. Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the three chosen GP divisions – GPpartners (Queensland), GP Access (NSW) and Melbourne East GP Network (Victoria) – were selected on the basis of their already strong e-health capabilities and community networks. However, despite announcing the $12.5 million investment in establishing the first sites, a spokesperson for Labor said no further detail was available regarding an implementation timetable for the records or ...
GPs win control over nurse access to MBS
GPs are now weighing up the opportunities that collaboration with nurse practitioners (NPs) may yield, following a directive from the Federal Government that NPs will need the consent of doctors before they treat patients on the MBS. The new collaborative arrangements, signed off by Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon, are being hailed as a win for doctors’ groups who have lobbied hard to have such written agreements included. Many groups had previously voiced fears that without such collaborative agreements, independent NPs could lead to fragmentation of patient care.Four scenarios under which NPs can treat patient on the ...
AMA enlists patient support to stand up for GPs
THE AMA has come out fighting on general practice issues, launching a campaign in the lead-up to the federal election amid concerns over the profession’s future under planned sweeping health reforms. As part of the campaign, Family Medicine is running out of time, the association has called on all parties to develop policies which “support and preserve” the vital role of GPs. And, in a rare move, it is now seeking to enlist the support of patients. A patient petition demanding that the Government cut red tape, ensure patients have the right to choose their ...
Practising with nurse practitioners
With expanded prescribing rights and access to the MBS coming up later this year for nurse practitioners, Amanda Sheppeard reports on some of the issues practices should consider.
Nurse grants could see some GPs lose income
THE $390.3 million Federal Budget boost in funding for practice nurses could see both winners and losers, with concerns raised that individual GPs could be penalised financially under the new scheme. The measure was one of several key commitments to primary care unveiled in the Federal Budget. Infrastructure grants of $355.2 million for general practice also made it onto the Budget agenda (see page 4). This was a win for lobby group United General Practice Australia, which has long campaigned for such an investment. The nurse incentives provide funding for 4600 nurses to be employed in general ...
GP nurse freedom preferable to NP prescribing
THE Federal Government should have given practice nurses greater freedom rather than granting MBS and PBS access to nurse practitioners, GP groups say. The AMA and RACGP have hit out at the Federal Government over its decision last month to give the go-ahead to nurse practitioners to claim benefits from the MBS and PBS. The GP groups say it should have instead given the green light to practice nurses to prescribe and order tests because their relationship with GPs is stronger. AMA vice-president and GP Dr Steve Hambleton said the association would have recommended that Australia ...
NPs will help ‘ease GPs’ workloads’
THE Federal Government’s landmark ruling to grant nurse practitioners access to the MBS and the PBS will open up a variety of opportunities for nurses and significantly ease GPs’ workloads, a Queensland GP argues. Dr Patrick Byrnes, who employed the state’s first nurse practitioner in general practice at his Alexandra Park Medical Centre in Bundaberg, has given the green light for nurses to take on more responsibility. And he has good reason to believe GPs will be glad of the help. Dr Byrnes said a 26-week trial of 210 patients enrolled in chronic disease management clinics at ...
GPs plan civil disobedience in protest over MBS confusion
GROWING discontent over a lack of transparency in the Medicare and Professional Services Review systems has led a group of GPs to take unprecedented measures to highlight their concerns. GPs participating in a national Internet mailgroup community have signalled their intent to decrease their bulk-billing rates and, in some cases, to stop assigning MBS item numbers to their consultations. The move comes after members’ continued frustration over securing a definitive description of a Level C consultation, that they could be assured would be accepted by both Medicare and the PSR ( MO , 2 April). Recent ...
Proposed law will boost Medicare watchdog’s power over doctors
THE Professional Services Review (PSR) may soon be able to request that doctors hand over pathology specimens relevant to its investigations, under proposed legislation revealed last week. Under proposed amendments to the Health Insurance Amendment (PSR) Bill, the Medicare watchdog will be given powers to subpoena any “relevant objects” pertaining to suspect inappropriate claims. These can include pathology specimens, pharmaceutical preparations or medical equipment. PSR director Dr Tony Webber said such requests could be made in cases where the watchdog had reason to believe doctors had falsely claimed higher rebates for malignant legion removal and excision procedures. ...
Progress of nurse practitioner law slowed by Senate rejection
CONTROVERSIAL laws granting nurse practitioners MBS and PBS access have stalled in the Senate after the Bill was referred for review by a legislative committee for a second time. The most recent blockage of the Bill’s progress comes as laws to enact new powers allowing Medicare to access patient records for compliance audits were also held up while the Senate and House of Representatives negotiated fresh amendments. Both houses of Parliament are due to sit again next week, however as MO went to press neither Bill was listed for debate, meaning the Government may have ...
Nurse practitioner potential hindered by Govt delays
LACK of access to the MBS and the PBS coupled with delays in state-based authorisation processes for prescribing rights are hindering the potential of nurse practitioners, according to new research published in the Australian Health Review. However, the AMA is sceptical of the findings and called for continued debate on the potential role of nurse practitioners. Researchers surveying 202 authorised nurse practitioners found most were being under-utilised, with just 72% employed as nurse practitioners. The combined team of researchers, from Queensland University of Technology, Australian Catholic University, and Curtin and James Cook universities, recommended more efficient ...
GPs ticked off at govt inaction on red tape
THE Federal Government has given itself an official tick of approval for its attempts to cut red tape, despite its ongoing failure to release a streamlined MBS promised nearly a year ago. In its annual report released last week, the Health Department claimed it had met its performance indicator on simplifying the MBS, however frustrated GPs are still waiting to see the end results. The news comes just days after the department released its annual update of the MBS, which contained none of the promised changes to Level C and D item descriptors, nor the consolidation of ...
Govt will mandate nurse practitioner teamwork
AFTER months of intense lobbying, the Government has bowed to GP pressure and amended proposed legislation to ensure nurse practitioners must work in collaborative partnerships with doctors. In what is being heralded as a win for the profession, Health Minister Nicola Roxon (pictured) last week announced the new stipulation would be built into legislation that will grant nurse practitioners access to the MBS and PBS from November 2010. However, the victory has been tempered by the news that legislation effectively handing politicians’ control of medical education and training standards has been passed by the Queensland Parliament, and ...
MBS rebate rise less than a dollar
FORMER AMA president Dr Mukesh Haikerwal has been forced into his first fee rise in several years following the news that the MBS Level B consult fee will rise by just 75 cents next week. Dr Haikerwal, a Melbourne GP, said he expected there would be a “reasonable lift” in his $55 standard consultation fee, which is already well above the MBS recommended fee of $34.30. However, he said he would be unlikely to charge the new AMA-recommended fee of $64. “For a Level B, we have kept our rates static for the last few years, ...
IMG loses provider number in red-tape fiasco
A CANADIAN international medical graduate (IMG) practising in a designated area of need has been advised by Medicare Australia that her provider number is no longer valid due to her obtaining permanent Australian residency. Despite practising part-time in the ACT for the past 12 months, Dr Susan Douglas said her practice was contacted by a patient this week who had been unable to claim a rebate based on her provider number – sparking her inquiries to Medicare. Dr Douglas, a Canadian-trained family doctor and senior lecturer in general practice at the Australian National University, told MO ...
Nurse-pharmacist plan to charge $32 consults
NURSE practitioners and pharmacists will join forces in a deal that will see nurse practitioners provide clinical consultations on pharmacy premises at the same price-point as a Level B consult. The announcement has alarmed doctors’ groups, who believe the move will further sideline GPs and fragment care. The Revive Clinic, which operates three privately billing nurse practitioner clinics, last week revealed a partnership with the Pharmacy Alliance Group, which allows alliance members to re-brand as a Healthetc pharmacy with a Revive Clinic on the premises. It comes as debate intensifies over draft legislation to grant nurse ...
Doctors will shape nurse prescribing law
DOCTORS will have a direct role in influencing regulations that will underpin the “risky” legislation to grant nurse practitioners and midwives access to the MBS and PBS by the end of 2010. Speaking at a National Press Club address in Canberra last week, AMA president Dr Andrew Pesce said the association had been invited by the Prime Minister’s office to advise on implementation of the controversial measures. Despite welcoming the involvement, Dr Pesce reiterated past criticisms of the legislation – which is now before Parliament – saying it was not the answer to ongoing health workforce shortages. ...
Government’s glowing report card for health unjustified: GPs
THE Federal Government has given itself a “gratuitous” tick of approval for its management of health in a recently released mid-term progress report, doctor groups say. Among the list of top 50 achievements during the first 18 months in office, the Government listed the introduction of controversial health reform measures, including the signing of contracts for 15 of its promised 31 GP super clinics and the granting of PBS and MBS rights to nurse practitioners. Dr Brian Morton, deputy chair of the AMA council of general practice, said many of the Government’s health achievements lacked an evidence ...
Details scant as July MBS changes loom
MEDICAL groups are anxious that without adequate time to prepare, GPs could fall foul of new claiming requirements to be unveiled in less than a month under the Federal Government’s new streamlined MBS. The simplified MBS was promised in December last year by Health Minister Nicola Roxon, who claimed it would significantly reduce red tape for GPs. It is scheduled to take effect from 1 July, but the expected changes to health checks, chronic disease management items and Level C and D item descriptors remain under wraps. A spokesperson for Ms Roxon said the package of ...
Nurse practitioners: insurance status warning
AS the Government moves to open the MBS and PBS to nurse practitioners GPs have been warned to exercise diligence in checking the insurance and credentials of nurse practitioners they deal with. Under a $59.7 million federal Budget measure, nurse practitioners will be able to provide subsidised Medicare services and prescribe limited medications from November 2010. The move has been widely slated by GP groups, who believe the measure will fragment primary health care and put patient health at risk. Dr Paul Nisselle, manager of clinical risk management at Avant, said GPs had to ensure their ...
Anger over rebate cut to mental health plan
GPs are angry and insulted by new Federal Government Budget requirements that they undergo basic mental health training or accept a lower MBS rebate for drawing up mental health care plans. From 1 July 2009, a new lower MBS item for GP mental health care plans will be introduced for GPs who have not completed Level 1 mental health training. The move will reap the Government savings of $22 million over four years from the Better Access scheme, which has experienced a budget blowout of more than $215 million since its 2006 introduction. The scheme was originally ...
Budget fails general practice
GPs have been left disappointed by the Rudd Government’s “nation-building Budget”, which fails to invest in general practice, yet allocates $59.7 million to open up the MBS and PBS to nurse practitioners. RACGP president Dr Chris Mitchell said the Government had again neglected to address the inadequate remuneration for GPs via the MBS. “We believe the relative remuneration of general practitioners is significantly less than specialist practitioners and it’s not reflective of the good we do in the community,” he said. Dr Mitchell was also concerned that allowing nurse practitioners access to the MBS and PBS ...
MBS penalties mooted for e-health avoidance
GPs who do not sign up to the government’s e-health agenda could find their access to the MBS restricted, under radical new proposals touted by the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission (NHHRC). The new proposals – released in a supplementary paper last week – recommend that public and private benefits for health and aged care services be tied to the provision of personal e-health records for all patients. GPs would have until January 2013 to comply. However, AMA e-health committee chair Dr Peter Garcia-Webb claimed the proposal could greatly disadvantage patients. “It may not be ...
GPs face MBS restrictions under proposed e-health agenda
GPs who do not sign up to the Government’s e-health agenda could find their access to the MBS restricted, under radical new proposals touted by the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission. The new proposals – released yesterday – recommend public and private benefits for health and aged care services be tied to the provision of personal electronic health records to all patients. GPs would have until January 2013 to comply. However, AMA e-health committee chair Dr Peter Garcia-Webb criticised the proposal, claiming it could greatly disadvantage patients. “It may not be possible for a GP ...
Don’t skimp on health funding
EXPERTS are warning the Rudd Government not to slash health funding in its efforts to ease pressure on the coming federal Budget, due this month. Commentators, including AMA president Dr Rosanna Capolingua, have expressed concern that with the economy sliding into recession, health is particularly vulnerable to Budget cuts. Dr Capolingua said private health insurance rebates and the Medicare safety net might be targeted and urged the Government not to “try to save money in the Budget off the back of Australians”. “Savings measures such as [these] would in fact reduce the confidence that Australians have ...
New push to fund point-of-care testing
GPs are set to renew their push for MBS-funded point of care pathology testing (PoCT), following the release of a Federal Government-funded report showing its safety and accuracy is on par with tests conducted by pathology labs. An 18-month trial of PoCT in general practice found on-site tests conducted by GPs were effective and the immediacy of results served to improve patient care. “PoCT was found to be the same or better than pathology laboratory testing for most tests, suggesting [it] could assist GPs in better management of some chronic conditions,” the authors noted. “The results also ...
No rise in aged care GPs despite claims increase
NEW incentive payments for GP visits to residential aged care facilities (RACFs) have failed to attract more doctors into aged care, the AMA has claimed, despite official figures demonstrating a rise in the number of claims for RACF consultations. Data from July 2008 to January 2009 showed MBS claims for services provided by GPs at residential aged care facilities increased by approximately 13 per cent. However, a spokesperson for the department said data on the actual number of GPs claiming these items was not for public release. The new system of incentives, which sees GPs paid ...
Physios make new bid for MBS rights
PHYSIOTHERAPISTS are again lobbying the federal government for MBS changes that would allow them to directly refer patients to specialists and for specific diagnostic tests, arguing that such reforms would result in significant savings. In its 2009-10 Budget submission, the Australian Physiotherapy Association labelled the current arrangements – which require patients to return to their GP for any specialist or diagnostic referral – as “wasteful and expensive” and a “delay in the onset of treatment”. Direct referral rights to medical specialists, diagnostic ultrasounds, plus an expanded range of spinal and peripheral x-rays are being sought. “In ...
Tougher penalties flagged for Medicare offenders
DOCTORS have backed calls from the Professional Services Review (PSR) to consider harsher penalties for practitioners who repeatedly claim inappropriate MBS rebates. The PSR annual report revealed that nearly 40% of those who fronted the body in the last year had previously faced peer scrutiny, prompting director Dr Tony Webber to question the adequacy of existing sanctions. The report also showed that more than half the cases finalised in the previous year involved investigations of rebate claiming for Level C and D consults. The news comes ahead of the planned 400% increase in the number of Medicare ...
Three-fold rise in chlamydia screens can curb STIs: expert
GPs need to test four times as many young people for chlamydia if Australia’s spiralling STI rates are to be reversed, experts say. But confusion around which patients are eligible for opportunistic screenings covered by the MBS may be making doctors reluctant to step up the practice. According to Professor Christopher Fairley, professor of sexual health at the University of Melbourne, the health service needs to screen at least 30% of all women younger than 25, if the spread of chlamydia is to be stopped. Currently, only 7% of this group are screened. While he felt ...
End to free paper copies of MBS
GPs will soon be forced to pay for hard copies of the Medicare Benefits Schedule following a decision by the federal health department to cease distribution of free paper editions. From the end of this month, free copies of the MBS will be distributed in a CD-ROM format only. Practitioners wishing to purchase hard copies can do so through publishers listed on the MBS website at www.mbsonline.gov.au but will be asked to pay up to $50 per copy. While welcoming the environmental benefit of not printing approximately 55,000 editions of the schedule annually, Perth GP ...
Preventive care stymied by MBS limits
THE MBS should be expanded to allow GPs to refer patients at risk of developing chronic diseases to additional services, according to a leading academic, as the current system is stifling preventive care. Professor Mark Harris, executive director of the University of NSW Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, said the current system meant only patients with a diagnosed illness – but not those at risk of developing one – could be referred on the MBS to allied health professionals and other services. According to Professor Harris, unless patients were likely to develop diabetes, GPs’ hands ...
MBS needs to reflect what happens in consult
PSR director Dr Tony Webber’s suggestions to practitioners confronted with a patient with a “string of unrelated ailments” call for discussion. He says, “Raise your private fee” (i.e., don’t bulk-bill). Or he suggests telling patients that if they want more than one problem dealt with today, Medicare won’t pay, but come back another day and Medicare will pay. I’m sure Dr Webber is aware that if the patients choose to come back another day, it will ultimately cost Medicare more money for three Level B consults than one Level D, also wasting time. I suspect it will also ...
Health reform: GPs speak out
Kellie Bisset crunches the numbers of MO ’s annual survey on health reform. THE Rudd government has high hopes for its GP super clinics strategy, which it says is a key plank in building a stronger primary healthcare system. But the majority of Australia’s GPs remain firmly convinced that the $275 million plan to establish 31 clinics across the country is nothing but a big juicy lemon. It’s early days and negotiations are still underway on how the policy will be rolled out in each area. But the results of Medical Observer ...