Access to all telephone consultation
MBS services extended to 30 June 2022
In case you missed our previous email of 17 January 2022 regarding the reinstatement of telephone MBS consultations up to 30 June 2022, the email is copied below for your information.
Following submissions and strong advocacy from the Australian Association of Consultant Physicians (AACP) and other medical organisations seeking continuation of GP and specialist telephone consultation items, the Government has reinstated consultant physician and paediatrician telephone consultation items up to 30 June 2022.
The Department of Health has indicated that this further change is “to assist patients and practitioners during the recent surge of covid”.
The current Department of Health Fact Sheet on Telehealth (dated 16 January 2022) can be found HERE.
The AACP also sought confirmation from the Department of Health about the signature waiver relating to bulk billing for Telehealth. The Department’s advice follows:
The COVID-19 temporary signature waiver relating to the normal assignment of benefits for a valid bulk billed claim has been extended to the end of June 2022.
NEW “30/20 RULE” FOR TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS
Implementation deferred until 1 July 2022
From 1 July 2022, the Government is implementing a new prescribed pattern of service (a “30/20 rule”) that will apply to telephone attendances provided by consultant physicians and GPs. Initially this rule was introduced on 1 January 2022, but its implementation has also been deferred.
Under these new arrangements (i.e. the “30/20 rule”), a consultant physician or GP who provides 30 or more phone attendances on each of 20 or more days in a 12-month period would be referred to the Professional Services Review (PSR).
The Department of Health has advised that “the PSR may take into account exceptional circumstances in considering the claiming practices of individual practitioners”.
Further updates will also be posted on the AACP website as they become available.
Click HERE for the Department of Health Fact Sheet on Telehealth