This appeared last week:
8 September 2017
College pushes for telehealth rebates
The RACGP is urging the removal of curbs on telehealth consultations and opening up point-of-care tests to GPs in the next round of MBS reforms.
As a principle, the Medicare Benefits Schedule should offer patient rebates for telehealth consults between a patient and their regular GP or practice, the College says in a submission to the MBS Review Taskforce.
It suggests amending an explanatory note to clarify that professional attendances by medical practitioners cover consultations either face-to-face or via telehealth.
“Operational issues such as gaming and auditing will need to be addressed. However, these are no different to the issues that exist within the current MBS,” the RACGP says.
It proposes time-based item numbers for telehealth consults of five minutes or more, 20 minutes or more, and at least 40 minutes, conducted at consulting rooms, not at consulting rooms, and at residential aged-care facilities.
Where the technology exists for point-of-care testing with the accuracy of laboratory tests, MBS item numbers should be available for use in general practice with the same patient rebate as for pathology laboratories, the RACGP argues.
More here:
All that is needed is a proper framework and of course some evidence that the public are getting value for money with these consolations.
I look forward to this being sorted pronto!
David.
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