Response to 2022 natural disaster due to floods
Effective 22 February 2022, eligibility for telehealth services by GPs and other medical practitioners (OMP) working in GP settings has been amended, enabling patients’ living in flood-affected areas access to telehealth services from any GP or OMP. A flood-affected area is a State or Territory Local Government Area that is identified as a natural disaster due to flood at the time of the service.
From 1 January 2022, patient access to telehealth services will be supported by ongoing MBS arrangements.
The ongoing arrangements build on the temporary telehealth items introduced as part of the Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and will continue to enable all Medicare eligible Australians to access telehealth (video and phone) services for a range of (out of hospital) consultations that can also be provided in person.
MBS telehealth items will continue to be available to GPs, medical practitioners, specialists, consultant physicians, nurse practitioners, participating midwives, allied health providers and dental practitioners in the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery.
What is the new ‘30/20 rule’?
From 1 July 2022, a new prescribed pattern of service (a ‘30/20 rule’) will apply to telephone attendances provided by consultant physicians and GPs. This was introduced on 1 January 2022, but will now be deferred. Under these new arrangements, 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.
The PSR may take into account exceptional circumstances in considering the claiming practices of individual practitioners.
Changes from 16 January 2022
On 16 January 2022, the Australian Government announced, in response to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, it will invest an additional $24 million to introduce critical changes to the MBS to support their continued response to COVID-19. For specialists the Government will temporarily reinstate 73 telehealth services. This temporary measure will enable specialist medical practitioners to provide telehealth consultations to hospital in-patients when their doctor cannot attend the hospital due to COVID-19 restrictions and further support access to specialist for people in the community who need care during COVID-19.
