GP push to remove ban on private billing for telehealth | Kaubo
GPs are urging the federal government to make Medicare rebates for telehealth services permanent and allow GPs to privately bill patients beyond the September 30 cut-off, as practices buckle under the financial pressure of COVID-19.
In a submission ahead of the budget on October 6, the college called for the removal of mandated bulk-billing for telehealth services provided by GPs. The college has long argued the current Medicare rebate of $38.75 for a standard GP consultation falls short of the true cost of GP care, which it puts closer to $70."COVID has exacerbated the financial constraints under which GPs were already working after a 10-year freeze on Medicare rebates and the costs of running a medical practice rising," Dr Willett said.
The college is also calling for additional Medicare Benefit Schedule items for longer consultations to support people with mental health problems in order to respond to "a predictable increase in mental health issues, domestic violence and poverty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic". Modelling by the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre in July showed a potential increase of 13.7 per cent in suicide deaths in Australia over the next five years, due to high rates of unemployment and social isolation triggered by the pandemic as well as government restrictions on movement and interactions.also foreshadowed increased mental health-related emergency department presentations and self-harm hospitalisations.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Unions fire warning shot over government's industrial agendaThe union movement will push back against the government's industrial relations agenda as concerns rise among its leadership that workers will face cuts to their hours without JobKeeper to compensate them | nickbonyhady
Read more »
'Music is our only weapon': Iranian artists defy government ban on women singing and dancingAn Iranian composer is arrested for featuring the singing and dancing of women under an obscure Iranian law that has been used to suppress female artists for decades.
Read more »
'Worst fall from grace': Broncos owner open to selling as Seibold nears endAs Anthony Seibold's turbulent reign nears its conclusion, Brisbane's largest private shareholder says he would consider offloading his stake in the NRL's glamour club | ChrisBarrett_ phillutton78
Read more »
Coronavirus updates: EU trade commissioner went to golf dinner despite gathering banThe Irishman, who is expected to play a central role in negotiations between the EU and the UK, offers a profound apology for going to a dinner with 80 people the night after restrictions were tightened.
Read more »
'It's guesswork': Nib warns predicting future insurance claims toughNib chief Mark Fitzgibbon says it's impossible to forecast how COVID-19 will affect future claims volumes but believes the pandemic has driven home the importance of private cover.
Read more »
TikTok challenges Donald Trump's executive order banning social media platformTikTok says it has 'no choice but to challenge' US President Donald Trump's executive order banning American companies from dealing with the app or its Chinese parent company.
Read more »