Longer phone consultations not part of telehealth extension Medicare support for phone consultations longer than 20 minutes will end after 30 June, provoking a strong response from the RACGP.
Telehealth extended but details remain limited The RACGP has cautiously welcomed the six month extension but is still waiting to confirm the policy’s final details.
Funding for in-home COVID vaccine assessments ‘inadequate’ GPs have questioned the lack of a dedicated MBS item number for housebound patients.
RACGP President unveils long-term vision for telehealth Dr Karen Price presented the keynote address at the National Telehealth Summit, where she emphatically stated it is ‘here to stay’.
GPs want telehealth clarity Department of Health compliance letters have been sent to confused GPs who have been ‘caught out’ by rules around MBS claiming.
MBS mental health gap must be addressed: RACGP GPs are ‘effectively discouraged’ from providing quality mental health care under the current system, a college submission has stated.
Joint COVID infection control guidelines expected within weeks The new recommendations are being assessed by ICEG and the National COVID-19 Evidence Taskforce as part of the final approval process.
RACGP calls for changes after ECG Medicare cuts The college wants GPs to be treated for what they are – medical specialists – when billing for electrocardiograms.
RACGP says GP-specific MBS item for ear toilet not required at present It will soon be harder to claim item 41647, but time-based consultation items should sufficiently cover simpler methods for ear clearing.
Ongoing confusion over COVID vaccine billing But the Federal Government’s stance is clear – patients should not be charged for vaccine-related consultations.