New online MBS tool for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander care

A new interactive tool is now available to help GPs calculate out-of-pocket expenses when delivering care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.
 
The resources have been developed as part of the RACGP’s Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) online tool.
 
There are now two easy-to-access interactive guides, including one for GPs and one for other medical practitioners (OMPs).
 
Both include a full range of items for health workers providing care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
 
The tool allows users to enter fees for the services provided and subsequently calculate the patient’s out-of-pocket costs based on MBS rebates. Hard copies can also be printed.
 
The pages are unlocked and available for all health professionals to use, with accessibility being a key reason for their development, according to Dr Mary Belfrage, who was involved in the project.
 
‘It’s such a valuable tool, as GPs know,’ Dr Belfrage told newsGP.
 
‘This is putting an equity principle into practice. I see this an example of the RACGP commitment to improving and supporting health services that provide care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.’
 
The resource will be updated whenever any changes occur to MBS items, giving users access to the most recent descriptors and rebates.
 
Last year, the RACGP launched the new interactive resource to simplify the process for GPs within the increasingly complex MBS system.
 
RACGP members can use tailored guides and create a custom list of items used in their practices using the system (logins are required).
 
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health MBS Medicare Benefits Schedule RACGP