The Medicare Benefits Schedule Review Taskforce (Taskforce) has recommended that billing under the MBS be reviewed to better reflect the contemporary roles of specialists and consultant physicians. Under the proposed changes, a new simplified model of attendance items would be introduced – with the core change to set standard attendance schedule fees based on time. The Taskforce considers that changing to this model would strengthen the capacity of consumers to give informed financial consent.
The Royal Australasian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has welcomed the proposal saying it would deal with the “longstanding disparity between GPs, who have long had time-tiered attendances, and other specialists under the MBS”.
In particular, RACGP considers a change to time-tiered billing would reduce the number of unnecessary referrals between GPs and specialists as the incentive for engaging in initial consultations (which have a higher rebate attached) would be reduced.
Read the Taskforce report here. Read RACGP’s media release here.