The Department of Health has extended telehealth consultations for Australians in COVID-19 hotspots to ensure they can access their GPs.
Minster for Health, Greg Hunt said two new Medicare telephone items were now available for GPs and other medical practitioner services for patients living in hotspots, as declared by the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Paul Kelly.
“The new items will enable doctors to provide longer telephone consultations, lasting 20 minutes or more,” Mr Hunt said.
“The move is in response to the current COVID-19 situation in NSW and the prospect of a prolonged hotspot declaration in Greater Sydney,” he said.
“The items are also available to patients in other locations who are required to quarantine or isolate under a public health order, including Australians who may have travelled through or from a hotspot location.”
The Minister said the new items were exempt from the normal telehealth requirement that a patient had to have received a face-to-face consultation from the providing doctor, or another doctor at the same practice, in the past 12 months.
He said the fees for the new items were equivalent to existing Level C face-to-face appointments, which meant Medicare was to provide patients a rebate of $75.75 for a GP service.
“Telehealth has played an important role in supporting Australians through the pandemic and these new items mean Australians can continue to see their GP, renew scripts and seek mental health support from the safety of their own home,” Mr Hunt said.
