The Australian Government has announced an extra $1.4 billion to extend COVID response measures.
Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, made the announcement on Monday 19th of September, stating that the measures which were due to expire at the end of September 2022, will be extended until December 31st.
“We need to be clear that COVID is still a very substantial threat to the community, especially to those who are at risk of severe illness,” Minister Butler said.
“There is still tragic loss of life being felt by about 45 families on average every single day because of COVID and there is still very real pressure on our health and our hospital system because of ongoing infections.
“This action will provide Australians with effective testing, medical care, and treatments to protect themselves and those most vulnerable in the community.”
The measures include:
- More than $840 million in additional funding for the Aged Care Support Program, including $35million for ongoing on‑site PCR testing in aged care
- Over $115 million for the supply of rapid antigen tests to service providers and care recipients in high-risk settings including residential aged care facilities
- Over $142 million in MBS items and rebates from 1 October 2022 for testing for COVID and other respiratory viruses, where appropriate
- Over $48 million to extend around 100 GP-led Respiratory Clinics
- Over $5 million to extend telehealth MBS items to prescribe lifesaving antivirals
- $5.5 million in additional rebates for face-to-face GP visits for patients with COVID
- Over $235 million to ensure PPE, treatments, rapid antigen tests and other supplies from the National Medical Stockpile for aged care, primary care, disability care and First Nations health services and frontline healthcare workers, and
- Continued communication activities to ensure Australians can make informed choices about how to protect themselves and their communities from COVID.
Of particular interest to GPs is the extension of additional $25 MBS payments for seeing particularly vulnerable, COVID positive patients who might have comorbidities and need a face-to-face consultation with their GP, rather than a telehealth appointment.
“Similarly, we are extending the long telephone consultation for GP’s as well, to allow them to conduct long telephone consults for the purpose of prescribing antivirals for their patients,” Minister Butler said.
“I’m also announcing that we will restock the National Medical Stockpile, which has been a very important source of protective personal equipment or PPE for the course of the pandemic.
“We’re committing $352 million to restock the NMS, which will purchase more than 250 million individual items of PPE for the remainder of this year.”
New prices will also be introduced for PCR testing that will see the cost of a PCR paid by taxpayers reduced by nearly 20%, reflecting the gradual reduction of input costs for private pathology companies as the pandemic has eased.
RACGP President Adj. Professor Karen Price welcomed the announcements on behalf of the college and its members.
“Our health system is under tremendous strain and these measures will make a real difference,” she said.
“GPs, practice managers, nurses, receptionists, and administrative workers are doing a tremendous job after a gruelling two-and-a-half years – we need all the support we can get so the measures announced are timely and most welcome.
“I stress that the pandemic is not over, and we can’t be complacent: it’s vital to keep fighting this virus and do all we can to keep vulnerable members of our community, including older people and the immunocompromised, as safe as possible.”