The Australian Medical Association has welcomed the federal government’s commitment to better reflect the cost involved in practitioners providing services to veterans.
In a speech to the National Press Club this month Minster for Veterans Affairs Matt Keogh said the fee schedule for report writing would be updated to better reflect costs.
“We’re updating our fee schedule for report writing, ensuring payments for reports are more consistent with other equivalent jurisdictions and better reflect actual costs to practitioners,” he said.
“I also really encourage veterans to work with their usual treating GPs on medical reports for Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), rather than going to a new provider who might not know them very well.”
The move follows a Senate Inquiry which recommended a number of changes to address issues relating to advocacy and support available to Australian veterans.
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AMA National President Dr Danielle McMullen welcomed the commitment, describing the fees offered by DVA as “significantly out of date”.
“Veterans often present with very complex care needs, and an assessment undertaken by a doctor will require evaluation of multiple health conditions. The department’s current system does not sufficiently acknowledge the time, effort, and paperwork involved in this work.”
Dr McMullen said the federal AMA would work with the DVA to ensure any new fee arrangements were fair and supported veterans in accessing the care they deserve.
Currently medical services requested by the DVA are covered for up to $1507 for a report that involves three consultations or one consultation of up to three hours, while an extended report without a consultation is valued at $290.
Dr McMullen said a veteran’s usual GP would know their history and was well placed to prepare this type of documentation.
“While we welcome the commitment, the DVA fee schedule for medical services has been significantly eroded by inadequate indexation over many years, including an extended freeze under former governments,” she said.
“We are seeing more doctors no longer able to accept DVA fees when treating veterans and this is having a real impact on access to care for these veterans.
“There has been a longstanding commitment from governments to ensure that veterans can access high-quality care in a timely fashion, and it is time for DVA fees for medical services to reflect that commitment.”
Mr Keogh also announced compliance measures would be tightened in an effort to stamp out fraud and inappropriate practices identified in regard to advocates acting on behalf of the veterans.
The minister said the system had become “commercialised” and the compliance measures were about ensuring taxpayer dollars were going where they should – to veteran support.
He said these updates to the DVA’s compliance rules would not be noticed by the vast majority of practitioners “who act with integrity”.
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