A federal government backflip will provide temporary relief to Tablelands patients but they could still be left out of pocket at the end of June.
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On January 1, an item of the Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS) was withdrawn as part of the federal government's attempts to make telehealth services permanent.
MBS Item 288 was designed to give regional and rural people greater access to specialists by financially incentivising them to provide services, often telehealth, specifically in those areas.
Whilst the item is not being reinstated, Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt on Monday announced $24 million for telehealth services in order to ease the burden on GPs and specialists.
Available nationally until June 30, the funding covers temporary specialist inpatient telehealth MBS items (video and phone) and initial and complex specialist telephone consultation items as well as longer telephone consultations.
It follows requests to the government made by Australia's leading GP bodies, The Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA), Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM), the AMA and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), as well as the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO).
While welcoming the news, Goulburn Health Hub practice manager Sophie Ashton said the original problem would remain come June 30.
"It's certainly a welcome change," she told the Goulburn Post.
"I think they need to consider whether they keep it on permanently. It's something that makes sense not just in times of COVID."
Ms Ashton said the practice, like many in rural areas, had struggled to continue providing affordable specialist care to some of the community's most vulnerable.
"It was really difficult with the COVID situation," she said.
"A lot of rural patients don't have access to internet, they're isolating for two weeks. They need to have a consult with a specialist and it's really difficult to do a video conference with people who are on properties or not so tech-savvy.
"So they were getting charged [for the phone call] and not getting a Medicare rebate. Now they've reinstated those telephone consults for specialists and psychiatrists until the end of June.
"I was trying to work with my specialists and try to figure out how we can ensure that all of these one-minute calls to give results were bulk-billed.
"You can't charge nothing for that 10-15 minute phone call. Generally we bulk bill them but the doctor won't do it for free so we still had to charge."
Healthcare providers continue to feel the pressure
Two weeks ago this publication reported on the increasing pressure being placed on GPs and healthcare centres across the Southern Tablelands and Highlands.
From the large Eastbrooke Medical Centre who couldn't secure enough vaccine and booster shots due to stock limits through to the smaller The Bowral Doctor practice who had staff working on weekends, the situation has been close to overwhelming.
"It's flat out," The Bowral Doctor practice manager Tracee Perry said.
"We're all tried and working crazy hours. We never usually work weekend but we're doing a Saturday and Sunday clinic.
"Doctors are working very long hours because that's what you've got to do to get everyone vaccinated. Our patients have been wonderful so it's all good, we're hanging in there."
Ms Ashton said the Goulburn Health Hub was also finding it tough but was adopting a positive attitude.
"I've never had such a busy January," she revealed.
"We've struggled with staff because every week we've got one or two staff members isolating or with COVID. Every second call is about a booster or pediatric Pfizer.
"It's been challenging but it's better to be busy than not, it's just really busy."
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