Reinstatement of rural and remote loading
Last week the announcement of the reinstatement of the 50% fee loading to bulk-billed psychiatry services delivered by video telehealth for those in rural and remote areas was welcome news. AAPi was strongly opposed to the cessation of this funding and has been advocating for years to extend the same rebates and incentives available to doctors to psychologists providing rural and remote services. The reinstatement is good news for clients and again opens the door to more financial support for the clients of psychologists.
Better Access group changes
AAPi has been advocating for more flexibility regarding Better Access group therapy items so these can be more effectively utilised. This advocacy work has led to AAPi having a seat on the Better Access Evaluation and being involved in the redesign of the program. The announcement of this change came earlier this month and commences on 1 November 2022.
NDIS Review
After extensive lobbying, a comprehensive review of the NDIS has been announced. AAPi plays a key role in many of the NDIS stakeholder and expert reference groups and will have a strong voice in this review. We will keep members updated on how they can contribute to the review process.