Medicare Changes coming 1 March 2023
Commencing 1 March 2023, there are several Medicare changes we would like to make you aware of.
The family and carer Better Access sessions announced in the 2021-22 Federal Budget finally have a start date! From 1 March, 2023 there will be four new items (2739, 2741, 2743 and 2745) to facilitate family and carer participation in treatment under the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners (Better Access) initiative.
More details on these items are coming soon!
Amendments to complex neurodevelopmental disorders and disabilities
The amendments implement the recommendations from the Medicare Taskforce in relation to services for children and young adults diagnosed with complex neurodevelopmental disorders.
These changes include:
· Updating terminology to reflect contemporary usage- “pervasive developmental disorder “will be replaced with “complex neurodevelopmental disorder”.
· The addition of eligible disabilities: fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, Lesch Nyhan syndrome and 22q deletion syndrome; and
· Extended eligibility for these services from those under 13 years of age to those under 25 years of age to facilitate high-quality care for Australians presenting late with neurodevelopmental disorders and to provide equitable access for Australians with eligible disabilities.
Download the factsheet.
Telehealth Eating disorder and mental health service changes
17 pre-COVID-19 allied health video conference items for geographically restricted eating disorder and mental health services (the old rural and remote telehealth items) will be removed. This change consolidates eating disorder and mental health telehealth services to remove duplication of equivalent services. Clients will continue to have access to telehealth services for eating disorder psychological treatment and mental health services under permanent telehealth items.