Stop cuts to mental health funding: doctors’ plea
29th Sep 2011 Andrew Bracey all articles by this author
DOCTORS
have made a plea to Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon to place a
moratorium on the looming cuts to Better Access funding in order to
provide adequate time for the government to consider the outcome of an
ongoing Senate inquiry.
With the inquiry due to hand down its final report on the government’s handling of mental health funding by 20 October, AMA President Dr Steve Hambleton said the 1 November deadline for the introduction of the funding cuts was premature.
“This leaves very little time for serious consideration of the Senate committee report,” Dr Hambleton said.
“Ten days is not enough. The Minister must defer the implementation of the changes to the Better Access program until at least 1 November 2012 to allow proper consideration of the compelling evidence against the cuts,” he said.
Dr Hambleton argued the 12-month moratorium on Better Access funding would provide adequate time for the government “to acknowledge the error of its ways and restore the Better Access funding”.
If the government fails to agree to the requested moratorium, the current rebate of $163.35 for a mental health plan for GPs trained in level 1 mental health skills, will be replaced by a rebate based on timed consultations from 1 November.
The new rebates will be $85.92 for a plan written during a consultation of 20–39 minutes, $126.43 for a 40-minute consult for GPs trained in mental health skills, and $67.65 and $99.50 respectively, for GPs without the training.
With the inquiry due to hand down its final report on the government’s handling of mental health funding by 20 October, AMA President Dr Steve Hambleton said the 1 November deadline for the introduction of the funding cuts was premature.
“This leaves very little time for serious consideration of the Senate committee report,” Dr Hambleton said.
“Ten days is not enough. The Minister must defer the implementation of the changes to the Better Access program until at least 1 November 2012 to allow proper consideration of the compelling evidence against the cuts,” he said.
Dr Hambleton argued the 12-month moratorium on Better Access funding would provide adequate time for the government “to acknowledge the error of its ways and restore the Better Access funding”.
If the government fails to agree to the requested moratorium, the current rebate of $163.35 for a mental health plan for GPs trained in level 1 mental health skills, will be replaced by a rebate based on timed consultations from 1 November.
The new rebates will be $85.92 for a plan written during a consultation of 20–39 minutes, $126.43 for a 40-minute consult for GPs trained in mental health skills, and $67.65 and $99.50 respectively, for GPs without the training.
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