A rural doctors' group has raised reservations about some of the eligibility rules for the new MBS telehealth items for rural and remote patients, including a requirement that patients have seen their doctor face-to-face at least three times in one year and that only video consultations will be covered.
The Department of Health plans to add 12 new items to the MBS on November 1, four for GP services and eight for services provided by non-specialist medical practitioners. The items apply to patients living in Modified Monash Model (MMM) 6 or 7 areas, which include the most remote parts of the country.
