Almost two years since telehealth was introduced by the Morrison Government as a temporary initiative in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, 100 million services have now been delivered across the nation, including 36,345,112 in Victoria.
Member for Wannon, Dan Tehan said Telehealth is one of the most significant reforms to Medicare since it began.
“The last two years have been difficult for many Australians, including many in Wannon through the COVID-19 pandemic and numerous natural disasters. Telehealth has been a game-changer, allowing people to continue to access medical services from the comfort and safety of their homes,” Mr Tehan said.
“Australians and medical practitioners across Wannon and Victoria have enthusiastically taken up telehealth, which has saved and protected lives through the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Between 13 March 2020 and 16 March 2022, over 100 million telehealth services were delivered to around 17 million Australians across the country. More than $5 billion in Medicare benefits has been paid, and more than 92,000 medical practitioners have now used telehealth services to support their patients.
Of these services, GPs have provided almost 83 million, specialists almost 11 million, and allied health professionals with around 5 million services.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said telehealth was now a permanent and abiding legacy of COVID-19.
“In response to rapid developments in the pandemic, our introduction of telehealth was achieved in record time. This was achieved through close and effective consultation with the sector, which has continued over the past two years as we further refined and improved telehealth,” Minister Hunt said.
“We will continue to consolidate and build upon telehealth as part of our strong record and longstanding commitment to strengthening Medicare.”
The best patient outcomes are achieved with continuity of care. The requirement for patients to have an existing clinical relationship for most GP telehealth services will continue, recognising patients’ preferred GP and practice, and encouraging patients who want to access telehealth to engage with a known provider.
Telehealth services provided by GPs will now also be included in calculating incentive payments to practices. This recognises that telehealth services are now an ongoing and permanent feature of quality primary health care.
Telehealth services continue to have a role in the Government’s responses to ongoing and emerging challenges of COVID-19 and natural disasters, such as the current floods. Patients living in flood-affected areas declared natural disaster areas by states and territories can access GP services by telehealth from any GP, if clinically appropriate.
Medicare funding has also increased from $19 billion when we came to Government and is growing to $33 billion per year over the budget cycle. This is an increase of $14 billion per annum under the Coalition.
Our Government continues to strengthen Medicare, including investing in universal telehealth, modernising the healthcare system, and allowing easier access to your GP, despite false claims from the Labor Party, who when last in Government, stopped listing treatments and medicines on the PBS.
The Morrison Government continues to ensure that Australians can access the services, medicines, and treatments they need, when and where they need them, no matter where they live.
