Health advocates are concerned the government may remove Medicare funding from initial telehealth specialist appointments in a proposal that has been sharply criticised for its potential impacts on rural and remote Australians.

The Medicare Benefits Schedule Review Advisory Committee’s (MRAC) is consulting on recommendations as part of a review of Medicare funded telehealth services and is expected to provide its final recommendations to the federal government later this year.  

Australian Medical Association President Professor Steve Robson said while the AMA supports many of the draft recommendations proposed by the review, others would seriously impact patient access to non-GP specialist services, including mental health care. 

“There are serious concerns amongst the profession about the proposed removal of funding for an initial consultation with a specialist,” Professor Robson said. 

He said femoving this funding will make it more difficult for patients to access healthcare in "a timely fashion" and many would have to "travel hundreds of kilometres to see a specialist".

Mark Burdack CEO of Healthy Communities Foundation Australia, and the driving force behind the new Collarenebri Medical Hub, said there was a "struggle to understand the new Telehealth technology".

"I think the government is struggling with some operators in the system who might be exploiting in it," he said, explaining that a face to face visit must take place already every 12 months.

Mark Burdack. Image: Supplied.

He said there was a proliferation of telehealth providers had meant that Doctors often don't understand the geographic or climate-related factors of their client - as sometimes rural Australians end up with telehealth Doctors from overseas because of the skill shortage here.

"But many patients in rural and remote areas simply cannot see a doctor, and so often these policies (about restrictions) are based on a model that is very much designed for cities but doesn't give any appropriate attention to those rural areas."

Mr Burdack said the government has simply not solved the shortage of practitioners in rural communities and therefore imposing extra requirements like the proposal to de-fund initial specialist consultations is "not appropriate and creates inequitable outcomes for rural communities."

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.

Image: Croakey.

Professor Robson said there were some positive recommendations in the report that will strengthen telehealth delivery for Australians and remove loopholes that have allowed businesses to provide Medicare funded telehealth for patients they have never met before or do not have a valid referral. 

“The benefits of telehealth can’t be ignored by MRAC with the AMA’s Health is the Best Investment report finding the estimated benefit of telehealth from reduced travel in 2021–22 was $1.35 billion, and that further integration of telehealth across the whole health system could save up to around $14 billion each year.”

Health Minister Mark Butler has said the MRAC report recommending the specialist cut had not been finalised and stakeholder feedback would be considered by MRAC as part of its review