In Practice: PSR Bill passes

This week’s In Practice also features an upcoming webinar on how GPs can help patients better understand finances for specialist care, and a three-hour case-based discussion session on sexual health, transgender and gender-diverse healthcare and child and young person’s health.
 
PSR legislation passed
The Health Insurance Amendment (Professional Services Review Scheme Number 2) Bill 2023 has been passed. This follows the passing of the first Bill in September.
 
The new Bill aims to strengthen the operation of the Professional Services Review (PSR) by addressing issues and ambiguities in the Health Insurance Act. It also forms part of the Federal Government’s response to the Independent Review of Medicare Integrity and Compliance (Philip Review), which recommended a comprehensive evaluation of the Medicare legislative framework to ensure it is fit for purpose.
 
Like the first Bill, which the RACGP previously supported, the new legislation makes key amendments to clarify and improve administration of the PSR Scheme. A summary of the specific measures was published in newsGP in October.
 
General practice incentives survey 
The Department of Health and Aged Care (DoH) is undertaking a Review of General Practice Incentives across Australia, which will assess the effectiveness and impact of the existing incentives program and identify solutions to enhance current general practice incentives as a funding model in the future.
 
The DoH is seeking input from GPs on how current incentive programs impact them, their practice, and patients, for the opportunity to influence the shape of the primary healthcare system.
 
The survey is open until Friday 22 December.
 
Medical Costs Finder
Webinar: Wednesday 13 December, 5.30 – 6.30 pm (AEDT)  
 
GPs can learn more about the Medical Costs Finder at a new webinar hosted by the DoH. Designed with doctors to help patients understand the costs for private specialist care as part of their healthcare journey, it also aims to support informed financial consent conversations. GPs can claim this webinar as CPD. 
 
Register online.

Once registered, a confirmation email with event details and webinar link will be sent. Any questions can be sent to the Medical Costs Finder team via OOPTransparency@health.gov.au.
  
Zoomapalooza: Cased-based discussions on a range of areas
Webinar: Saturday 2 December, 10.00 am – 1.00 pm (AEDT)
Cost: $55
CPD: Three hours Reviewing Performance
 
Registrations are still open for the RACGP Specific Interests’ upcoming ‘Zoomapalooza’ – three hours of case-based discussions with Specific Interests Chairs in the areas of sexual health medicine, transgender and gender-diverse healthcare and child and young person’s health.
 
Participants will spend an hour on each subject and rotate through all three in a safe, reflective space to share their own cases and experiences, and receive feedback and support from colleagues.
 
Register online.
 
Member Engagement Survey deadline extended 
RACGP members are encouraged to take 15 minutes to complete the Member Engagement Survey, which has now been extended until 1 December. 
 
Members’ input will help the college understand more about them, their work, interactions with the RACGP and overall satisfaction with membership. The survey can be completed online and for those short on time, progress on filling out the survey will be saved for later. 
 
HCF’s joining bonus for RACGP members
For the month of November, members who join HCF corporate hospitals and extras and stay with the insurer for three months are eligible to receive up to $200 cash back. For more information and to sign up visit the RACGP Plus website.
 
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