COVID-19 ‘bonus’ arrives next week, but patients need confirmed diagnosis
Health department has also revealed the new Medicare item is available for face-to-face consults at home or in aged care
GPs will be able to collect Greg Hunt’s $25 bonus for treating patients with COVID-19 from Monday, but the diagnosis has to be confirmed beforehand via a positive lab test.
The new MBS item can be claimed alongside any other Medicare item but only when the GP sees the patient face to face in the practice, during home visits or during aged care visits.
The federal Minister for Health originally said last week the item was to help cover the costs of PPE for doctors to treat patients with “suspected” or “confirmed” COVID-19.
However, the Department of Health is stressing that the bonus is only for confirmed cases “on the basis of a recent laboratory-based positive COVID test”.
