Cutting rebates for long phone consults ‘unsupported by evidence’
The decision to scrap Medicare funding for GP telephone consults lasting longer than 20 minutes was not evidence-based and disproportionately punished poorer patients, researchers have concluded. Â
The MBS item for longer phone consults was removed in July last year, although a new telephone item for over-the-phone assessment of COVID-19 antiviral eligibility was subsequently added, with the same rebate.