RACGP calls for leniency over GP telehealth breaches
Dr Karen Price says the government's 'overreaching' crackdown is targeting those acting in good faith
The RACGP says Medicare needs to change the way it’s auditing GPs it suspects of breaching telehealth’s ‘existing-relationship’ rule, claiming doctors are being targeted for technicalities.
Three months ago, the federal Department of Health sent letters to 430 GPs asking them to explain their MBS claims for telehealth.
The college responded by pushing for leniency, pointing to the widespread confusion about the rule, which says patients must have attended the practice face to face at least once in the previous 12 months.
However, the college says a number of GPs have now been sent follow-up letters demanding repayments, although this has not been confirmed by the department.
