Royal Commission calls for capitation for GP aged care services

However, the RACGP says its scheme could burden practices and undermine existing care

Specially accredited general practices should receive capitation payments to provide residential aged care, the Aged Care Royal Commission has suggested.  

Its latest reform plan comes in the wake of its interim report release last October, which detailed allegations of substandard treatment and medication mismanagement through what it dubbed,  Australia’s “cruel and harmful” aged care system. 

It says accredited GP practices would be given annual capitation payments from Federal Government for every patient on their books who was in a nursing home or receiving high-level aged care assistance at home.

There are no details on how much money general practices could expect to receive to cover the cost of care.