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Increasing access to GP services in Queensland flood-affected areas

As an emergency response, the Australian Government is providing greater access to GP services for Australians living in flood-affected communities throughout Queensland.

The Hon Greg Hunt MP
Former Minister for Health and Aged Care

Media event date:
Date published:
Media type:
Media release
Audience:
General public

As an emergency response, the Liberal National Government is providing greater access to GP services for Australians living in flood-affected communities throughout Queensland.

The Government will introduce eight new, time-limited Medicare items to allow GPs and non-specialist medical practitioners provide services via videoconference, until 30 June 2019.

People living in these communities already have an enormous burden to deal with as they move into the recovery stage and start to rebuild their lives.

The new Medicare items will ensure that more than 240,000 people can access quality medical services they need, when they need them.

If they cannot get to their doctor, then they can now access their services through video conferencing covered by Medicare.

This response complements the new GP telehealth measures announced in the Strengthening Primary Care package in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) 2018–19.

Patients in the following areas will be eligible for the new services:

  • Burdekin
  • Burke
  • Charters Towers
  • Cloncurry
  • Cook
  • Doomadgee
  • Douglas
  • Flinders
  • McKinlay
  • Palm Island
  • Richmond
  • Townsville
  • Winton
  • Wujal Wujal

The new Medicare items are the same as the current standard GP consultations, and will attract the same Medicare fees and rebates

The Liberal National Government’s strong economic management ensures the continued record investment of funding into vital health initiatives including mental health, life-saving medicines, Medicare and hospitals.

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