Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Hansard source

The Health Insurance Amendment (Prescribed Fees) Bill 2021 simplifies Medicare administrative processes for recognition as a new specialist or consultant physician for Medicare purposes under the Health Insurance Act 1973 by removing the payment of a prescribed fee on the application. During the COVID-19 crisis, it became more evident that the outdated method of payment of the prescribed fee by cheque or money order was impacting specialist and consultant physician recognition for the purposes of Medicare, as neither method of payment was efficient or practical during movement restrictions and in-person service closures. As a result, patients of new specialists or consultant physicians may not have been able to receive higher Medicare rebates when they were entitled to them. Implementation of the bill means a prescribed fee will no longer be required to accompany an application form for higher Medicare rebates for new specialists and consultant physicians. This removes the cost to specialists and consultant physicians, and the administrative burden on Services Australia of processing the fee.

I thank members for their contributions to the debate on this bill.

See this speech in context