2016-05-27
Australian Greens Leader Dr Richard Di Natale has announced the Greens plan to reorganise doctors’ incentives, to make Medicare work better for patients dealing with chronic disease.
"A system that better responds to chronic disease would improve the lives of millions of Australians, and ease pressure on our health system,” Senator Di Natale said.
“Doctors should be rewarded for the quality of care they provide to patients with chronic diseases, not just the quantity of appointments.
“Half of all Australians will have a chronic disease in their lifetime, and one in five will have multiple chronic diseases. Managing those illnesses properly will prevent unnecessary and costly hospital admissions down the track.
“Managing chronic conditions usually requires a team of health professionals. For instance, a GP, a specialist, a nurse and a pharmacist might all be involved in helping someone manage their diabetes.
“Successive governments have come up with complex incentive systems that have failed to improve the lives of people living with chronic disease.
“The Greens’ plan will involve voluntary enrolment of one million patients with GPs to prepare a plan for the care and management of their health.
“GP’s will receive $1,000 per year for each enrolled patient, linked to standards and benchmarks for patient care, in place of the current ineffective system of incentive payments.
“For the first time, eligible patients will benefit from access to free allied health services like podiatrists, nutritionists and physiotherapists, which are integral to a patient’s chronic disease management,” said Dr Di Natale.