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Implications of changed health fund rebates for orthotics?

Discussion in 'Australia' started by Rod Wishart, Sep 16, 2010.

  1. Rod Wishart

    Rod Wishart Member


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    Hi Kids,

    read with interest in my latest association newsletter about changes to rebates for custom orthotics from health funds ie. rebates will only be available for custom orthotics prescribed by podiatrists or orthotists as opposed to chiro's, physios etc.

    Surely, if I havn't misinterpreted this the implications are pretty massive for our profession - keen to have some clarification/opinions from arena regulars.

    cheers,
    Rod
     
  2. markleigh

    markleigh Active Member

    I Hadn't heard about this Rod. I know several of the big funds are no longer rebating F263. Do we nationally have much clout/influence with health fund? Another topic indirectly related is that in the latest national newsletter, the President (I apologise I can't remember his name) talked about footcare assistants & the need to be open to change in this area (& other areas). Will we potentially see health funds bring in rebates for footcare assistants as a way to reduce their costs (cheaper to use a footcare assistant than a Podiatrist). Part of me thinks it might be good to let assistants provide basic care but as a practice that performs a moderate amount of basic footcare, if I lost this work to an footcare assistant, I can't see a sudden influx of biomechnaical/general medical patients flooding in to fill the gap if I were to lose my basic footcare patients.
     
  3. LuckyLisfranc

    LuckyLisfranc Well-Known Member

    Mark

    Whilst the implication regarding foot care assistants may be a little confronting for some practitioners, I feel strongly that this is a much smaller 'step' in the evolution of Australian podiatry than many people fear.

    In the US, podiatric medical assistants are mainstream, and have been for decades. There is even a formal organisation representing their particular interests. The Australian health community has become use to seeing 2nd tier health practitioners assisting in the care of basic problems for years - ie dental hygienists working alongside dental assistants, practice nurses doing basic tasks for GPs.

    One should not think of "losing' this work to a footcare assistant (to be honest, I prefer the term podiatric assistant/hygienist - it suggests they are 'part' of our profession). It is about freeing up opportunity for your time to be better utilised, and for your local community to increasingly appreciate you as an expert as you breeze in and out to ensure the work of your employee assistant meets your own high standards. You may even 'take over' for an aspect of the task that is more complicated - implying a perception that you are always available to tend to more intricate aspects of their care.

    Once your days are a little less consumed with basic podiatry care, you can focus on marketing and adding a little more time to your more complex cases - and they will be grateful for it - and probably spread the word on your behalf. Before you know it, your own time will be full with these types of patients, your practice more profitable, and you will wonder why you didn't do it years ago!

    LL

    LL
     
  4. Ryan

    Ryan Member


    Whilst I agree, freeing up time for the more complex cases is a good thing, I think that the associated rebates haven't quite caught up to make it entirely viable... I think we sometimes need the less complex cases to ensure an appropriate income..
     
  5. LuckyLisfranc

    LuckyLisfranc Well-Known Member

    Might be a dumb question, but what have rebates got to do with it?

    Bill what the service is worth. You don't think GPs or dentists have assistants/nurses/hygienists unless it actually made their practice more profitable.

    Turn it around, the more availability and choice there is for the public the more your practice will grow. No different when you take on associates.

    LL
     
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