Doctors can more easily treat veterans
The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Bruce Billson, has authorised new measures to reduce the administrative burden on health care providers treating veterans, effective from 13 August 2007.
Until now, most health care providers have had to enter into a contract with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) to treat veterans.
Issuing contracts to new providers and renewing contracts for existing providers is a huge task for the Department and poses a significant burden on health care providers.
Health care providers will now require only a Medicare provider number to participate in the DVA’s health care scheme. It will no longer be necessary for DVA to operate a separate system of verification and contracting where this is already undertaken by Medicare Australia.
In addition, from 13 August 2007, the changes will also allow veterans to access exercise physiology services. This follows the inclusion of exercise physiologists in the Medicare arrangements.
