Department of Human Services resources on Indigenous Health services
GPs may be interested in newly released education resources from the Department of Human Services: Your guide to Medicare for Indigenous health services (the guide). The guide is a support tool for staff working in organisations that provide Medicare services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. It includes simplified advice about Medicare services and programs.
The guide details Indigenous specific MBS items and initiatives, Health Professional Online Services (HPOS) and tips on how to avoid claim rejections. Identifying and using MBS items in the right way can help Indigenous patients access the most appropriate Medicare services, including preventive health checks and support for the management of chronic disease. This is especially important in making sure Indigenous Australians receive the health services they need to achieve better long-term health outcomes.
The guide is now available for download, or online viewing, from the ‘Indigenous health education for health professionals’ page. In the interest of accuracy, it is recommended that GPs access the guide online for the most current version.
