Telehealth incentive payments end soon

The Medicare Telehealth Financial Incentive Program will end on 30 June 2014 and there will be no further incentive payments made for Medicare telehealth services. GPs will still be able to claim Telehealth Medicare Benefit Schedule (MBS) items, which provide higher rebates than the equivalent face-to-face service as an incentive for practitioners to provide Telehealth services.

To receive an incentive payment all Telehealth claims dated 30 June 2014 or earlier must be lodged before 31 December 2014.