Veterans’ Affairs
Allied health professionals’ fees for services provided to eligible veterans — ensuring access
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Veterans’ Affairs | 1.7 | 3.5 | 5.4 | 7.6 |
The Government will provide $18.2 million over four years to ensure that veterans and their dependants, in receipt of either Gold or White Repatriation Health Cards, retain access to allied health professionals as private patients.
Over four years the measure will provide a total average increase of 8 per cent for chiropractors, osteopaths, dieticians, occupational therapists and physiotherapists and 30 per cent for psychologists, social workers and speech pathologists, on current fees payable by the Government to these allied health professionals. The increases vary by profession depending on the relativity of current fees to average industry rates.
Anaesthetists’ fees for services provided to eligible veterans — ensuring access
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Veterans’ Affairs | 8.2 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.4 |
The Government will provide $30.4 million over four years to ensure that veterans and their dependants, in receipt of either Gold or White Repatriation Health Cards, retain access to anaesthetists as private patients.
This measure will provide a one–off increase of 20 per cent in the fees payable by the Government to anaesthetists for providing services to eligible veterans and their dependants. This increase is in addition to normal indexation increases.
Dentists’ fees for services provided to eligible veterans — ensuring access
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Veterans’ Affairs | 3.8 | 6.3 | 8.9 | 11.5 |
The Government will provide $30.5 million over four years to ensure that veterans and their dependants, in receipt of either Gold or White Repatriation Health Cards, retain access to dentists as private patients.
Over four years the measure will provide an average 13.6 per cent increase in the amounts payable by the Government to dentists for providing services to eligible veterans and their dependants. This increase is in addition to normal indexation increases.
This measure also increases the annual monetary limit of Schedule C (high cost) items from $749 to $2,000.
Extending Seniors Concession Allowance to all Gold Card holders of veteran pension age
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Veterans’ Affairs | 9.6 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 8.5 |
| Related capital ($m) | ||||
| Department of Veterans’ Affairs | 0.1 | - | - | - |
The Government will provide $36.1 million over five years (including $164,000 in 2004-05) to extend the Seniors Concession Allowance (SCA) to all eligible Gold Card holders who are of veteran pension age. This measure includes $121,000 in capital funding, of which $24,000 is provided in 2004-05.
This decision extends the SCA to approximately 44,000 Veterans’ Entitlements Gold Card holders who are of veteran pension age and who do not already receive the SCA or the twice yearly Utilities Allowance payable to senior Australians receiving an age or service pension or income support supplement.
The payment will be $200 a year (indexed), paid in two instalments commencing 1 December 2005. Further payments will be made in June and December each year to assist eligible senior Australians meet the cost of state and government utilities.
Rural and Remote Service Delivery Arrangements programme — continuation
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Veterans’ Affairs | - | - | - | - |
The Government will provide $2.1 million over four years to continue the Rural and Remote Service Delivery Arrangements programme. This programme involves the use of other Commonwealth, state and local agencies to improve access to services, such as information regarding Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ services, pamphlets and internet-based information, for members of the veteran community in regional areas where direct access to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs is not readily available.
This measure involves funding of $0.5 million in each of 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08, and $0.6 million in 2008-09. Provision for this funding has already been included in the forward estimates.
Veterans’ health services — reducing overpayments and improving debt recovery
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Veterans’ Affairs | - | - | - | - |
| Related capital ($m) | ||||
| Department of Veterans’ Affairs | - | - | - | - |
The Government will provide $4.9 million over four years (including $0.2 million in capital funding) to continue strategies aimed at reducing the incidence of overpaying health providers and improving debt recovery in veterans’ health services by focussing on areas of high payment risk. Based on statistical and other available information, payments made to service providers and veterans will be reviewed with the aim of identifying over-servicing or fraud. This is expected to generate $10.5 million in savings over four years, resulting in net savings of $5.6 million over four years.
Provision for this measure has already been included in the forward estimates.