SpeakOut_Oct2015_FINAL_lo res

Who are our clients?

Over 90% of respondents received Chronic Disease Management program referrals for the following conditions:

• Cleft palate • Head and neck cancer • Fluency/stuttering • Voice disorders • Mental health conditions • Literacy • Other conditions (such as early language delay, dysphagia).

• Stroke • Progressive Neurological conditions

• Traumatic brain injury • Global developmental delay/intellectual disability • Specific language impairment • Infant feeding

Infants (59%)

Children 2–5 years (90%)

Children 6–12 years (90%)

Adolescents 13–17 years old (66%)

Older/age 65+ (24%)

Adults 18–64 (35%)

What are the funding options for our services? • Fee for service • MBS Chronic Disease Management Item • Helping Children with Autism Package (HCWA) – Early Intervention Services • HCWA assessment and treatment Medicare items • Better Start for Children with Disability – Early intervention Services • Better Start assessment and treatment Medicare items • Medicare follow up Allied Health Service for People of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Descent • Department of Veteran Affairs • Commonwealth Home Support Programme • National Disability Insurance Scheme • Private Health Insurance (extras and private hospital private practice care) • State and territory work cover schemes • State/territory traffic accident insurance schemes • State and territory specific programs.

What we think could be improved with the CDM items? • Increase the number of sessions • Expand the eligibility of conditions • Reduce the number of allied health practitioners required in team plan • Expand to group and tele-practice delivery options • Financial recognition that the first assessment session can be time consuming • Consistency in GP decisions about eligibility • GP and patient expectation of bulk billing of SP service • Referral pathways direct from other medical specialists • Standardised referral paperwork • Require two way communication between GP and SP • Increase the rebate for services • Allowing the rebate component of the fee to be paid to the SP directly • Reduce reporting requirements • Provide remuneration for report writing and liaison with other team members.

What do our services cost?

30 minute consult Average cost $79

45 minute consult Average cost $110

60 minute consult Average cost $143

14% of private practitioners work in practices that have clinical student placements.

4.9% of practitioners regularly bulk bill for CDM items.

Speak Out October 2015

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