And doctors will have to mothball millions of dollars worth of new computer equipment as another fallout of the troubled Telehealth scheme.
From January 1, more than eight million people in outer urban and semi-regional areas will be stripped of their Medicare rebate for internet video consultations with medical specialists, as their suburbs and towns are reclassified as "major cities".
In South Australia, the original eligible service area took in more than 1.1 million residents in suburbs and towns north and northwest of Modbury Heights, east of Magill and south of Port Noarlunga.
The redefined boundaries have slashed the number of eligible residents to just over 421,000, with patients in those areas now classified as living in a "major city".
Patients as far south as Willunga, Aldinga, Sellicks Beach and McLaren Vale and as far north as Gawler will now have to travel to the city for specialist consultations, something the Australian Medical Association federal president Dr Steve Hambleton says is a problem for those with mobility issues or without personal transport.
Quietly announced in October, the geographical changes will save the Government $128.5 million on the $620 million scheme, which was the centrepiece of Prime Minister Julia Gillard's 2010 election campaign launch.
Dr Hambleton said he had received many complaints from doctors upset their patients may be put at risk.
"I've had doctors call me to say they've had patients set up to do Telehealth with psychiatrists, for example, who bulk bill who now simply won't get access to those services," he said.
"We do need to focus these rebates where they're most needed but some people in outer urban areas were getting very beneficial access to services, particularly psychiatrists, who now just won't be."
Since July last year patients have been able to claim the cost of internet video consultations with specialists back from Medicare as long as they are conducted at a clinic within the eligible service area, and the specialist is at least 15km away.
Dr Hambleton said patients in reclassified areas would still get a rebate for Telehealth if they accessed it from rural clinics, even if consulting the same specialist.
Meanwhile, GPs in reclassified areas who have received rebates of up to $6000 to install Telehealth-equipped computers in clinics now say the equipment is virtually useless.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Petra Starke
Quelle/Source: The Australian, 27.12.2012
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