CURRENT CIRCULATION: DATE: ISSUE NO:
7802 th 9 December, 2010 175
Welcome to Health & Life’s free email newsletter service. Tell a friend that we would be happy to add their email address to the distribution list. This service is to provide Health and Life’s clients and those who attended our presentations with up to date information on key financial and Practice management issues that may affect your Practice. Please do not use this as a substitute to seeking professional advice. Writer in charge: Mr David Dahm BA.Acc, FCPA, FTIA, Ffin, FAAPM, GLFG.
Breaking News Update - We Were Right About Medicare Audits & Doctor’s Contracts!
STOP PRESS th
1. Medicare Audits – PSR Forced to suspend prosecutions on the 30 November 2010 nd
This is a quick update from our news alert edition No. 174 issued on the 22 November 2010. We did receive numerous emails of support. We thank those people who supported our position and especially those individuals that have brought this issue to the attention of their medicopolitical and parliamentary representatives. This is the second time we have caught the government out breaking their own laws. The last time was with their pathology kick back legislation in relation to setting a fair rental price for pathology collection centres. (See: News Alert No. 173. The Spare Consulting Room. Email us at pa@healthandlife.com.au if you don’t have a copy). We did receive feedback from one reader stating that I was causing unnecessary ‘paranoia’. I am pleased to report my paranoia was not unfounded and the issues that I raised made the th second page of the Australian on the 30 November 2010 titled the ‘Medicare Rorts Watchdog put on hold’. The Federal AMA Vice President Dr Steven Hambelton has called for ‘natural justice is seen to be done’ which is what we called for a week earlier. We understand a feature story will be issued in the forthcoming Weekend Australian. We were interviewed so you never know you may read about this again. The Australian has reported the Professional Standards Review Committee have had 40 prosecution cases put on hold and uncertainty in relation to past decisions have been brought into question due to a failure to appropriately nominate panelists. All panelists have subsequently been forced to resign. For more information see: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/health/medicarerorts-watchdog-put-on-hold/story-fn59nokw-1225962962770 Our concerns still remain and since our broadcast there have been numerous legal commentators in the media questioning the Federal Governments position of over riding the natural justice rules and their legality. We anticipate there will be much more activity in this area. th
It is interesting to note that in the Advertiser on the 7 December 2010, former Foreign Minister Alex Downer comments on the WikiLeaks issue and the Invasion of Privacy this has caused Governments. More importantly, how powerless Governments from all over the world have been to protect confidentiality. In his arguments, he specifically uses the example of medical records. Readers will recall the Australia Card debate which raised concerns about mandatory recording and reporting of patient information and its ties to accreditation and medical board registration.