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1. Provide better information on informed financial consent
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Status
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1.1. Develop an AMA position statement on IFC that is supported by government, industry and consumers.
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Complete
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1.2. Distribute the AMA position statement on IFC to all doctors and insurers with support from government and industry. This could be a jointly signed letter from the AMA Federal President and the Minister for Health and Ageing.
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Complete
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1.3. Work with insurers to develop a ‘top 20’ procedures gap table and distribute to all doctors and insurers. This could be broken down by State and Territory to provide more precise advice.
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Active
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1.4. Further review of the AMA IFC ‘estimate of fees’ proforma to develop a simplified form that encourages IFC. The form could be road tested with doctors, using an organisation with expertise in survey techniques.
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Active
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1.5. Evaluate progress by establishing a baseline IFC rate amongst doctors and review progress at 12-month intervals. This has been done for patients but not for doctors who may generate a range of issues we are not aware of in complying with IFC objectives.
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Baseline complete
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2. Promote better awareness of informed financial consent
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2.1. Run a campaign to improve the level of awareness of the processes that promote IFC amongst doctors, patients, and insurers using the AMA position statement as a basis.
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Active
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2.2. Develop other materials for the campaign which would include a pamphlet which GPs would give to patients as part of the referral process to help them ask the right questions when they get to see their specialist.
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Complete
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2.3. It could also include a poster displayed in both GP’s and Specialist’s rooms to encourage patients to ask questions about fees.
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Complete
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2.4. Health insurers to also reinforce the messages in the consumer information pamphlet to their members.
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Active
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2.5. All health insurers to offer known gap products. This would encourage greater participation in gap cover schemes which carries a legal requirement to obtain written IFC from the patient.
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Pending
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2.6. All health insurers to consider modifications to their products which would encourage better provision of IFC in those areas which have been identified as difficult such as Pathology, Radiology, Surgical Assistants and Anaesthesia.
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Pending
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2.7. Health insurers to provide written advice to members about what their policy will and will not cover prior to admission to hospital for a procedure.
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Pending
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3. Partnerships that support informed financial consent
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3.1. AMA, Australian Society of Anaesthetists (ASA), Australian Diagnostic Imaging Association (ADIA), Australian Association of Pathology Practices Inc. (AAPP), Australian Health Insurance Association (AHIA), Australian Private Hospitals Association (APHA), Catholic Health Australia (CHA), Government, consumers.
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Active
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4. Targeted strategies in key areas to improve informed financial consent
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4.1. Work with the Australian Society of Anaesthetists, the Health Insurers and the Federal Government to develop strategies that support the obtainment of IFC, particularly with respect to pre-planned admissions. A suggestion for the development of Item numbers in the MBS that has already been proposed needs to be dealt with promptly.
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Active
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4.2. Work with the relevant surgical craft groups, the Health Insurers and the Federal Government to develop the most appropriate model to ensure comprehensive IFC with respect to fees for assistant surgeons and then have that model implemented in practice. This would include consideration of a model where the surgeon is responsible for informing patients of the fees associated with the assistant surgeon.
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Active
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4.3. Work with the AAPP, ADIA, the Health Insurers and the Federal Government to develop the most appropriate models to ensure comprehensive IFC with respect to fees for pathology and radiology services and then have that model implemented in practice.
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Active
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