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Voluntary patient enrolment delayed

In the 2019-20 Budget, the Government announced a voluntary patient enrolment (VPE) initiative for patients aged 70 years and over, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years and over. 

The Government has decided that in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and response activities, that it will review implementation details and consider options for refinement. One of the key benefits of VPE was a move to support greater use of telehealth and this is now being delivered, albeit on a temporary basis, through the MBS. 

As such, VPE will no longer commence on 1 July 2020.   

The AMA is working to ensure that the funding set aside for this initiative still flows to general practice and that telehealth becomes a permanent feature of the general practice landscape. 

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