SUGGESTIONS that health professionals could charge patients an additional fee to administer COVID-19 vaccines (COVAX) topping up Federal Government payments are being dismissed.
Speaking after being vaccinated yesterday, Commonwealth Health Minister, Greg Hunt, shot down calls from a Melbourne-based GP to be allowed to charge patients for administering the Government-funded vaccines.
"I did have one Toorak doctor who talked to me about how much they wanted to charge patients," he said.
"We said sorry -- this is bulk billed.
"This is something that we have striven for, worked for as a society.
"This is free."
Under the arrangements announced by the Government last month, eligible pharmacists working in pharmacies that have been approved as COVAX sites, will receive up to $48 per patient for administering both doses of the vaccine, while GPs will receive up to $64.90 for each patient they fully immunise (PD 01 Feb).
GPs will also be able to claim an additional $10 Practice Incentive Payment.
GPs are set to join the COVAX administration campaign from 22 Mar, with close to 300 practices due to receive 400 doses each per week from that date, while a further 1,000 GP clinics will join the vaccination rollout with 100 doses each a week.
A further 3,400 practices will join the campaign on a phased basis over the following four weeks, each receiving 50 doses a week, before an estimated 2,100 pharmacies and other GP clinics become part of the program from 07 Jun.
Pharmacies interested in taking part in the program were required to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) by 19 Feb, with the Department of Health expected to issue notification by 19 Mar.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 08 Mar 21
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