Reimbursement

Planning care and using payment schedules

Planning end-of-life and palliative care to support patients with a life limiting illness requires MBS remuneration to support care.

Key points

Palliative care patients include not just those who are very close to the end-of-life, but others with advanced disease
A range of item numbers associated with the Chronic Disease Management program are appropriate in the care of palliative care patients
Multidisciplinary care and case conferences are an important strategy in this population
To support care and reimbursement consider:
Setting up reminders for care planning, case conferencing and advance care planning
- Schedule longer appointments for planned services
- Include Advance Care Planning discussion in health assessments and care plans
- Use general consultations to address unplanned care needs
- A practice nurse can assist GPs with planning end-of-life and palliative care services
  Telehealth items may also be an option for care provision

MBS remuneration to support a planned general practice palliative care pathway

A practical palliative care pathway linked to Medicare remuneration can guide general practitioners in reimbursement within the primary health care setting. Developed by North Western Melbourne PHN, there are pathways for home care and residential aged care.