04 December 2009 Removal of MBS item numbers for joint injections
General practice care is now more complex, yet GPs are still waiting for the long overdue simplification of the Medicare Benefit Schedule (MBS). We need incentives and rebates that support team based care led by GPs, and rewards for high quality general practice care to improve health outcomes for patients.
So far, all the Government has given us is the loss of rebates for patients receiving joint injections. From 1 November 2009, the MBS items 50124 and 50125, which provided for joint injections, were removed from the schedule. The Government advised that instead of having separate item numbers, all joint injections and aspirations should be delivered as part of a standard consultation. In a letter to the Hon Nicola Roxon, Minister for Health and Ageing, the RACGP expressed its disappointment about the removal of these items and the lack of consultation with general practice.
There is evidence that GPs performing joint injections can delay more expensive and invasive procedures being performed. Joint injections offer important diagnostic and cost effective treatment options. The removal of the items may well result in increased referrals to other specialists and radiologists.
In the 15 October 2008 issue of American Family Physician there is a clinical review on musculoskeletal injections (see www.aafp.org/afp/20081015/971.pdf). The review shows that injections are valuable procedures for managing musculoskeletal conditions commonly encountered by GPs. Also read a review published in Australian Family Physician by the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group at www.racgp.org.au/afp/200709/18553. We would like to hear members’ views on this issue. Email your comments to advocacy@racgp.org.au.
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