Comparison of the out-of-pocket costs of Medicare-funded telepsychiatry and face-to-face consultations: A descriptive study.

OBJECTIVE: Telepsychiatry items in the Australian Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) were expanded following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, their out-of-pocket costs have not been examined. We describe and compare patient out-of-pocket payments for face-to-face and telepsychiatry (videoconferencing and telephone) MBS items for outpatient psychiatric services to understand the differential out-of-pocket cost burden for patients across these modalities. METHODS: out-of-pocket cost information was obtained from the Medical Costs Finder website, which extracted data from Services Australia's Medicare claims data in 2021-2022. Cost information for corresponding face-to-face, video, and telephone MBS items for outpatient psychiatric services was compared, including (1) Median specialist fees; (2) Median out-of-pocket payments; (3) Medicare reimbursement amounts; and (4) Proportions of patients subject to out-of-pocket fees. RESULTS: Medicare reimbursements are identical for all comparable face-to-face and telepsychiatry items. Specialist fees for comparable items varied across face-to-face to telehealth options, with resulting differences in out-of-pocket costs. For video items, higher proportions of patients were not bulk-billed, with greater out-of-pocket costs than face-to-face items. However, the opposite was true for telephone items compared with face-to-face items. CONCLUSIONS: Initial cost analyses of MBS telepsychiatry items indicate that telephone consultations incur the lowest out-of-pocket costs, followed by face-to-face and video consultations.

Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Review Advisory Committee post-implementation review of MBS telehealth items: abolition of initial telehealth consultations for non-general practitioner specialists.

In 2022, the Australian Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care commissioned the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Review Advisory Committee (MRAC) to conduct a post-implementation review of MBS telehealth services, including settings of video and telephone consultations. The MRAC has made a series of administrative recommendations for telehealth practice that appear at cross-purposes to the evidence-base on medical consultations and that would limit patient access to medical specialist assessment in Australia. These recommendations particularly underestimate the role of telehealth in rural and remote Australia and did not take into account high patient satisfaction with telehealth assessment and treatment during the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. They also appear to contradict the Medical Board of Australia's guidance on telehealth. On this basis, the recommendations for telehealth principles and abolition of reimbursement for telehealth for all initial non-general practitioner medical specialist consultations should be withdrawn.

Commentary on the private practice implications of the Deed of Settlement in the Honeysuckle Health - NIB Australian-Competition-Tribunal-hearing.

OBJECTIVE: To provide a commentary on the implications of the Deed of Settlement in the Honeysuckle Health - nib Australian-Competition-Tribunal Hearing. This hearing has major implications in relation to the potential for a single dominant private-health-insurance buying-group to contract for medical-purchaser-provider-agreements that might limit the clinical autonomy of patients and psychiatrists. CONCLUSIONS: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) authorised the formation of a joint buying-group for private-health-insurers in 2021 to provide collective contracting and related services to private-health-insurers and other healthcare-payers. A consequent legal challenge resulted in a Deed of Settlement on 18 July 2022 that for 5 years preserves doctor-patient autonomy in clinical decision-making, the medical gaps scheme, the transparency of contractual arrangements, and if clinical data of those insured are collected by HH-nib, it must be with the full informed consent of patients. However, there remain options for private-health-insurers to apply for formation of new buying-groups, as well as to collect data and profile the general public and insured patients using online programs. Vigilance on private-health-insurer buying-groups, and the potential for US-style managed-care is warranted.

Lessons from billed telepsychiatry in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic: rapid adaptation to increase specialist psychiatric care.

OBJECTIVE: To summarise and comment upon research regarding the service delivery impact of the introduction of COVID-19 pandemic Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) psychiatrist telehealth services in Australia in 2020-2021. Type of program or service: Privately-billed, MBS-reimbursed, face-to-face and telehealth consultations with a specialist psychiatrist during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This paper draws on analyses of previously published papers. MBS-item-consultation data were extracted for video, telephone and face-to-face consultations with a psychiatrist for April-September 2020 in Victoria, and compared to face-to-face consultations in the same period of 2019 and for all of Australia. We also extracted MBS-item-consultation data for all of Australia from April 2020-April 2021, and compared this to face-to-face consultations for April 2018-April 2019. RESULTS: Although face-to-face consultations with psychiatrists waned following nationwide lockdowns, the introduction of MBS billing items for video and telephone telehealth meant that overall consultations were 13% higher in April 2020-April 2021, compared to the pre-pandemic year prior. A lockdown restricted to Victoria was associated with a 19% increase in consultations from April-September 2020, compared to the corresponding period in 2019. LESSONS LEARNT: Telehealth has been an integral component of Australia's relatively successful mental health response to COVID-19. The public availability of MBS data makes it possible to accurately assess change in psychiatric practice. The Australian Federal Government subsidises MBS telepsychiatry care by a patient rebate per consultation, illustrating that government-subsidised services can rapidly provide additional care. Rapid and substantial provision of telepsychiatry in Australia indicates that it may be a useful substitute or adjunct to face-to-face care during future pandemics and natural disasters.

Report of the House of Representatives Select Committee on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention: Commentary on an expanded psychologist role and decreased GP/psychiatrist leadership in private multidisciplinary primary mental healthcare.

OBJECTIVE: This opinion paper discusses certain recommendations of the House of Representatives Select Committee on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention pertaining to psychology, GP and psychiatric professions. CONCLUSIONS: The Committee's recommendations may compromise patient care by undermining the ability of private sector medical specialists in providing direct clinical treatment and their role in the coordination of multidisciplinary teams. Expanding private psychological therapies without GP and private psychiatry support might increase the reliance on public hospital emergency departments and public sector mental health services for severe disorders and suicidal crises. Psychiatrists and GPs need to engage in more effective policy advocacy with the Australian Government, in order to maintain their roles in leading private sector collaborative multidisciplinary care.

Clinical update on psychiatric outcome measurement: what is the purpose, what is known and what should be done about it?

OBJECTIVE: To provide a clinical update on the purposes, evidence-base and recommendations for both clinician and patient-rated outcome measures in psychiatric practice. CONCLUSIONS: Private and public sector funders have implemented outcome measurement systems in Australian mental healthcare, in order to improve cost-effectiveness. It is important to consider the ultimate aims of outcome measurement from various perspectives in evaluating the evidence-base, as there are a number of measurement dimensions to address. For individual clinicians, the purpose may be to guide treatment-planning, as well as to assess treatment and clinician efficacy. For patients, the purpose is to assess outcomes in terms of their goals for recovery, as well as to evaluate their satisfaction with the care provided, and their healthcare providers. The other orthogonal dimensions of measurement comprise, the proximal to illness measures of symptomatic severity, and the distal measures of disability, which apply to both clinician and patient outcomes. In turn, these measures may be used by healthcare funders in public or private sectors as proxy measures of the cost-effectiveness of psychiatric care provided. Clinical registries linked to service-mapping would provide better data for patients, providers and funders to assess the availability and effectiveness of psychiatric care in Australia.

Private psychiatric hospital care in Australia: a descriptive analysis of casemix and outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To provide a rapid clinical update on casemix, average length of stay, and the effectiveness of Australian private psychiatric hospitals. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive analysis of the publicly available patient data from the Australian Private Hospitals Association Private Psychiatric Hospitals Data Reporting and Analysis Service website, from 2015-2016 to 2019-2020. This was compared with corresponding reporting on public and private hospitals from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, and Australian Mental Health Outcomes and Classification Network. RESULTS: In 2019-2020, there were 72 private psychiatric hospitals in Australia with 3582 acute beds. There were 42,942 inpatients with 1,286,470 days of care, and a mean length of stay 19.6 days (SD 13.9) for the financial year 2019-2020. The main diagnoses were major affective and other mood disorders (49%), and alcohol and other substance abuse disorders (21%). Clinician-rated outcome measures, that is, the HoNOS, showed an improvement effect size of 1.64, while the patient-rated MHQ-14 showed an improvement effect size of 1.18. Results are similar for previous years. CONCLUSIONS: Private psychiatric hospitals provide substantial, effective psychiatric care.

Telepsychiatry and face-to-face psychiatric consultations during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia: patients being heard and seen.

OBJECTIVE: The Australian federal government introduced additional Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) telehealth-items to facilitate care by private psychiatrists during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD: We analysed private psychiatrists' uptake of video and telephone-telehealth, as well as total (telehealth and face-to-face) consultations for April 2020-April 2021. We compare these to face-to-face consultations for April 2018-April 2019. MBS-Item service data were extracted for COVID-19-psychiatrist-video- and telephone-telehealth item numbers and compared with face-to-face consultations for the whole of Australia. RESULTS: Psychiatric consultation numbers (telehealth and face-to-face) were 13% higher during the first year of the pandemic compared with 2018-2019, with telehealth accounting for 40% of this total. Face-to-face consultations were 65% of the comparative number of 2018-2019 consultations. There was substantial usage of telehealth consultations during 2020-2021. The majority of telehealth involved short telephone consultations of ⩽15-30 min, while video was used more, in longer consultations. CONCLUSIONS: Private psychiatrists and patients continued using the new telehealth-items during 2020-2021. This compensated for decreases in face-to-face consultations and resulted in an overall increase in the total patient contacts compared to 2018-2019.

A clinical update on managed care implications for Australian psychiatric practice.

OBJECTIVE: To provide a clinical update on private health insurance in Australia and outline developments in US-style managed care that are likely to affect psychiatric and other specialist healthcare. We explain aspects of the US health system, which has resulted in a powerful and profitable private health insurance sector, and one of the most expensive and inefficient health systems in the world, with limited patient choice in psychiatric treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Australian psychiatrists should be aware of changes to private health insurance that emphasise aspects of managed care such as selective contracting, cost-cutting or capitation of services. These approaches may limit access to private hospital care and diminish the autonomy of patients and practitioners in choosing the most appropriate treatment. Australian patients, carers and practitioners need to be informed about the potential impact of private managed care on patient-centred evidence-based treatment.

Three perils of medico-political professional organisations: corporatisation, bureaucratisation and concentration of power.

OBJECTIVE: To discuss relevant factors affecting the effectiveness and membership engagement of medico-political professional organisations, for example, medical colleges, societies and associations. CONCLUSIONS: Medico-political professional organisations face perils from corporatisation, bureaucratisation and concentration of power that diminish membership engagement and influence. Actions to address these challenges are necessary to ensure the future viability of these organisations.

Greatly increased Victorian outpatient private psychiatric care during the COVID-19 pandemic: new MBS-telehealth-item and face-to-face psychiatrist office-based services from April-September 2020.

OBJECTIVE: The Australian Federal government introduced new COVID-19-Psychiatrist-Medicare-Benefits-Schedule (MBS) telehealth-items to assist with providing private specialist care. We investigate private psychiatrists' uptake of telehealth, and face-to-face consultations for April-September 2020 for the state of Victoria, which experienced two consecutive waves of COVID-19. We compare these to the same 6 months in 2019. METHOD: MBS-item-consultation data were extracted for video, telephone and face-to-face consultations with a psychiatrist for April-September 2020 and compared to face-to-face consultations in the same period of 2019 Victoria-wide, and for all of Australia. RESULTS: Total Victorian psychiatry consultations (telehealth and face-to-face) rose by 19% in April-September 2020 compared to 2019, with telehealth comprising 73% of this total. Victoria's increase in total psychiatry consultations was 5% higher than the all-Australian increase. Face-to-face consultations in April-September 2020 were only 46% of the comparative 2019 consultations. Consultations of less than 15 min duration (87% telephone and 13% video) tripled in April-September 2020, compared to the same period last year. Video consultations comprised 41% of total telehealth provision: these were used mainly for new patient assessments and longer consultations. CONCLUSIONS: During the pandemic, Victorian private psychiatrists used COVID-19-MBS-telehealth-items to substantially increase the number of total patient care consultations for 2020 compared to 2019.

Increased Australian outpatient private practice psychiatric care during the COVID-19 pandemic: usage of new MBS-telehealth item and face-to-face psychiatrist office-based services in Quarter 3, 2020.

OBJECTIVE: The Australian federal government introduced new COVID-19 psychiatrist Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) telehealth items to assist with providing private specialist care. We investigate private psychiatrists' uptake of video and telephone telehealth, as well as total (telehealth and face-to-face) consultations for Quarter 3 (July-September), 2020. We compare these to the same quarter in 2019. METHOD: MBS-item service data were extracted for COVID-19-psychiatrist video and telephone telehealth item numbers and compared with Quarter 3 (July-September), 2019, of face-to-face consultations for the whole of Australia. RESULTS: The number of psychiatry consultations (telehealth and face-to-face) rose during the first wave of the pandemic in Quarter 3, 2020, by 14% compared to Quarter 3, 2019, with telehealth 43% of this total. Face-to-face consultations in Quarter 3, 2020 were only 64% of the comparative number of Quarter 3, 2019 consultations. Most telehealth involved short telephone consultations of ⩽15-30 min. Video consultations comprised 42% of total telehealth provision: these were for new patient assessments and longer consultations. These figures represent increased face-to-face consultation compared to Quarter 2, 2020, with substantial maintenance of telehealth consultations. CONCLUSIONS: Private psychiatrists continued using the new COVID-19 MBS telehealth items for Quarter 3, 2020 to increase the number of patient care contacts in the context of decreased face-to-face consultations compared to 2019, but increased face-to-face consultations compared to Quarter 2, 2020.

Private psychiatry in Australia: reflections on career opportunities, benefits, and challenges.

OBJECTIVE: To provide reflection on career opportunities, benefits and challenges, with regard to commencing private practice psychiatry in Australia. CONCLUSIONS: There are varied opportunities for a career in private practice psychiatry. Private practice has benefits and challenges, distinct from public sector psychiatry; with moderately greater professional autonomy, facilitating the provision of expert mental healthcare for the community.

Comparison of inpatients who were readmitted within 28 days of discharge with those not readmitted: an audit at an Australian private psychiatric hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To compare inpatients who had been readmitted within 28 days of discharge with patients not readmitted within the same period in a private psychiatric hospital. METHOD: Of 118 readmissions within 28 days in 2017 (7% of admissions), 50 were randomly selected and matched by age and gender with control patients who had not been readmitted within 28 days. Differences in demographics, diagnosis, length of stay and number of admissions in the previous 12 months were examined. RESULTS: Readmitted cases were 64% female, were aged 49.8 ± 18.2 years (range 19-89), 40% were in relationships and 24% were receiving disability support. Most patients were suffering an episode of depression. Cases had higher rates of multiple psychiatric diagnoses (p < .001) and physical disorders (p < .05). There were no significant differences between cases and controls on psychiatric diagnoses. Cases had a longer length of stay in their previous admission (p < .01) and a higher number of admissions in the preceding 12 months (p < .05) compared to controls. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that inpatients readmitted within 28 days of discharge were more likely to have multiple diagnoses, physical co-morbidity and relapsing conditions than patients who were not readmitted.

Australian private practice metropolitan telepsychiatry during the COVID-19 pandemic: analysis of Quarter-2, 2020 usage of new MBS-telehealth item psychiatrist services.

OBJECTIVE: The Australian Commonwealth Government introduced new psychiatrist Medicare-Benefits-Schedule (MBS)-telehealth items in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to assist with previously office-based psychiatric practice. We investigate private psychiatrists' uptake of (1) video- and telephone-telehealth consultations for Quarter-2 (April-June) of 2020 and (2) total telehealth and face-to-face consultations in Quarter-2, 2020 in comparison to Quarter-2, 2019 for Australia. METHODS: MBS item service data were extracted for COVID-19-psychiatrist-video- and telephone-telehealth item numbers and compared with a baseline of the Quarter-2, 2019 (April-June 2019) of face-to-face consultations for the whole of Australia. RESULTS: Combined telehealth and face-to-face psychiatry consultations rose during the first wave of the pandemic in Quarter-2, 2020 by 14% compared to Quarter-2, 2019 and telehealth was approximately half of this total. Face-to-face consultations in 2020 comprised only 56% of the comparative Quarter-2, 2019 consultations. Most telehealth provision was by telephone for short consultations of ⩽15-30 min. Video consultations comprised 38% of the total telehealth provision (for new patient assessments and longer consultations). CONCLUSIONS: There has been a flexible, rapid response to patient demand by private psychiatrists using the new COVID-19-MBS-telehealth items for Quarter-2, 2020, and in the context of decreased face-to-face consultations, ongoing telehealth is essential.

Private practice metropolitan telepsychiatry in smaller Australian jurisdictions during the COVID-19 pandemic: preliminary analysis of the introduction of new Medicare Benefits Schedule items.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the smaller Australian state/territory service impact of the introduction of new COVID-19 psychiatrist video and telephone telehealth Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items. METHOD: MBS item service data were extracted for COVID-19 psychiatrist video and telephone telehealth item numbers corresponding to the pre-existing in-person consultations for the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Northern Territory (NT), South Australia (SA) and Tasmania. RESULTS: The overall rate of consultations (face-to-face and telehealth) increased during March and April 2020, compared to the monthly face-to-face consultation average, excepting Tasmania. Compared to an annual monthly average of in-person consultations for July 2018-June 2019, total telepsychiatry consultations were higher for April than May. For total video and telephone telehealth consultations combined, video consultations were lower in April and higher in May. As a percentage of combined telehealth and in-person consultations, telehealth was greater for April and lower for May compared to the monthly face-to-face consultation average. CONCLUSIONS: In the smaller states/territories, the private practice workforce rapidly adopted COVID-19 MBS telehealth items, with the majority of psychiatric consultation shifting to telehealth initially, and then returning to face-to-face. With a second wave of COVID-19 in Australia, telehealth is likely to remain a vital part of the national mental health strategy.