Extending Medicare

HypnosisAustralia, May 2006

By Dr Tracie O'Keefe DCH, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Psychotherapist & Counsellor
Editorial Director of HypnosisAustralia Online.

The Productivity Commission's report on the health workforce makes recommendations that may extend the Medicare system. The report recommends that the health system could be used in way that will allow patients to access more healthcare workers directly without having to go through their GPs. This particularly includes nurse practitioners and may in due course even include psychologists. Patients may be allowed to eventually claim Medicare rebates from going directly to these practitioners.

Many in the Australian Medical Association (AMA) are opposed to the expansion of a Medicare system in this way. This is seen in some quarters are being protectionism of the way doctors practise in Australia whereas in some other countries this kind of system is already in place. This kind of expansion would have the effect of relieving much of the absence of healthcare in rural areas.

Those healthcare practitioners who practise hypnosis, and who are not medical doctors, would only benefit from this expansion if they belonged to a registered healthcare profession and was educated at post graduate level. The move would also possibly create a single national board for health, education, and training.

©HypnosisAustralia, May 2006