Govt warns GPs to bill ‘most relevant’ mental health item even if it pays less
A survey suggests many GPs are claiming standard consult items for mental health care
Health officials are warning GPs against claiming level C consultation items for mental health consults lasting longer than 20 minutes, saying it amounts to inappropriate billing.
It follows a survey of 846 GPs that found more than a third were billing standard consultations rather than a specific mental health item — in part because of the lower rebates on offer for the mental health item ($75.80 vs $76.95).
