Funding and assistance – Healthcare Professionals

Key contacts

• Medicare Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander free-call telephone service: 1800 556 955
• Medicare information about claiming and supplying PBS items: 132 290 or qld.ahs@humanservices.gov.au
• To locate a PIP Indigenous Health Incentive participating general practice (GP): 1800 222 032
• Information on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services can also be found on:
  • The Australian Government Department of Health’s Indigenous Access Program
  • The Australian Government Department of Health’s Indigenous Australian’s Health Programme.

Resources

The Department of Health provides information, including education guides and e-Learning modules, to help health professionals provide health services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.

• (resources developed by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners)

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Programs

There are four main programs that aim to improve the capacity of mainstream health services to better serve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients. These programs provide access to funding schemes.

• Practice Incentives Program (PIP) – Indigenous Health Incentive (IHI) aims to support general practices and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services to provide better healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian clients including best practice management of chronic disease.
• Closing the Gap Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Co-payment Measure  provides eligible Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines for free or reduced cost to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients.
• Integrated Team Care Program (ITC) aims to improve access to coordinated and multidisciplinary care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with chronic health conditions and improve access to culturally appropriate mainstream primary care services (including but not limited to general practice, allied health and specialists) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• Remote Area Aboriginal Health Services (RAAHS or AHS) and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme  provides eligible Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines for free to patients in remote areas.