Medicare to review some dental audits

Medicare will review the cases of more than 600 dentists under audit for suspected Medicare payment irregularities. Human Services Minister Kim Carr announced yesterday retrospective changes to compliance arrangements under the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme.

He said that the new arrangements “would not excuse everyone who has fallen foul of the current arrangements”.

Greens Health spokesman Senator Richard Di Natale welcomed the change but his Opposition counterpart, Mr Peter Dutton, called for an equitable outcome.

The President of the Australian Dental Association, Dr Shane Fryer, said that this was a positive sign but reminded dentists to comply with the scheme.