Senate committee says 'no' to CDDS Bill
The Senate’s Finance and Public Administration Legislation committee has recommended that the Health Insurance (Dental Services) Bill not be passed.
The Bill seeks to address “inequities” that have arisen in the administration of the Chronic Diseases Dental Scheme because of the operation of sub-section 10(2) of the Health Insurance (Dental Services) Determination 2007. The key inequity is described in the Bill in clause 5: that a dental practitioner who has legitimately provided a dental service and claimed a Medicare benefit as payment, is required to repay the benefit where they did not provide a patient before commencing treatment with a written plan of their course of treatment and a written quotation, or failed to give copies of these documents to the referring doctor”.
The report states: “ … the committee notes that the Minister (for Human Services) accepts that some but not all of the concerns that have been raised do require further consideration and that is a matter that is now underway within normal departmental processes. The committee therefore considers that the Bill may not be the best way to deal with the problems that have arisen, as the proposed actions would create further inequities”.
In a dissenting report, Coalition Senators Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW) and David Bushby (Tasmania) concluded:
• “The evidence received by the committee has thrown light on an injustice inflicted on a highly professional and dedicated group of health practitioners. While it is acknowledged that there was non-compliance, the non-compliance was of an administrative nature. It was not because of fraud or rorting and it arose primarily because of inadequate information and education about compliance requirements.
• Finally, Coalition senators note that there has been an acknowledgment from the Government that they've mishandled this witch-hunt. It is up to Minister (for Human Services) Carr to immediately halt the Medicare Audit Taskforce and waiver any demands for repayments”.
Greens Senator Richard Di Natale (Victoria) made additional comments, stating: “The Greens note the purpose of the Bill is to remedy a particular injustice – the high financial burden placed on dentists and other practitioners who took part in the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme, were found to be non-compliant with all the requirements of the scheme, and have been ordered to make full repayment of all benefits thereby received. After considering the evidence presented to the committee the Greens remain of the opinion that this injustice is real and should be remedied as soon as possible”.
ADA Inc. President Dr Shane Fryer commented: "The ADA is in ongoing discussions with the Department of Human Services and the Minister for Human Services, Senator Kim Carr, to develop a solution for dental practitioners that participated in the CDDS. The ADA is seeking a solution to the harsh pursuit of dentists requiring them to repay monies for services legitimately provided to patients".
The Bill seeks to address “inequities” that have arisen in the administration of the Chronic Diseases Dental Scheme because of the operation of sub-section 10(2) of the Health Insurance (Dental Services) Determination 2007. The key inequity is described in the Bill in clause 5: that a dental practitioner who has legitimately provided a dental service and claimed a Medicare benefit as payment, is required to repay the benefit where they did not provide a patient before commencing treatment with a written plan of their course of treatment and a written quotation, or failed to give copies of these documents to the referring doctor”.
The report states: “ … the committee notes that the Minister (for Human Services) accepts that some but not all of the concerns that have been raised do require further consideration and that is a matter that is now underway within normal departmental processes. The committee therefore considers that the Bill may not be the best way to deal with the problems that have arisen, as the proposed actions would create further inequities”.
In a dissenting report, Coalition Senators Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW) and David Bushby (Tasmania) concluded:
• “The evidence received by the committee has thrown light on an injustice inflicted on a highly professional and dedicated group of health practitioners. While it is acknowledged that there was non-compliance, the non-compliance was of an administrative nature. It was not because of fraud or rorting and it arose primarily because of inadequate information and education about compliance requirements.
• Finally, Coalition senators note that there has been an acknowledgment from the Government that they've mishandled this witch-hunt. It is up to Minister (for Human Services) Carr to immediately halt the Medicare Audit Taskforce and waiver any demands for repayments”.
Greens Senator Richard Di Natale (Victoria) made additional comments, stating: “The Greens note the purpose of the Bill is to remedy a particular injustice – the high financial burden placed on dentists and other practitioners who took part in the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme, were found to be non-compliant with all the requirements of the scheme, and have been ordered to make full repayment of all benefits thereby received. After considering the evidence presented to the committee the Greens remain of the opinion that this injustice is real and should be remedied as soon as possible”.
ADA Inc. President Dr Shane Fryer commented: "The ADA is in ongoing discussions with the Department of Human Services and the Minister for Human Services, Senator Kim Carr, to develop a solution for dental practitioners that participated in the CDDS. The ADA is seeking a solution to the harsh pursuit of dentists requiring them to repay monies for services legitimately provided to patients".
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