❓ Mr. Buswell questions the discrepancy in ultrasound billing practices by a private operator across different hospitals in the South West Area Health Service (SWAHS) and seeks details on the tendering process. The response clarifies the contractual arrangements and reasons for the billing differences.
AnsweredQoN 63Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(b) why does the same private operator bulk bill for ultra sound services to the public in Margaret River Hospital and charge a fee over and above the scheduled fee in Busselton and Bunbury for the same service; (c) what was the tender process for the ultra sound services in the SWAHS; and (d) how many private operators tendered?
(c) what was the tender process for the ultra sound services in the SWAHS; and (d) how many private operators tendered?
(d) how many private operators tendered?
Within the Vasse Leeuwin contract (Busselton / Margaret River) - SWAHS receives a facility fee of 8% of the WAGMSS (WA Govt. Medical Services Schedule) for all other patient classifications, which includes non-hospital referred ultrasound services at Busselton and Margaret River. At the Bunbury Health Campus, ITS is contracted to provide medical imaging services including ultrasounds for public Hospital referrals (inpatients and A&E patients), there is no contractual arrangement for the treatment or imaging of non hospital referrals. (b) ITS levies a charge as the provider of this service as they supply both sonographers and the ultrasound machine at all sites. There are no publicly funded sonography services within the South West. This service is provided via ITS as a private service provider and as a private clinic to non-hospital referred patients. Whilst at Bunbury and Busselton a charge is levied, ITS has indicated that they do not have the administrative capacity to charge at the Margaret River site and hence choose to bulk bill their patients. At all ITS South West sites patients holding a valid pensioner or Health Care Card are bulk billed. (c)Ultrasound services are tendered as part of the Medical Imaging Contract. As no publicly funded ultrasonography service has been operational in the South West, the service historically was tendered on the basis the contractor provide the equipment, operator and reporting service. (d) The currently operating contracts within SWAHS received respondent numbers as listed: · Vasse Leeuwin 1, · Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
At the Bunbury Health Campus, ITS is contracted to provide medical imaging services including ultrasounds for public Hospital referrals (inpatients and A&E patients), there is no contractual arrangement for the treatment or imaging of non hospital referrals. (b) ITS levies a charge as the provider of this service as they supply both sonographers and the ultrasound machine at all sites. There are no publicly funded sonography services within the South West. This service is provided via ITS as a private service provider and as a private clinic to non-hospital referred patients. Whilst at Bunbury and Busselton a charge is levied, ITS has indicated that they do not have the administrative capacity to charge at the Margaret River site and hence choose to bulk bill their patients. At all ITS South West sites patients holding a valid pensioner or Health Care Card are bulk billed. (c)Ultrasound services are tendered as part of the Medical Imaging Contract. As no publicly funded ultrasonography service has been operational in the South West, the service historically was tendered on the basis the contractor provide the equipment, operator and reporting service. (d) The currently operating contracts within SWAHS received respondent numbers as listed: · Vasse Leeuwin 1, · Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
(b) ITS levies a charge as the provider of this service as they supply both sonographers and the ultrasound machine at all sites. There are no publicly funded sonography services within the South West. This service is provided via ITS as a private service provider and as a private clinic to non-hospital referred patients. Whilst at Bunbury and Busselton a charge is levied, ITS has indicated that they do not have the administrative capacity to charge at the Margaret River site and hence choose to bulk bill their patients. At all ITS South West sites patients holding a valid pensioner or Health Care Card are bulk billed. (c)Ultrasound services are tendered as part of the Medical Imaging Contract. As no publicly funded ultrasonography service has been operational in the South West, the service historically was tendered on the basis the contractor provide the equipment, operator and reporting service. (d) The currently operating contracts within SWAHS received respondent numbers as listed: · Vasse Leeuwin 1, · Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
Whilst at Bunbury and Busselton a charge is levied, ITS has indicated that they do not have the administrative capacity to charge at the Margaret River site and hence choose to bulk bill their patients. At all ITS South West sites patients holding a valid pensioner or Health Care Card are bulk billed. (c)Ultrasound services are tendered as part of the Medical Imaging Contract. As no publicly funded ultrasonography service has been operational in the South West, the service historically was tendered on the basis the contractor provide the equipment, operator and reporting service. (d) The currently operating contracts within SWAHS received respondent numbers as listed: · Vasse Leeuwin 1, · Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
At all ITS South West sites patients holding a valid pensioner or Health Care Card are bulk billed. (c)Ultrasound services are tendered as part of the Medical Imaging Contract. As no publicly funded ultrasonography service has been operational in the South West, the service historically was tendered on the basis the contractor provide the equipment, operator and reporting service. (d) The currently operating contracts within SWAHS received respondent numbers as listed: · Vasse Leeuwin 1, · Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
(c)Ultrasound services are tendered as part of the Medical Imaging Contract. As no publicly funded ultrasonography service has been operational in the South West, the service historically was tendered on the basis the contractor provide the equipment, operator and reporting service. (d) The currently operating contracts within SWAHS received respondent numbers as listed: · Vasse Leeuwin 1, · Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
(d) The currently operating contracts within SWAHS received respondent numbers as listed: · Vasse Leeuwin 1, · Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
· Vasse Leeuwin 1, · Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
· Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
· Bunbury 2
(c) what was the tender process for the ultra sound services in the SWAHS; and (d) how many private operators tendered?
(d) how many private operators tendered?
Within the Vasse Leeuwin contract (Busselton / Margaret River) - SWAHS receives a facility fee of 8% of the WAGMSS (WA Govt. Medical Services Schedule) for all other patient classifications, which includes non-hospital referred ultrasound services at Busselton and Margaret River. At the Bunbury Health Campus, ITS is contracted to provide medical imaging services including ultrasounds for public Hospital referrals (inpatients and A&E patients), there is no contractual arrangement for the treatment or imaging of non hospital referrals. (b) ITS levies a charge as the provider of this service as they supply both sonographers and the ultrasound machine at all sites. There are no publicly funded sonography services within the South West. This service is provided via ITS as a private service provider and as a private clinic to non-hospital referred patients. Whilst at Bunbury and Busselton a charge is levied, ITS has indicated that they do not have the administrative capacity to charge at the Margaret River site and hence choose to bulk bill their patients. At all ITS South West sites patients holding a valid pensioner or Health Care Card are bulk billed. (c)Ultrasound services are tendered as part of the Medical Imaging Contract. As no publicly funded ultrasonography service has been operational in the South West, the service historically was tendered on the basis the contractor provide the equipment, operator and reporting service. (d) The currently operating contracts within SWAHS received respondent numbers as listed: · Vasse Leeuwin 1, · Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
At the Bunbury Health Campus, ITS is contracted to provide medical imaging services including ultrasounds for public Hospital referrals (inpatients and A&E patients), there is no contractual arrangement for the treatment or imaging of non hospital referrals. (b) ITS levies a charge as the provider of this service as they supply both sonographers and the ultrasound machine at all sites. There are no publicly funded sonography services within the South West. This service is provided via ITS as a private service provider and as a private clinic to non-hospital referred patients. Whilst at Bunbury and Busselton a charge is levied, ITS has indicated that they do not have the administrative capacity to charge at the Margaret River site and hence choose to bulk bill their patients. At all ITS South West sites patients holding a valid pensioner or Health Care Card are bulk billed. (c)Ultrasound services are tendered as part of the Medical Imaging Contract. As no publicly funded ultrasonography service has been operational in the South West, the service historically was tendered on the basis the contractor provide the equipment, operator and reporting service. (d) The currently operating contracts within SWAHS received respondent numbers as listed: · Vasse Leeuwin 1, · Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
(b) ITS levies a charge as the provider of this service as they supply both sonographers and the ultrasound machine at all sites. There are no publicly funded sonography services within the South West. This service is provided via ITS as a private service provider and as a private clinic to non-hospital referred patients. Whilst at Bunbury and Busselton a charge is levied, ITS has indicated that they do not have the administrative capacity to charge at the Margaret River site and hence choose to bulk bill their patients. At all ITS South West sites patients holding a valid pensioner or Health Care Card are bulk billed. (c)Ultrasound services are tendered as part of the Medical Imaging Contract. As no publicly funded ultrasonography service has been operational in the South West, the service historically was tendered on the basis the contractor provide the equipment, operator and reporting service. (d) The currently operating contracts within SWAHS received respondent numbers as listed: · Vasse Leeuwin 1, · Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
Whilst at Bunbury and Busselton a charge is levied, ITS has indicated that they do not have the administrative capacity to charge at the Margaret River site and hence choose to bulk bill their patients. At all ITS South West sites patients holding a valid pensioner or Health Care Card are bulk billed. (c)Ultrasound services are tendered as part of the Medical Imaging Contract. As no publicly funded ultrasonography service has been operational in the South West, the service historically was tendered on the basis the contractor provide the equipment, operator and reporting service. (d) The currently operating contracts within SWAHS received respondent numbers as listed: · Vasse Leeuwin 1, · Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
At all ITS South West sites patients holding a valid pensioner or Health Care Card are bulk billed. (c)Ultrasound services are tendered as part of the Medical Imaging Contract. As no publicly funded ultrasonography service has been operational in the South West, the service historically was tendered on the basis the contractor provide the equipment, operator and reporting service. (d) The currently operating contracts within SWAHS received respondent numbers as listed: · Vasse Leeuwin 1, · Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
(c)Ultrasound services are tendered as part of the Medical Imaging Contract. As no publicly funded ultrasonography service has been operational in the South West, the service historically was tendered on the basis the contractor provide the equipment, operator and reporting service. (d) The currently operating contracts within SWAHS received respondent numbers as listed: · Vasse Leeuwin 1, · Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
(d) The currently operating contracts within SWAHS received respondent numbers as listed: · Vasse Leeuwin 1, · Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
· Vasse Leeuwin 1, · Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
· Collie 1, · Bunbury 2
· Bunbury 2
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
21 June 2005
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
20 days
(a) South West Area Health Service (SWAHS) pays Imaging the South (ITS) a fee for ultrasound services provided to public inpatients and Accident & Emergency (A&E) patients.
Within the Vasse Leeuwin contract (Busselton / Margaret River) - SWAHS receives a facility fee of 8% of the WAGMSS (WA Govt. Medical Services Schedule) for all other patient classifications, which includes non-hospital referred ultrasound services at Busselton and Margaret River.
At the Bunbury Health Campus, ITS is contracted to provide medical imaging services including ultrasounds for public Hospital referrals (inpatients and A&E patients), there is no contractual arrangement for the treatment or imaging of non hospital referrals.
(b) ITS levies a charge as the provider of this service as they supply both sonographers and the ultrasound machine at all sites. There are no publicly funded sonography services within the South West. This service is provided via ITS as a private service provider and as a private clinic to non-hospital referred patients.
Whilst at Bunbury and Busselton a charge is levied, ITS has indicated that they do not have the administrative capacity to charge at the Margaret River site and hence choose to bulk bill their patients.
At all ITS South West sites patients holding a valid pensioner or Health Care Card are bulk billed.
(c)Ultrasound services are tendered as part of the Medical Imaging Contract. As no publicly funded ultrasonography service has been operational in the South West, the service historically was tendered on the basis the contractor provide the equipment, operator and reporting service.
(d) The currently operating contracts within SWAHS received respondent numbers as listed:
· Vasse Leeuwin 1,
· Collie 1,
· Bunbury 2
Within the Vasse Leeuwin contract (Busselton / Margaret River) - SWAHS receives a facility fee of 8% of the WAGMSS (WA Govt. Medical Services Schedule) for all other patient classifications, which includes non-hospital referred ultrasound services at Busselton and Margaret River.
At the Bunbury Health Campus, ITS is contracted to provide medical imaging services including ultrasounds for public Hospital referrals (inpatients and A&E patients), there is no contractual arrangement for the treatment or imaging of non hospital referrals.
(b) ITS levies a charge as the provider of this service as they supply both sonographers and the ultrasound machine at all sites. There are no publicly funded sonography services within the South West. This service is provided via ITS as a private service provider and as a private clinic to non-hospital referred patients.
Whilst at Bunbury and Busselton a charge is levied, ITS has indicated that they do not have the administrative capacity to charge at the Margaret River site and hence choose to bulk bill their patients.
At all ITS South West sites patients holding a valid pensioner or Health Care Card are bulk billed.
(c)Ultrasound services are tendered as part of the Medical Imaging Contract. As no publicly funded ultrasonography service has been operational in the South West, the service historically was tendered on the basis the contractor provide the equipment, operator and reporting service.
(d) The currently operating contracts within SWAHS received respondent numbers as listed:
· Vasse Leeuwin 1,
· Collie 1,
· Bunbury 2
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