❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the WA Medical Board's accreditation of medical practitioners offering alternative therapies regarding Medicare reimbursement eligibility. The Minister's response deflects responsibility to Commonwealth Medicare regulations.
AnsweredQoN 848Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
848. Hon Giz Watson to the Attorney General representing the Minister for Health:
In respect of medical practitioners whose patients can claim Medicare reimbursement for a range of services outside their direct ambit of training -
(1) Has the West Australian Medical Board implemented examination and accreditation requirements to ensure medical registrants who provide the services of homoeopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic, osteopathy and acupuncture have attained qualifications equating to those held by bona fide providers of those services?
(2) If not, why not?
(3) Is it a requirement of the West Australian Medical Board that doctors of medicine who provide the services of homoeopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic, osteopathy and acupuncture must show duly attained qualifications in these specialities in order that patients may claim Medicare reimbursement?
(4) If not, why not?
In respect of medical practitioners whose patients can claim Medicare reimbursement for a range of services outside their direct ambit of training -
(1) Has the West Australian Medical Board implemented examination and accreditation requirements to ensure medical registrants who provide the services of homoeopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic, osteopathy and acupuncture have attained qualifications equating to those held by bona fide providers of those services?
(2) If not, why not?
(3) Is it a requirement of the West Australian Medical Board that doctors of medicine who provide the services of homoeopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic, osteopathy and acupuncture must show duly attained qualifications in these specialities in order that patients may claim Medicare reimbursement?
(4) If not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 November 2000
Response time
62 days
The Minister Replied:
(1)&(2) The Medical Board of Western Australia is concerned to ensure that people wishing to practise medicine meet the requirements of the Medical Act 1894. Its assessments do not extend to considering a person's qualifications to practise the various services referred to in the question.
(3)&(4) It is important to place this question in the context of respective Commonwealth and State/Territory responsibilities.
A responsibility of the States/Territories is the registration of medical practitioners. This occurs in Western Australia under the Medical Act 1894.
The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) is a Commonwealth program. Inclusion of specific items of service on the MBS and the eligibility criteria that must be satisfied before Medicare benefits can be paid in respect of these services is a matter for the Commonwealth to determine.
(1)&(2) The Medical Board of Western Australia is concerned to ensure that people wishing to practise medicine meet the requirements of the Medical Act 1894. Its assessments do not extend to considering a person's qualifications to practise the various services referred to in the question.
(3)&(4) It is important to place this question in the context of respective Commonwealth and State/Territory responsibilities.
A responsibility of the States/Territories is the registration of medical practitioners. This occurs in Western Australia under the Medical Act 1894.
The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) is a Commonwealth program. Inclusion of specific items of service on the MBS and the eligibility criteria that must be satisfied before Medicare benefits can be paid in respect of these services is a matter for the Commonwealth to determine.
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