Permanent telehealth must be funded in May Budget

The Greens are calling on the Federal Government to make telehealth a permanent feature of our Medicare system.
“Telehealth has been lifesaving for Australians, especially for people living in regional and remote areas and for disabled people, people with kids and older Australians.
“We know that people living in regional and remote areas suffer worse health outcomes. Telehealth helps to bridge that gap.
“Patients and health practitioners need certainty about the future of telehealth in Australia.
“Peak bodies have been working with the government for months now on making telehealth permanent. We don’t need more ad-hoc 3 month extensions. We need certainty.
“We are in a global health pandemic and we need innovation and forward planning, not adhoc decision making that leaves people in limbo.
“It’s 2021 and it well past time we had telehealth embedded into our Medicare system.”