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Public denture scheme faces crisisA freeze on rebates to dental technicians means public dental health patients could soon have to meet the full cost of dentures. By Kevin Balshaw - 11th June 2008 - Back to News Public dental health patients could soon have to meet the full cost of dentures as a result of the Victorian Government’s failure to increase the rebates it pays to dental technicians.
The Member for Eastern Victoria, Philip Davis, said a freeze on the schedule of rebates over the past four years meant the State rebate for a full denture service is now $650 to $850 short of the cost of the service and well below the Commonwealth rebate for veterans.
Widespread unrest among dental prosthetists could result in the withdrawal of their services to public patients unless the Government agrees soon to increase the rebate.
Mr Davis said this presented a grave situation for people who depend on the over-stretched public dental service.
The area from Sale eastwards is one of the worst served in the State under the Victorian denture scheme in that it has only four providers of prosthetic dental services and only one of those continues to offer an unrestricted service to public patients.
In Parliament, Mr Davis said the State Government had reneged on an undertaking it provided in 2002 to align rebates under the Victorian denture scheme with those paid through the Commonwealth Department of Veterans Affairs.
"I have asked Health Minister, Daniel Andrews, for immediate action to adjust the Victorian scheme to bring about parity with the Commonwealth rebates," Mr Davis said.
"After agreeing to match the Commonwealth rebates in 2002, the Victorian Government scrapped the agreement in 2004, and over the past four years the Victorian branch of the Australian Dental Prosthetists’ Association has been endeavouring to have it restored.
"The association has run out of patience over the Government’s stonewalling on this issue.
"It says unless there is movement on the Government’s part soon, the 260 or so dental prosthetists operating in Victoria are likely to withdraw their services to public patients.
"This will have a severe impact for public dental patients in East Gippsland in particular."
To compound the crisis, Minister Andrews has declined to meet the association and has not even replied to a follow-up reminder letter sent to him some three months ago.
Victorian prosthetists receive only $950 rebate for a full denture service, for which the normal charge is between $1600 and $1800. In contrast, the Commonwealth has increased its rebate for veterans each year and it now stands at $1465.
Currently, about 10,000 patients a year are treated under Victoria’s public denture scheme. The fee schedule means that for each procedure the practitioners are effectively donating more than $650 towards the oral health of the State.
"Their concern is understandable, and I am hoping the minister will act promptly to resolve the matter," Mr Davis said.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: kevin.balshaw@parliament.vic.gov.au
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