Skip to main content
Home
  • The Legislative Assembly meets on 16/04/2024 (01:00 PM)
    Assembly sit 16/04/2024
  • The Legislative Council meets on 16/04/2024 (01:00 PM)
    Council sit 16/04/2024
  • The Public Administration meets on 08/04/2024 (10:00 AM)
    Committee meet 08/04/2024

Parliamentary Questions


Question On Notice No. 1162 asked in the Legislative Council on 1 December 2022 by Hon Nick Goiran

Question Directed to the: Leader of the House representing the Minister for Health
Parliament: 41 Session: 1


Question

I refer to page 37 of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Board Western Australia Annual Report 2021-22 that notes ‘[t]he Medicare Benefit Schedule item numbers available to remunerate practitioners are insufficient to reasonably account for the time and effort involved [in providing voluntary assisted dying services]. In Western Australia, most participating practitioners choose not to charge voluntary assisted dying patients extra private fees and therefore absorb the costs of providing these services.’ The recommendation is made by the Voluntary Assisted Dying Board that until Australian Government funding mechanisms are amended to address voluntary assisted dying practitioner remuneration inadequacies, that the Western Australian Government explore a funding model to support practitioners in performing the administrative processes required to comply with the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2019; and I ask:
(a) what fee does the Voluntary Assisted Dying Board suggest should be provided by the State Government to a practitioner in providing each of the following services:
(i) assessing a patient’s First Request and submission of relevant form(s);
(ii) completing a patient’s First Assessment and submission of relevant form(s);
(iii) completing a patient’s Consultation Assessment and submission of relevant form(s);
(iv) facilitating a patient’s Final Request and submission of relevant form(s);
(v) facilitating a patient’s Administration Decision and submission of relevant form(s);
(vi) practitioner administration of a voluntary assisted dying substance and submission of relevant form(s); and; and
(vii) what Medicare Benefit Schedule item numbers are currently utilised by practitioners involved in each of the stages of a patient’s request for voluntary assisted dying listed in (i) to (vi)?

Answered on 14 February 2023

(a) (i) – (vi) The Board is not in a position to determine specific fees to account for practitioner time and effort in performing the administrative processes required to comply with the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2019.  The Board has recommended the development of a funding model.  Should such a model be developed, an appropriate fee schedule may form part of such a model.

 

(vii) The Board is not aware which Medicare Benefit Schedule item numbers are being utilised by practitioners.