MEDIA RELEASE
WEDNESDAY 16 MAY 2007

Fees Review Committees Make Good Progress

District Health Boards have congratulated the Regional Fees Review Committees on their progress in managing the new fee setting process for General Practices.

DHB Spokesman Chris Clarke, CEO of Hawkes Bay DHB, says the review process agreed with GP leaders and Primary Health Organisations is an essential part of maintaining public access to affordable health care.

“The Government has made a huge investment in reducing the cost of GP visits – the fee review process we developed in consultation with the sector is part of making sure those benefits aren’t eroded.”

Mr Clarke says DHBs recognise the new fees framework and Review Committees took longer to set up than first thought, but that’s also meant a better outcome.

“The joint development process has been robust and I believe we’ve come through it with a better system that is working as we’d all intended.”

GP fee increases are set using a formula and process administered by independent financial experts. GPs can raise fees beyond that to recover other costs beyond their control and Mr Clarke says that’s where the Review Committees become involved.

“The Committees are currently considering around 60 fee reviews – so far they’ve released recommendations on six of them. Three of the notified fees were considered reasonable, the other three were declined - most of the remainder are at the submission stage and recommendations should be made over the next 4-6 weeks.

“The Committee Chairs tell us the information submitted by most practices is of high quality which allows for a quick process.

“The number of reviews is about what we’d expect for a system that is new. It’s still early days, but the results suggest the process is working and the fee setting mechanism has got its figures at the right level.”

ends

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