Health check to benefit people with intellectual disabilities

A new Medicare rebate for people with an intellectual disability who have an annual health assessment is to be introduced by the Australian Government.

The Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing, Christopher Pyne, said the new item recognised that people with an intellectual disability had complex health needs that were difficult to adequately assess because of the patient’s inability to recognise and communicate symptoms.

An estimated 80,000 Australians with an intellectual disability would be eligible under the new item, at a cost of around $11 million over four years.

Current general practitioner (GP) items available under Medicare do not allow sufficient time for the complex needs of people with an intellectual disability. Evidence suggests that around 40% of medical conditions remain undiagnosed and that only half of the diagnosed conditions are appropriately treated.

The new Medicare item will provide a structured clinical framework for GPs to assess a patient’s overall health and plan for their long-term care.

“The item will allow GPs to spend extra time with intellectually disabled patients that will result in a more comprehensive care plan involving the GP and other allied health professionals to prevent the onset of chronic disease.”

The new item is expected to be available to patients in July 2007.