Chronic illness trial failure puts pressure on GP payments

A chronic illness trial through Health Care Homes has failed to attract 10 per cent of the expected patient numbers.

A new approach to treating chronic illness through Health Care Homes has proved so unpopular the trial will have to be evaluated with fewer than 10 per cent of the patients originally meant to be involved.

Documents obtained under ­Freedom of Information laws reveal government efforts to salvage whatever possible from the $110 million general practice trial, as stakeholders continue to complain of Medicare rebates for complex cases being insufficient or open to misuse.

The Medicare Benefits Schedule Review Taskforce is preparing wide-ranging advice for Health Minister Greg Hunt that may see the government embark on a significant — and potentially politically sensitive — overhaul of GP payments before the next election.

The latest data suggests Medicare is suffering growing pains: the number of services per capita rose to 16.8 last year, partly because of a continued rise in doctor-initiated pathology tests, but half of all Australians are now routinely out of pocket and some cannot afford care.

Patients who avoid or are unable to access necessary primary care risk having their illnesses and disabilities worsen, requiring more costly interventions. The ageing population and high obesity rates have made chronic illness a major challenge.

When the Health Care Homes trial was announced in early 2016, then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull declared it one of the biggest reforms since Medicare, with up to 200 practices and 65,000 patients to be involved.

A departmental briefing note for Mr Hunt in June — eight months after stage one of the trial began — noted that only 2255 ­patients were enrolled across 102 practices.

“While patient enrolment numbers are lower than anticipated, the independent evaluators have indicated that between 4000 to 6000 patients will be sufficient to adequately evaluate the trial, which is expected to be achieved,” the document states.

An interim evaluation will be provided early next year.