Election 2022: ALP’s pitch on mental health

Anthony Albanese says his government would fund 50 per cent of tele-heath psychiatric consultations in rural areas if he wins the May election at a cost of $31m over the forward estimates.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese on the first day of the election campaign. Picture: Sky News

Anthony Albanese says a Labor government would fund 50 per cent of teleheath psychiatric consultations in rural areas at a cost of $31m over the forward estimates.

In a statement released late on Monday, the Labor leader said the move would reverse Scott Morrison’s “damaging Medicare cut” from December 2021 that ­removed the rural loading for psychiatric sessions conducted over video or phone, resulting in significant gap fees for consultations. The loading had been activated at the onset of the pandemic, but was dissolved on January 1, leaving providers with the choice of absorbing the added costs or passing it on to patients.

“Scott Morrison’s cuts to ­regional mental health consultations during a pandemic which has seen people struggling with mental health issues are unconscionable,” Mr Albanese said.

“Labor will restore these vital mental health services, making them affordable and accessible to people wherever they live.”

But president of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Vinay Lakra said the promised Labor funding didn’t go far enough.

“It just brings us back to the previous situation and helps ­address that issue, but not affordability issues for psychiatry services across Australia,” he said. “(This announcement) is as if ­affordability is only an issue faced in regional areas and not metropolitan areas. We would welcome that funding, but it doesn’t go far enough.”

Mr Albanese said reinstating Medicare support for telehealth mental health consultations was expected to support 450,000 consultations over four years, 585,000 consultations over five years and 1.4 million consultations over 10 years. “Scott Morrison’s cuts to Medicare bulk billing for psychiatric telehealth shows how his policies are hurting people in regional and rural Australia,” he said.

“By contrast, Labor understands the importance of mental health care for Australians, ­regardless of where they live. We will restore a 50 per cent regional loading to telehealth psychiatric consultations, meaning people in the regions will once again be able to have affordable bulk-billed telehealth mental health consultations.”

Dr Lakra said a national bulk-billing incentive should be in ­operation to allow people to access affordable psychiatric services. “There has to be a policy that addresses the issue of access or ­affordability in all areas,” he said.