Medical clinic under fire over COVID-19 vaccine fees
A clinic in Sydney’s south-west is under fire for charging people to be vaccinated in what appears to be a cash grab.
Doctors at Blessed Health Care Clinic are charging $225 for a consult that comes with the first dose of Pfizer and $80 for the second shot consult and it appears they’re preying on vulnerable Aussies.
Some of the patients in line at the clinic can’t speak much English and don’t know they can get it for free.
Many of those lining up to get vaccinated for a fee are those who are desperate to be protected against the Delta strain of the COVID-19 virus, which has taken over their community.
Migrant communities like Campsie currently have some of the highest rates of COVID-19.
But those who know better are disappointed and angry after hearing some people have been charged for something that is being offered for free elsewhere.
“I think the police should be down there today, and throw the book at these people,” Mayor of Cantertbury-Bankstown Khal Asfour told A Current Affair.
While some patients were reluctant to cough up cash, there were those who weren’t hesitant to pay and left the clinic vaccinated.
Local Simon Yong was waiting in line at the clinic and was quick to defend his local GP for charging people who didn’t have a Medicare card.
“All I can say is spending the money, people are happy,” Mr Young said.
When A Current Affair reporter Dimity Clancey approached the clinic for comment, she was told they were too busy to answer any questions.
“I am working here,” one doctor responded to the reporter’s questions about whether it was fair to charge people money for vaccines.
Just down the road anyone can get vaccinated for free.
Tareq Saleh is the practice manager at the Lakemba Respiratory Clinic and said anyone can walk in there to get vaccinated.
“It is free, it is free for everyone, Medicare, non-Medicare, visitors, tourists, everyone can come,” Mr Saleh said.
Mr Saleh said he’s just following the rules.
“This is very clear, this is from the government, the government says everyone can get vaccinated – Medicare, non-Medicare, private patients, non-private,” he said.
“Sometimes people ring me and say, ‘my mum doesn’t have Medicare’ and I tell them ‘well she is still human’.”
Mr Asfour said he thinks the clinic should be shut down.
“I think it’s a joke that they’re still allowed to operate,” the impassioned mayor said.
“And to take advantage of people that don’t speak English, to take advantage of people that don’t know it’s for free, well they should be put in jail themselves.
“We should throw the book at these people.”
NSW Premier Gladys Berejilkian also issued a warning today.
“Please know the vaccine is accessible and free. Anyone that’s asking you to pay is not doing the right thing,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Federal Health bosses have confirmed with A Current Affair that clinics should not be charging any fees related to COVID-19 vaccinations.
Reports of non-compliance are being investigated.
“We have people here who are losing their jobs, that are unemployed because of this pandemic, cause of this lockdown, and to have a medical clinic come out and charge people $300 to get the vaccine when it’s free … I’m absolutely livid about it,” Mr Asfour said.
Statement from a spokeswoman for the Australian Government’s Department of Health:
Could you please provide me with the amounts GPs are renumerated for administering the first and the second dose of Pfizer?
Response:
The Government has introduced 19 Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) COVID-19 items to support GPs and other medical practitioners (OMPs) in administering COVID-19 vaccines in general practice settings. These items must be bulkbilled and no other items should be billed in relation to COVID vaccines.
The MBS rebates for the COVID-19 vaccine items are the same regardless of the type of vaccine available to be administered.
All MBS item rates are available on MBS Online at www.mbsonline.gov.au
A GP providing both first and second dose services to the same patient in business hours in a metropolitan setting would receive a total of $65.50. This includes $31.05 for the first dose, $24.45 for the second, plus a $10.00 Practice Incentive Program (PIP) payment where a patient receives both their first and second dose vaccination at the same practice. A GP working in a non-metropolitan area would receive a total of $75.50. The fees that both doctors would receive are higher for vaccine suitability assessments provided after-hours.
The MBS COVD-19 In-Depth Patient Assessment items pay fees of between $31.30 and $39.10 for GPs and OMPs administering the COVID-19 vaccine, where additional assessment and advice is required. The item must be billed in conjunction with either a dose 1 or a dose 2 COVID-19 vaccine suitability assessment service.
The MBS COVD-19 vaccine flag-fall item provides a rebate of $57.25 in addition to the rebates for the MBS item vaccine assessment items. The flag-fall is payable to GPs and OMPs assessing people to receive a COVID-19 vaccination outside of their consulting rooms (for example, residential aged care facility, residential disability facility, or a patient’s home) in recognition of the increased costs involved. The flag-fall must be claimed in conjunction with either a dose 1 or a dose 2 COVID-19 vaccine suitability assessment service and can only be claimed once for each visit regardless of how many patients are assessed for COVID-19 vaccination.
Could you also please clarify whether or not GPs are allowed to charge patients any fees during the process of getting a vaccine.
Response:
The COVID-19 vaccine is free for everyone
Clinics cannot charge a patient any cost associated with the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine, including booking fees.
The Department of Health has made the requirements under the program clear with GPs and the overwhelming majority are doing the right thing.
The Department takes allegations of Medicare non-compliance by health care providers very seriously and all tip-offs will be reviewed in accordance with the Department’s compliance assessment procedures. The Department may pursue a range of responses including education, review, audit and investigation into breaches of Australian laws. Privacy and secrecy provisions set out in legislation do not allow us to provide details regarding the progress of our actions.
The Department is actively monitoring the claiming of the covid-19 vaccine administration items and practices or practitioners who bill patients inappropriately may be subject to compliance action.
Any concerns can be referred to the Department of Health’s tip-off form, www.health.gov.au/fraud-tip-offs, by email to provider.benefits.integrity@health.gov.au, or via the Provider Benefits Integrity Hotline by calling 1800 314 808 between the hours of 9am to 5pm AEST.
Additional information from the Department of Health:
The COVID-19 vaccine is free for all people living in Australia and GPs cannot charge out of pocket costs for any service provided relating to a COVID-19 suitability assessment or vaccination.
If an individual does not have a Medicare card, or is not eligible for Medicare, they can be directed to their closest Commonwealth Vaccination Clinic or State or Territory Vaccination Site. Alternatively, vaccine providers can administer the vaccine but must be free of charge.
The Department and the National COVID-19 Vaccine Taskforce (NCVTF) takes allegations of Medicare non-compliance by health care providers very seriously and all tip-offs will be reviewed in accordance with the Department’s compliance assessment procedures. The Department and NCVTF may pursue a range of responses including education, review, audit and investigation into breaches of Australian laws.
The NCVTF reserves the right to review (pause) and/or withdraw any practices from the Program where suspected non-compliance of the requirements outlined within the vaccine declaration form and ATAGI site requirements have been investigated and the actions deemed non-compliant. This includes charging patients for COVID-19 related services.
