Medicare to cover telehealth appointments for COVID-19 medication
Telehealth appointments for COVID-19 antiviral treatments will from next week be covered by Medicare until the end of October.
The antivirals – which recently were given expanded access under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) – must be taken within five days of the onset of symptoms, and those eligible can now claim a phone or video consultation with a doctor through Medicare following a confirmed diagnosis.
According to Mark Butler, Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, the antivirals dramatically reduce the severity of COVID-19, particularly among older people, and can prevent hospitalisation.
“People can get antivirals by a telehealth video or phone consultation with a doctor, but they need to act fast.
Prescriptions doubled for COVID antivirals in the first week of July to 14,000 per week.
Image: Ceibos/CC BY-SA 4.o
