Here’s an update on a few of the issues AMA Victoria is working on for members, including:

  • Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme

  • TAC public hospital funding model implementation concerns.

 

Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme

AMA Victoria has raised concerns with the Victorian Government regarding the adequacy of support available through the Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme (VPTAS).

For many regional and rural Victorians, travel remains necessary to access specialist consultations, diagnostic services, planned surgery, chemotherapy and other hospital-based care. Victoria currently reimburses private vehicle travel at 21 cents per kilometre, compared with 40 cents in New South Wales and 34 cents in Queensland, while accommodation support is also lower than that available in several other jurisdictions.

We also argued that these arrangements are increasingly inadequate given fuel costs, accommodation costs and broader cost-of-living pressures. Members report that travel costs can affect patients' ability to attend appointments and treatment, particularly where ongoing specialist care requires repeated travel over extended periods.

AMA Victoria has called on the Victorian Government to increase travel and accommodation subsidies so Victoria provides support at least equivalent to the best supported scheme operating elsewhere in Australia and to introduce automatic annual indexation of those subsidies.

 

TAC public hospital funding model implementation concerns

AMA Victoria has sought clarification from TAC regarding concerns about implementation of its new public hospital funding model ahead of its commencement on 1 July 2026.

We understand the policy intent of the reform, including the move away from direct practitioner billing towards a bundled funding model delivered through public health services. However, concerns have emerged regarding how the model is being implemented within some health services.

Members report that some implementation approaches are proving considerably more complex than anticipated, creating additional billing, coding and administrative requirements for health services and clinicians. There are also concerns that efforts to maintain visibility over practitioner-level activity may be contributing to this complexity and undermining some of the simplicity the reform was intended to achieve.

Of particular concern are reports that, in some services, practitioner payment may be contingent upon coding completion requirements, potentially creating unnecessary payment delays and additional administrative steps between the provision of care and practitioner remuneration.

We have sought clarification from TAC regarding these issues and the implementation requirements being communicated to health services and will continue to monitor the transition as the commencement date approaches.