The Committee recommends that the Minister for Health and Ageing place obesity on the Medicare Benefits Schedule as a chronic disease requiring an individual management plan.
Noted.
As reported in Weighing it up, the Australian Government currently provides support for individual management plans for patients with a chronic disease through the Chronic Disease Management (CDM) items in the MBS. Although the guidelines for these items do not recognise obesity as a chronic disease, there are circumstances in which a patient with obesity could be eligible for the items, such as when a patient has complications or co-morbidities that may be a result of, or exacerbated by, obesity.
All overweight and obese patients can be provided with obesity prevention and treatment advice through the general time-based GP general attendance MBS items (Level B, C and D consultations). To support these services, the Australian Government has committed $925,000 for three years from 2009-10 to review the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Overweight and Obesity. The review is being undertaken by the National Health and Medical Research Council and the revised guidelines are expected to be available in early 2013.
A survey of potential users of the new guidelines has found that many health care service providers find it difficult to encourage their patients to discuss their weight and the lifestyle changes they may need. The Australian Government encourages all Australians to talk to their doctors about their weight and if it is found to be a health concern, to pursue the services and treatments they are recommended.