OFFICIAL

 

Dear applicant,

 

I refer to your emails of the 12^th and 13^th February to the Professional
Services Review (PSR) seeking access under the Freedom of Information Act
1982 (Cth) (FOI Act) to the following documents:

 

·         correspondence to and from the AMA and RACGP in relation to the
campaign and compliance letter for the co-billing of professional
consultations and mental health items;

·         a breakdown of male and female patients within the age brackets
of 25-30, 30-35 and 35-40 who have received the co-claimed Medicare items;
and

·         a breakdown of the male and female doctors who have received
these compliance letters within the age brackets of 25-30, 30-35 and 35-40
as well as their MMM or RA classification.

 

Your requests have been transferred to the Department of Health under
section 16 of the FOI Act, as the subject matter of the documents you are
seeking is more closely connected with the functions of that agency.

 

The Department of Health FOI team will be in contact with you in the near
future about the processing of your request. You can contact the
Department of Health via email at [email address] should you have any
enquiries about your request.

 

Kind regards

 

Marco De Angelis

Case Manager

Case Management Unit

                                                                                          
 

Professional Services Review Agency

T: 02 6120 9107  |  F: 02 6120 9186

 

PO Box 74, Fyshwick ACT 2609

Level 1, 20 Brindabella Circuit, Brindabella Business Park ACT 2609

 

To find out more about the PSR Scheme visit: [1]www.psr.gov.au

To provide feedback email: [2][email address]

 

 

Classification: OFFICIAL

Classified by: [email address] on: 18/02/2020 12:53:38 PM

References

Visible links
1. http://www.psr.gov.au/
2. mailto:[email address]

OFFICIAL

 

Dear applicant,

 

I refer to your emails of the 12^th and 13^th February to the Professional
Services Review (PSR) seeking access under the Freedom of Information Act
1982 (Cth) (FOI Act) to the following documents:

 

·         correspondence to and from the AMA and RACGP in relation to the
campaign and compliance letter for the co-billing of professional
consultations and mental health items;

·         a breakdown of male and female patients within the age brackets
of 25-30, 30-35 and 35-40 who have received the co-claimed Medicare items;
and

·         a breakdown of the male and female doctors who have received
these compliance letters within the age brackets of 25-30, 30-35 and 35-40
as well as their MMM or RA classification.

 

Your requests have been transferred to the Department of Health under
section 16 of the FOI Act, as the subject matter of the documents you are
seeking is more closely connected with the functions of that agency.

 

The Department of Health FOI team will be in contact with you in the near
future about the processing of your request. You can contact the
Department of Health via email at [email address] should you have any
enquiries about your request.

 

Kind regards

 

Marco De Angelis

Case Manager

Case Management Unit

                                                                                          
 

Professional Services Review Agency

T: 02 6120 9107  |  F: 02 6120 9186

 

PO Box 74, Fyshwick ACT 2609

Level 1, 20 Brindabella Circuit, Brindabella Business Park ACT 2609

 

To find out more about the PSR Scheme visit: [1]www.psr.gov.au

To provide feedback email: [2][email address]

 

 

Classification: OFFICIAL

Classified by: [email address] on: 18/02/2020 12:53:38 PM

References

Visible links
1. http://www.psr.gov.au/
2. mailto:[email address]

Dear Dr L

 

I refer to your request of 12 February 2020 to the Department of Health
(department), seeking access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982
(Cth) (FOI Act) to the following documents:

 

‘It appears that the Professional Services Review has targeted GPs who
co-bill Mental Health and Professional Attendance medicare item numbers.

I would be very keen if you would respond with the following information
for the FY 2018-2019:

·         What is the gender split for the *patients* whereby the
co-billing have taken place? e.g. 400 male:500 female

·         What is their age group? e.g. 20-25, 25-30, 30-35, 35-40

·         What is the MMM or RA classification for the doctors co-claiming
these numbers?

 

In addition, I would be keen to request a condensed breakdown of the
patients receiving the co-claimed medicare item numbers:

·         male: female

·         age group 25-30, 30-35, 35-40 etc.

 

In the year 2020 the PSR has undertaken to send a warning letter to
doctors who co-claim a professional consultation item number (e.g. 23/36)
as well as a mental health item number.

I would like to request a breakdown of the doctors receiving these letters
as follows:

·         age group 25-30, 30-35, 35-40 etc.

·         sex male: female

·         MMM or RA classification

 

Notice of Third Party Consultation

 

It appears, from the documents to which you seek access, a third party may
reasonably wish to make a contention concerning possible exemption of some
of the documents. Accordingly, Mr Sean Lane, A/g Assistant Secretary, PBID
Compliance Analytics Branch, an officer authorised under section 23(1) of
the FOI Act to make decisions in relation to freedom of information
requests, has determined the requirements of section 27
(consultation-business documents) of the FOI Act, make it appropriate to
extend the timeframe for dealing with your request.

 

Pursuant to section 15(6) of the FOI Act, the period for providing you
with a decision has been extended by a further period of 30 days. This
means the department must, not later than 60 calendar days after the day
on which your request was received, take all reasonable steps to notify
you of a decision on your request.

 

The period of 60 calendar days is, however, suspended by virtue of the
Notice of Liability to Pay a Charge below.

 

Notice of Liability to Pay a Charge

 

Ms Casey Auld, A/g Director – Freedom of Information, an officer
authorised under section 23(1) of the FOI Act to make decisions in
relation to freedom of information charges, has decided you are liable to
pay a charge in respect of the processing of your request.

 

Preliminary Assessment

 

In accordance with section 29 of the FOI Act and the Freedom of
Information (Charges) Regulations 2019, my preliminary assessment of the
charge you are liable to pay is $52.63.

 

This has been calculated as follows:

 

search and 3.5083 $52.63
retrieval hours
time @
(including $15.00
time spent per
locating hour
relevant
files and
collating
relevant
documents
contained on
those files)
decision 2.8208 $56.42
making time hours
(including @  
time spent $20.00
examining the per ($100.00)
documents, hour
considering
exemptions,  
undertaking
consultation, Less
writing the first
decision and 5
preparing any hours
documents for free
release)
TOTAL   
    $52.63

 

Deposit

 

Ms Auld has also decided you are required to pay a deposit of $20.00.
Payment of a deposit is taken as your authority to proceed with processing
of your request and your agreement to pay the full charge in which case
you will become liable to the Commonwealth for the full cost of processing
the charge.

 

Payment

 

The department can accept credit card, money order or cheque payments.

 

If you choose to pay by cheque (personal or bank) or money order it should
be sent to the following:

FOI Unit (MDP 516)

Department of Health

GPO Box 9848

CANBERRA ACT 2601

 

If you wish to pay by credit card, please contact the department’s FOI
unit on (02) 6289 1666 to be further advised.

 

Response

 

Under the FOI Act, you have 30 days to respond in writing to this notice.
You must, within 30 days after this notice is given, do one of the
following things: (i) agree with the department’s estimate and pay the
deposit or whole charge if no deposit is listed, or (ii) advise the
department in writing you contend the charge has been wrongly assessed, or
should be reduced or not imposed, giving reasons for your contention, or
(iii) advise the department in writing you withdraw the request for access
to the documents concerned. Please send your response to the above postal
address or [1]this email address. If you do not provide a response within
30 days, your freedom of information request will be taken to have been
withdrawn.

 

If you choose to make a contention the charge should be reduced or not
imposed, the department must, in making a decision on your contention,
take into account the matters set out in section 29(5) of the FOI Act or
any relevant matter.

 

Processing time

 

Processing of your request and counting the 60 calendar days are suspended
from the date you receive this notice and resume either when you pay the
deposit or when any contention you make about the charge has been
resolved.

 

Relevant provisions

 

The FOI Act, including the provisions referred to in this email, can be
accessed from the Federal Register of Legislation website.

 

If you require clarification of any of the matters discussed in this email
you should contact the department’s FOI Unit on (02) 6289 1666, or by
email at [2][email address].

 

 

Kind regards

 

Ramona

 

FOI Unit – FOI and Legislation Support Section

[3]cid:image003.png@01D51610.1D98D220

Legal & Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group

Legal Advice & Legislation Branch

Australian Government Department of Health

T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [4][email address]

GPO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

 

The Department of Health acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of
Australia and their continued connection to land, sea and community. We
pay our respects to all Elders past and present.

 

If you receive this email in error, please delete it and contact the
sender immediately.

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References

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