Kia ora Practice Teams
This week’s Pānui has 3 reminders.
Increasing Patient Co-payments
We are aware a few practices have increased patient co-payments without the prior approval of Te Whatu Ora. We will be in touch with these practices to discuss the process to retrospectively gain approval. Te Whatu Ora can ask a practice to pay back additional fees charged to patients within the timeframe of “unauthorised charges”. Contractually both PHOs and Providers can increase fees if they are within the approved percentage uplift and practices are notified of the amount in June of each year and sent a template that displays how individual ages and fees can be manoeuvred to maximise the amounts. In the event a practice wishes to raise their fees, the template is completed by the practice, sent to Ashley Hulme who refers onto Te Whatu Ora who approve automatically if within the allowable increase, including any residual from previous years. If a practice wishes to raise fees beyond the allowable increase, the case will go to the Fees Review Committee.
We understand that the capitation uplift will be around 5% (as yet officially confirmed) for the 2023/24 financial year, however nurses pay parity increases will be additional to the 5%.
Please check in with ashley@aucklandpho.co.nz when/if you wish to increase practice fees BEFORE they are increased.
Ropu Nēhi (Nurse Peer Group) Zoom Meeting on
Date: Tuesday 16th May 2023 Time: 6pm-7:30pm Via Zoom Guest presenter from Te Whatu Ora Liaison Dietician Services and we encourage all nurses within the Auckland PHO network to join! Please RSVP to Komal, komal@aucklandpho.co.nz. Zoom information will be sent upon registration.
Practice Managers’ Meeting
The next Practice Manager meeting is via zoom on:
Date: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Time: 1pm – 2pm
Topic: Manage My Health, Practice Plus, Resilience Tool and transport support for patients
Please RSVP to Priscilla, priscilla@aucklandpho.co.nz. Zoom information will be sent upon registration.