Submitted to the Department of Health (February 2021).

Private health insurance providers should fund ongoing access to telehealth consultations with Accredited Practising Dietitians (APDs), as part of the dietetic services on offer, after recent data highlights the impact and popularity of the telehealth delivery system.

Insurers should increase the age of dependents and people with a disability to 31, to encourage these groups to maintain private health insurance. All dependents should be treated equally as part of this change, removing the distinction between student and non-student dependents, those with or without a partner, and specific rules for certain disabilities. A standardised approach should be adopted going forwards.

Home and community-based rehabilitation care should be expanded to include the provision of APD services, in order to better screen for malnutrition, and identify the best care options for individuals alongside medical practitioners.

Private health insurers should improve funding of mental health services, including APD services within this category. Funding should be expanded for all nutrition-related health conditions and concerns, to encourage people to seek APD services and help when needed.

Consumers should have easy access to APD services both via face-to-face consultations, and via telehealth, to provide the highest quality and most effective services and assistance on an individual basis.

For more download our full submission.