REPATRIATION COMPREHENSIVE CARE SCHEME
WHAT IS THE REPATRIATION COMPREHENSIVE CARE SCHEME?
The Repatriation Comprehensive Care Scheme (RCCS) is an initiative in veteran health care, that recognises the complex health needs of the ageing veteran community and the importance of better coordination of care through Local Medical Officers (LMOs) as care coordinators.
The RCCS was introduced on 1 January 1996 as a result of a three-year Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with the Australian Medical Association (AMA) supported by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). This MOU retains fee-for-service for veteran health care, provides increased remuneration for the provision of services, sets out DVA – LMO administrative arrangements and ensures that LMOs have a much greater involvement in the coordination and continuum of veteran care.
The MOU focussed on initiatives such as annual health care planning, training for LMOs, and electronic data transfer of claims for payment. These arrangements are DVA’s response to the changing health needs of an ageing veteran community and to suggestions by many LMOs. In the past, LMOs have often expressed the view that their role as primary care practitioners and coordinators of health care has been seriously eroded by administrative arrangements and the increasing number of health professionals who provide services, often in an uncoordinated way, to the veteran and aged community. The arrangements re-establish the LMO as the cornerstone of health care for veterans.
New Memorandum of Understanding
A new MOU signed on 13 December 1999 provides further enhancements to the RCCS. These enhancements include:
- new fees
- the introduction of medication review items for LMOs
- development of educational packages for LMOs
- proposals to encourage LMOs to undertake minor surgical procedures in rooms
- simplifying the administrative requirements for LMOs participating in the RCCS
- development of enhancements for LMOs treating veterans in rural public hospitals.
If you have any questions about the RCCS you can contact the DVA Office in your State on the following phone numbers:
- Metro: 1300 550 457
- Non Metro: 1800 550 457