NEWS 5
Medicare rejection hits nerve
|
Geir O ’ Rourke SKIN cancer doctors have lost a
human anatomy battle with Medi-
|
item for infraorbital nerve blocks during procedures to remove skin cancers on patients ’ faces . |
rebates and banned from using the item for between six and 36 months .
But the skin cancer college
|
|
|
said doctors performing an infraorbital nerve block should claim MBS item 18236 . |
ALAMY |
care , after it ignored arguments that |
At the time , the item ’ s descriptor |
insisted their Medicare claims were |
|
|
This covered anaesthetic injec- |
|
the infraorbital nerve is a primary |
said it was for “ injection of an anaes- |
based on an anatomically correct |
tions into peripheral branches of the |
|
branch of the trigeminal nerve . |
thetic agent into a primary division |
interpretation of the item descrip- |
trigeminal nerve and an out-of-hos- |
|
The debate first began three years |
of the trigeminal nerve ”. |
tor — a view it said was backed |
pital rebate . |
|
ago after three skin cancer doctors |
What was not stated in the |
by the Australian and New Zea- |
But it has now introduced a dif- |
|
were investigated by the Professional |
descriptor was that under Medicare |
land College of Anaesthetists ’ |
ferent fix , giving item 18234 a new |
|
Services Review for claiming MBS |
rules , the infraorbital nerve was not |
recommended text Anatomy for |
descriptor that explicitly states it |
|
item 18234 alongside items for skin |
considered a primary branch of the |
Anaesthetists . |
can only be claimed for anaesthetic |
|
excisions and GP attendances . |
trigeminal nerve . |
The Department of Health never |
injections into the nerve ’ s primary |
|
The Skin Cancer College Austral- |
As a result , the doctors were told |
revealed which authority it relied on |
branches , which are the ophthalmic , |
|
asia said the doctors were billing the |
to repay $ 1.2 million in Medicare |
for its alternative view , although it |
maxillary and mandibular . |
|
|
|
|
|
Lend it like Beckham : Doc uses his Insta |
6 out of 10 Patients with osteoporosis aren ’ t being treated for it . 1-6 DEXA Scan all at-risk patients over 50 without delay . 7 SCAN . STRENGTHEN . 8 PROTECT . 9
with osteogenesis imperfecta ; Prolia is not indicated in paediatric patients . ADVERSE EFFECTS : Common : hypercholesterolaemia , eczema , fracture , back pain , arthralgia , nasopharyngitis , pain in extremity , osteoarthritis , bronchitis , hypertension , headache , dyspepsia , urinary tract infection , upper abdominal pain , bone pain and alopecia . DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION : Single subcutaneous injection of 60 mg , once every 6 months . Ensure adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D . No dose adjustment required in the elderly or in renal impairment . PRESENTATION : Pre-fi lled syringe with automatic needle guard . Minimum PI Version 5 . Refer to full Product Information before prescribing – available from Amgen Australia Pty Ltd . Ph : 1800 803 638 or at www . amgen . com . au / Prolia . PI
References : 1 . Watts JJ , et al . Osteoporosis costing all Australians - A new burden of disease analysis 2012 to 2022 . Osteoporosis Australia , 2013 . 2 . Amgen Australia , Data on File , 2020 ( patients not treated ). 3 . Australian Bureau of Statistics . Estimated Resident Population , 2018 . Available at www . abs . gov . au / AUSSTATS / abs @. nsf DetailsPage / 3101.0Jun % 202018 ? OpenDocument . Accessed 30 January 2020 . 4 . Henry MJ , et al . Med J Aust 2011 ; 195 : 321 – 22 . 5 . Australian Bureau of Statistics . 2017-18 National Health Survey . Available at www . abs . gov . au / ausstats / abs @. nsf / mf / 4364.0.55.001 . Accessed 30 January 2020 . 6 . Medicare Australia dataset up to Oct 2020 extrapolated ( 2020 / MI8392 ), received 12 / 20 . 7 . Healthy Bones Australia . Bone density testing in general practice . Available at : https :// healthybonesaustralia . org . au / wp-content / uploads / 2021 / 03 / HBA-GP-Bone-Density-brochure-v1 . pdf . Accessed : 5 December 2021 . 8 . Torring O . Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis 2015 ; 7 : 88 – 102 . 9 . Bone HG , et al . Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2017 ; 5:513 – 23 .
AAP DAVID Beckham has handed control of his Instagram account and its 71 million followers to a Ukrainian doctor working in the city of Kharkiv .
The former footballer said he wanted to highlight the work of medical staff caring for patients amid the Russian invasion .
Paediatric anaesthetist Iryna — identified only by her first name — posted clips and images through his account , showing how the war had affected the work of her team .
“ Today , I ’ m going to show you how we work in times of war and who we have become during these war days ,” said Iryna , who is head of the regional perinatal centre .
She shared videos showing a basement where pregnant women and new mothers were evacuated during the first days of the war , a neonatal intensive care unit and oxygen generators donated by UNICEF .
Iryna said she had been working 24 / 7 , adding : “ We are probably risking our lives , but we don ’ t think about it at all . We love our work .”
She also posted about a mother , Yana , and her baby son Mykhailo , who was born with breathing problems on the second day of the war , and whose family home has been destroyed during the fighting .
She said the child was doing “ better now ”.
A former Manchester United star , Mr Beckham has been an ambassador for UNICEF since 2005 .
He urged his followers to donate to the charity , which is working in Ukraine to provide families with access to clean water and food , and ensure child protection services continue to function .
Amgen Australia Pty Ltd , Sydney NSW 2000 . ABN 31 051 057 428 . Medical Information : 1800 803 638 . Phone : + 61 2 9870 1333 . www . amgen . com . au . AU-16751 . Approved : March 2022 . AMG3840 _ ADG _ Fireplace _ Kitchen .
Ukrainian paediatrician Iryna .