EmailHospital Circular 31/2004
Date Issued: 12 October 2004
Distribution: Public Hospitals
Enquiries: Industrial Relations Branch Tel (03) 9616 2583
Subject: Dressings for Department of Veterans’ Affairs beneficiaries
Purpose: To remind hospitals of the entitlements of Department of Veterans’ Affairs beneficiaries to dressings.
The Department’s current Hospital Services Arrangement with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) provides for discharge dressings to be made available to DVA beneficiaries at no charge. The exception to this is if the hospital is participating in the “Pharmaceutical Reforms” made available via variations to the Australian Health Care Agreement and the Hospital Services Arrangement between DVA and the Department.
Hospitals participating in the “Pharmaceutical Reforms” can supply items under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) to eligible non-admitted veterans and eligible veterans on discharge. Supplies of PBS and RPBS listed items made available under the reforms attract the applicable co-payment.
It is important to note that many dressings are covered under the RPBS and veterans should be supplied with and charged the applicable co-payment for these items.
Noreen Dowd
Director, Programs
Metropolitan Health & Aged Care Services
