Getting ready to lodge maternal birth injury claims
As you may know, a proposed legislation change would mean that from October, our accident cover would include specific maternal birth injuries.
Health providers working under the Allied Health, Clinical Services, Rural General Practice, and Urgent Care Clinic contracts have this week received contract variations to allow them to lodge claims and provide treatment for these types of injuries. A new procedure code is being added for GPs working under Cost of Treatment Regulations, otherwise those working under regulations can provide treatment for these injuries using existing codes.
We’ve been discussing these changes with professional bodies, at sector conferences and with representatives on our expert advisory group. There have been a few common queries about what’s included and what’s not in the proposed legislation:
- cover for the listed injuries is available for injuries which happen on or after 1 October 2022
- claims can be lodge at any time, but should be for a diagnosed injury rather than symptoms
- birth injuries which took place before this date are not eligible for cover
- treatment injury cover remains available for birthing parents where appropriate
- babies are not included in this proposed extension of cover, but treatment injury cover remains an option for them
- as is currently the case, birthing parents can be considered for cover if they suffer a mental injury or any other physical injury caused by a covered listed maternal birth injury.
We’re preparing educational resources, including an update to our website, to help providers understand and prepare for this change. We’ll be able to share these soon.
The third and final reading of the legislation in Parliament is expected to take place on 13 September, with the Royal Assent which makes the legislation law taking place soon after.