Reports of financial harms experienced by patients who have used significant amounts of superannuation to fund dental and medical treatments are deeply concerning, say Ahpra and the Dental and Medical Boards of Australia.
Compassionate release of superannuation (CRS), administered by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), is an important safety net for access to urgent healthcare for people who cannot otherwise afford it, however it can also have significant long-term financial impacts on individuals’ superannuation outcomes. It is important that it is used appropriately and that patients are clearly informed of potential risks.
The significant increase in approvals for the use of CRS for dental treatments in recent years raises concerns that some practitioners may be placing profits over patient care.
Ahpra and the Dental and Medical Boards of Australia are working with other regulators including the ATO to understand the recent growth in applications to use CRS to fund treatment and identify any concerns about inappropriate conduct.
Under close examination is the practice of practitioners with high rates of report writing that indicate inappropriate patient assessment may be occurring.
“We are deeply concerned by reports that some practitioners may be putting their own financial gain ahead their patients’ best interests,” Ahpra CEO Justin Untersteiner said.
“We’re working with the ATO to identify any potential predatory practice. Practitioners are on notice that we will take action to protect the public.”
The Dental and Medical Boards of Australia remind practitioners of their ethical obligations under their Codes of conduct.
Practitioners are expected to:
- put their patients’ best interests first, providing treatment options that are based on the best available information and are not influenced by financial gain or incentives,
- be honest and not misleading when writing reports to support the release of superannuation,
- make sure that patients understand the costs of treatment, before starting treatment, and
- make sure patients understand the risks of treatment.
