Evaluation of the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and GPs through the Medicare Benefits Schedule initiative: component B: an analysis of Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) administrative data

Tables: MBS-subsidised Social Worker Better Access services received

Page last updated: August 2010

These tables show MBS–subsidised Social Worker Better Access services received, bulk–billing rate, fees charges, benefits paid and average co–payment, by gender, age, geographical region and socio-economic disadvantage, for:

Table 4.29 MBS–subsidised Social Worker Better Access services received, bulk–billing rate, fees charges, benefits paid and average co–payment, by gender, age, geographical region and socio-economic disadvantage, 2007

Total services
N		Bulk-billed services
N		Bulk-billed services
%		Fees charged
$		Benefits paid
$		Services with co-payments
N		Services with co-payments
%		Services with co-payments
Average co-payments ($)a		Total patients
N
Age group - 0-14 years
3,527
1,039
29.5
337,894
266,606
2,488
70.5
28.65
807
Age group - 15-24 years
6,581
1,986
30.2
634,124
488,916
4,595
69.8
31.60
1,444
Age group - 25-34 years
10,889
2,850
26.2
1,066,816
799,510
8,039
73.8
33.25
2,228
Age group - 35-44 years
14,107
4,075
28.9
1,369,669
1,061,786
10,032
71.1
30.69
2,791
Age group - 45-54 years
10,402
3,383
32.5
994,495
782,402
7,019
67.5
30.22
2,093
Age group - 55-64 years
5,193
1,933
37.2
477,873
382,920
3,260
62.8
29.13
1,063
Age group - 65+ years
2,196
1,216
55.4
191,367
167,841
980
44.6
24.01
492
Gender - Male
14,286
4,982
34.9
1,362,501
1,067,497
9,304
65.1
31.71
3,151
Gender - Female
38,609
11,500
29.8
3,709,737
2,882,484
27,109
70.2
30.52
7,767
Region - Capital cities
35,627
8,685
24.4
3,609,224
2,697,401
26,942
75.6
33.84
6,739
Region - Other metro
3,048
1,422
46.7
272,303
230,705
1,626
53.3
25.58
651
Region - Rural centres
6,864
3,104
45.2
578,388
494,577
3,760
54.8
22.29
1,733
Region - Other rural areas
7,197
3,219
44.7
597,876
515,674
3,978
55.3
20.66
1,747
Region - Remote areas
159
52
32.7
14,448
11,624
107
67.3
26.39
48
SE disadvantage - Quintile 5 (Least)
18,075
2,810
15.5
1,932,294
1,391,977
15,265
84.5
35.40
3,385
SE disadvantage - Quintile 4
11,281
3,107
27.5
1,064,490
831,743
8,174
72.5
28.47
2,297
SE disadvantage - Quintile 3
9,537
4,078
42.8
756,105
700,171
5,459
57.2
28.56
2,209
SE disadvantage - Quintile 2
8,202
3,009
36.7
726,762
597,831
5,193
63.3
24.83
1,781
SE disadvantage - Quintile 1 (Most)
5,350
3,366
62.9
446,546
393,578
1,984
37.1
26.70
1,157

2007 figures have regard to all claims processed up to and including 30 April 2009.
Fees charged, benefits paid, and average copayments are expressed in 2009 dollars.
SE, Socio-economic.
a Only services for which the consumer contributed a co–payment are included in the calculation of the average co–payment.

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Table 4.30 MBS–subsidised Social Worker Better Access services received, bulk–billing rate, fees charges, benefits paid and average co–payment, by gender, age, geographical region and socio-economic disadvantage, 2008

Total services
N		Bulk-billed services
N		Bulk-billed services
%		Fees charged
$		Benefits paid
$		Services with co-payments
N		Services with co-payments
%		Services with co-payments
Average co-payments ($)a		Total patients
N
Age group - 0-14 years
5,311
1,997
37.6
480,213
394,381
3,314
62.4
25.90
1,201
Age group - 15-24 years
12,892
5,462
42.4
1,169,664
936,693
7,430
57.6
31.36
2,747
Age group - 25-34 years
21,483
7,355
34.2
2,004,820
1,534,013
14,128
65.8
33.32
4,237
Age group - 35-44 years
27,457
9,649
35.1
2,567,118
2,014,596
17,808
64.9
31.03
5,126
Age group - 45-54 years
20,131
8,077
40.1
1,845,326
1,466,245
12,054
59.9
31.45
3,812
Age group - 55-64 years
11,080
5.051
45.6
976,906
801,010
6,029
54.4
29.18
2,093
Age group - 65+ years
4,691
2,930
62.5
399,437
353,604
1,761
37.5
26.03
941
Gender - Male
28,565
12,338
43.2
2,598,123
2,084,789
16,227
56.8
31.63
6,018
Gender - Female
74.480
28,183
37.8
6,845,362
5,415,753
46,297
62.2
30.88
14,139
Region - Capital cities
70,475
24,569
34.9
6,737,843
5,206,272
45,906
65.1
33.36
12,902
Region - Other metro
6,003
2,835
47.2
510,226
429,039
3,168
52.8
25.63
1,238
Region - Rural centres
14,080
7,064
50.2
1,163,534
990,617
7,016
49.8
24.65
3,193
Region - Other rural areas
12,236
5,969
48.8
1,008,917
856,775
6,267
51.2
24.28
2,750
Region - Remote areas
251
84
33.5
22,965
17,838
167
66.5
30.70
74
SE disadvantage - Quintile 5 (Least)
32,254
6,722
20.8
3,308,708
2,431,491
25,532
79.2
34.36
5,675
SE disadvantage - Quintile 4
21,704
7,813
36.0
1,973,866
1,561,086
13,891
64.0
29.72
4,155
SE disadvantage - Quintile 3
20,081
10,163
50.6
1,736,744
1,437,329
9,918
49.4
30.19
4,224
SE disadvantage - Quintile 2
16,381
7,779
47.5
1,384,614
1,162,336
8,602
52.5
25.84
3,458
SE disadvantage - Quintile 1 (Most)
11,632
7,703
66.2
940,393
830,671
3,929
33.8
27.93
2,457

2008 figures have regard to all claims processed up to and including 30 April 2009.
Fees charged, benefits paid, and average copayments are expressed in 2009 dollars.
SE, Socio-economic.
a Only services for which the consumer contributed a co–payment are included in the calculation of the average co–payment.

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Table 4.31 MBS–subsidised Social Worker Better Access services received, bulk–billing rate, fees charges, benefits paid and average co–payment, by gender, age, geographical region and socio-economic disadvantage, 2009

Total services
N		Bulk-billed services
N		Bulk-billed services
%		Fees charged
$		Benefits paid
$		Services with co-payments
N		Services with co-payments
%		Services with co-payments
Average co-payments ($)a		Total patients
N
Age group - 0-14 years
9,208
3,490
37.9
869,417
697,012
5,718
62.1
30.15
2,040
Age group - 15-24 years
17,248
8,385
48.6
1,542,898
1,261,795
8,863
51.4
31.72
3,944
Age group - 25-34 years
28,464
10,944
38.4
2,644,022
2,056,965
17,520
61.6
33.51
5,518
Age group - 35-44 years
37,699
14,624
38.8
3,546,605
2,811,895
23,075
61.2
31.84
7,144
Age group - 45-54 years
27,562
12,144
44.1
2,534,001
2,042,277
15,418
55.9
31.89
5,256
Age group - 55-64 years
15,880
8,075
50.9
1,403,594
1,159,928
7,805
49.1
31.22
3,024
Age group - 65+ years
6,417
4,155
64.1
541,265
479,297
2,302
35.0
26.92
1,350
Gender - Male
41,765
20,083
48.1
3,791,783
3,088,189
21,682
51.9
32.45
8,806
Gender - Female
100,713
41,694
41.4
9,290,020
7,420,980
59,019
58.6
31.67
19,470
Region - Capital cities
94,801
35,739
37.7
9,122,212
7,109,084
59,062
62.3
34.09
17,514
Region - Other metro
9,090
4,476
49.2
785,693
660,533
4,614
50.8
27.13
1,913
Region - Rural centres
21,214
12,067
56.9
1,744,440
1,505,765
9,147
43.1
26.09
4,856
Region - Other rural areas
16,601
9,192
55.4
1,362,846
1,179,068
7,409
44.6
24.80
3,820
Region - Remote areas
772
303
39.2
66,612
54,720
469
60.8
25.36
173
SE disadvantage - Quintile 5 (Least)
42,974
10,507
24.4
4,427,517
3,294,820
32,467
75.6
34.89
7,667
SE disadvantage - Quintile 4
29,000
11,822
40.8
2,652,588
2,124,051
17,178
59.2
30.77
5,798
SE disadvantage - Quintile 3
26,635
13,571
51.0
2,339,667
1,934,601
13,064
49.0
31.01
5,498
SE disadvantage - Quintile 2
26,031
13,887
53.3
2,196,488
1,863,296
12,144
46.7
27.44
5,525
SE disadvantage - Quintile 1 (Most)
16,271
11,455
70.4
1,380,192
1,172,694
4,816
29.6
28.13
3,470

2009 figures have regard to all claims processed up to and including 30 April 2010.
Fees charged, benefits paid, and average copayments are expressed in 2009 dollars.
SE, Socio-economic.
a Only services for which the consumer contributed a co–payment are included in the calculation of the average co–payment.