HIV & Telehealth

Telehealth is a way to access essential Medicare funded health services remotely using telephone and video technology. All general practitioners (GPs), medical specialists, and mental health or allied health professionals are able to provide phone and/or video consultations (telehealth) to any one with or without COVID-19.

All people living with HIV eligible for Medicare all Medicare are not eligible for bulkbilled telehealth services.

During these consultations you can still have your doctor prescribe your medication including HIV antiretroviral medication (s100 prescription repeats) as well as order your pathology and diagnostic imaging tests if needed. You can use telehealth to access your regular health provider (or another provider within the same practice) as long as you have seen that health provider as least once face-to-face in the last 12 months and your health has been stable during this time e.g. stable viral load and CD4 count results. If you need a physical examination, you will need to attend your appointment in person.

For more details who can use telehealth, what appointments you can access, what other services are available, how to use telehealth, and how to make a telehealth appointment, please visit the Australian Government Telehealth information page.

Positive Life will continue to offer professional and peer support by telephone, email or online as required. You are not alone.

If you are a person living with HIV feeling anxious, isolated or alone or caring for someone living with HIV and not sure where to seek help, call and speak to one of our Peer Support Officers at Positive Life NSW on (02) 8357 8386 or 1800 245 677 (free call) or email contact@positivelife.org.au