Sleep DownUnder 2025

Thank you to all of you who attended Sleep DownUnder in Adelaide. We are working furiously behind the scenes to get attendance certificates, recordings and photos ready and will update you in the next week as soon as these are available.

Medicare compliance update

In April this year, we communicated with members in relation to upcoming Medicare compliance activities.

The Department has provided an update in relation to the timing of planned activities:

• Claiming MBS services while overseas - the department anticipates commencement of a large education campaign for specialists in November 2025. An audit program will also commence for specialists whose claiming while overseas demonstrates a more routine nature.
• MBS items 132 and 133 – the department is currently finalising treatment design for this claiming. We anticipate a significant education focus with only a small number of enforcement activities.

For both of these activities, ASA will receive notification about 2 weeks prior to the commencement of any contact with members and we will communicate that to members.

The Department has provided an overview on the background to these compliance activities, which includes data on claiming of the treatment and management plan items by sleep and respiratory physicians. Read the overview

More information about the claiming of sleep study item numbers while overseas is included in the April update article. 

For further information on this topic, please contact the CEO, Marcia Balzer.

World Sleep Society elections

Congratulations to Peter Cistulli who has been elected as the President Elect of the World Sleep Society! The Australasian Sleep Association was elected as one of five affiliate societies to nominate a member of the Governing Council. The ASA Board thanks Roo Killick for volunteering to fill this role on our association’s behalf. More info

We look forward to continued growth in the profile of Australia and New Zealand within the global sleep community through these two roles. If you’re not already a member of the World Sleep Society, you might like to consider joining as an individual member.

REM sleep without atonia survey

Sydney Local Health District and Woolcock are conducting a study on how sleep physicians and technicians approach detection, diagnosis and reporting of REM sleep without atonia (RSWA) and REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD). View the flyer for full details.

This study has been approved by the Ethics Review Committee (RPAH Zone) of the Sydney Local Health District. Any persons with concerns or complaints about the conduct of this study should contact the Executive Officer on 02 9515 6766 or [email protected] and quote protocol number X25-0252.

Health New Zealand have the following position available, positions close 2 November 2025:

• Consultant respiratory physician - Wellington Regional Hospital, Kenepuru Hospital and Hutt Hospital
• Consultant respiratory and sleep physician - Wellington Regional Hospital, Kenepuru Hospital and Hutt Hospital

ASA members can advertise career opportunities at no charge. Non-members wishing to post an advertisement should send details of the advertisement to the ASA to obtain a quote. If you wish to advertise, please email details to [email protected]