The PSR Scheme was amended in 1997 to strengthen and clarify the professional review process and to remove administrative anomalies from the Scheme by:
- repealing the statistical sampling provisions which had proved cumbersome and unworkable in practice
- streamlining PSR Committee procedures by requiring the production of documents prior to a Committee hearing and introducing penalties for contempt of a Committee
- refining the directions that may be included in PSR Determinations by providing a clearer approach to calculating the amounts of Medicare benefits to be repaid and
- increasing the maximum full period of disqualification from 6 months to 3 years, and maximum partial period of disqualification from 12 months to 3 years.