Ensure better targeted and more effective health care, and provide certainty that the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) remains clinically appropriate, including:
* $125.6 million over 5 years from 2022-23 to improve access to primary health care services and improve clinical practice through amendments to the MBS, including: - $23.6 million to remedy previous changes to MBS orthopaedic items which have impeded patient access to orthopaedic procedures - $18.5 million for testing genetic variants in patients suspected of having either a myeloid or lymphoid haematological malignancy - $16.8 million to introduce a new MBS item for an EndoPredict gene expression profiling test to determine a patient's risk of recurrent breast cancer - $13.1 million to introduce genetic testing for hearing loss in children
* $10.9 million in 2023-24 to support the MBS Continuous Review program to ensure the MBS remains clinically appropriate.
The Government will provide $137.2 million over 5 years from 2022-23 to ensure better targeted and more effective health care, and provide certainty that the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) remains clinically appropriate, including: * $125.6 million over 5 years from 2022-23 to improve access to primary health care services and improve clinical practice through amendments to the MBS, including: - $23.6 million to remedy previous changes to MBS orthopaedic items which have impeded patient access to orthopaedic procedures - $18.5 million for testing genetic variants in patients suspected of having either a myeloid or lymphoid haematological malignancy - $16.8 million to introduce a new MBS item for an EndoPredict gene expression profiling test to determine a patient's risk of recurrent breast cancer - $13.1 million to introduce genetic testing for hearing loss in children * $10.9 million in 2023-24 to support the MBS Continuous Review program to ensure the MBS remains clinically appropriate. The Government will also achieve efficiencies of $461.3 million over 5 years from 2022-23, including: * $301.9 million over 3 years from 2024-25 by streamlining and modernising Chronic Disease Management planning items and improving associated regulations from 1 November 2024, consistent with recommendations from the MBS Review Taskforce * $151.7 million over 5 years from 2022-23 by reforming the MBS time-tiered general attendance items for general practice, including: - $250.8 million of efficiencies to introduce a minimum consultation time for Level B items for general practitioners (GPs) to promote consistency in GP billing practices, - $99.1 million to establish a new MBS item for a longer consultation of 60 minutes or more to support improved access and service affordability for patients with chronic conditions and complex needs * $6.8 million over 4 years from 2023-24 to align the MBS with contemporary practice, including: - $3.1 million to introduce testing for the quantification of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide in patients with systemic sclerosis to assess the risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension - $2.2 million to amend selected MBS Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery items and hospital requirements in line with sector advice, and to ensure patient safety is maintained - $0.8 million to clarify co-claiming restrictions to ensure patients receive the same benefits for the same services, and improve practitioner billing practices * $0.9 million over 4 years from 2023-24 by consolidating the Quality Use of Pathology Program into a redesigned Quality Use of Diagnostics, Therapeutics and Pathology Program from 1 July 2024. Health and Aged Care |