Medicare Benefits Schedule Review Taskforce Consultation

Overview

As part of the Australian Government’s Healthier Medicare initiative, the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Review Taskforce is undertaking a review of the entire MBS to ensure it reflects current best clinical practice and promotes the provision of health services that improve health outcomes. The MBS has more than 5,700 services listed, most of which have never been subject to evidence-based assessment. The Review is clinician led and is looking at opportunities for reform of the MBS over the short, medium and longer terms. As well as looking at specific MBS items, the Taskforce will also review the legislation and rules which underpin the MBS.

 An important objective of the Review will be curbing inefficiency by ensuring that low-value services—that is, services which provide no or negligible clinical benefit and, in some cases, might actually do harm to patients—are not funded, allowing Government investment to be directed to more effective, evidence-based services.

The Taskforce has released two consultation papers, one for a broad audience including health professionals and another which is more closely directed at consumers of health services. These papers set out the background and context for the Review, and focus on some specific important issues. The questions in this feedback tool are linked to sections in the consultation papers.

Why your views matter

The purpose of this consultation is to get feedback from stakeholders to inform and guide the Taskforce in its work. In particular, stakeholder feedback will help the Taskforce in identifying areas for priority action, and in developing its recommendations to the Government.

 A key element of the Review is comprehensive and regular consultation with stakeholders, including consumers of MBS services. This initial survey is only the first in what will be an ongoing series of consultation processes. This survey has two streams with different questions in each, reflecting the two consultation papers referred to above. One set of questions is directed at a broad audience including health professionals, while the other is concerned with the views of health service consumers. You will have the option of answering one or both of the survey streams. A copy of all questions from both streams is provided under the 'Related Documents' heading.

If you wish to provide input to this reviews process please answer the questions in in this feedback tool.  In addition, you may wish to provide a submission which can be uploaded at the end of the survey. 

Providing your input in the survey format will assist in collating and analysing your submissions. 

If it is not possible for you to complete the survey, you may also provide submissions to: MBSReviews@health.gov.au.

Your response and/or submission will be provided to the Australian Government Department of Health, which will collate the results for presentation to the MBS Review Taskforce.

Submissions may be published online or quoted at the discretion of the Australian Government Department of Health. Please indicate in the ‘About you’ section whether your submission includes confidential information, is not for publication or your name is not to be published with your submission.

Your name and email address is requested in case we have questions about your response.  If provided, your email may be used to inform you of further developments in the Review process including further opportunities to provide feedback.

All responses will be treated as confidential, and no personally identifying information from your response will be released to any third party unless you specify otherwise.

Important note: It is important to be aware that confidential submissions may still be subject to access under Freedom of Information law.

What happens next

Responses and/or submissions will be processed by the Australian Government Department of Health and provided to the MBS Review Taskforce for consideration.