Medicare Benefits Schedule Review – Obsolete Items – Tranche #1

Overview

Introduction

On 22 April 2015, the Australian Minister for Health, the Hon Sussan Ley MP, announced the formation of the Medicare Benefits Schedule Review Taskforce (the Taskforce) and the Primary Health Care Advisory Group (PHCAG), as part of the Government’s Healthier Medicare initiative.

The Taskforce will review the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) in its entirety, considering individual items as well as the rules and legislation governing their application.

The Taskforce

Chaired by Professor Bruce Robinson, Dean of the Sydney Medical School at the University of Sydney, the Taskforce’s membership includes doctors working in both the public and private sectors with expertise in general practice, surgery, pathology, radiology, public health and medical administration.  There is also consumer representative on the Taskforce as well as members who have academic expertise in health technology assessment.

Vision

The Taskforce proposes that the vision for the MBS be:

The Medicare Benefits Schedule provides affordable universal access to best practice health services that represent value for the individual patient and the health system.

Why your views matter

Consultation is an important part of the MBS Review process. Prior to the MBS Review Taskforce considering recommendations from the Clinical Committees, feedback is sought to inform the Taskforce's recommendation to Government. 

With regard to consultation on obsolete MBS items identified by the Clinical Committees, the Taskforce is specifically interested in:

- whether or not you agree with the recommendation(s) of the Clinical Committee(s);

- whether you are aware of evidence which may not have been considered by the Clinical Committee(s) and which would be relevant to determining whether the item(s) are obsolete;

- what the impact of the recommendations may be on particular types of providers or consumers; and

- what the regulatory burden or cost impact may be upon providers and consumers.

 All comments and submissions received by the closing deadline will be reviewed and provided to the relevant Clinical Committee and the Taskforce.  Submissions may be made public and shared with relevant Commonwealth, State and Territory government agencies to inform consideration of any proposed changes.  If you wish for your survey response or submission to remain confidential please mark the submission as such.  It is also important to be aware that confidential responses may still be subject to access under Freedom of Information legislation.