Australian Medical Association

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, today congratulated the Government and the Australian Society of Ophthalmologists on a mutually satisfactory outcome from their negotiations over changes to the Medicare rebate for cataract surgery.

Dr Pesce said that today’s resolution was, above all, a win for patients and a great relief for the thousands of people around the country who had faced uncertainty over their sight-saving operations.

“The successful outcome over this issue confirms the AMA view that there must be expert clinical input at the beginning of the process of making changes to Medicare rebates, not after the event,” Dr Pesce said.

The Government, as part of the 2007 Election Campaign, made a commitment to reform and simplify the MBS for GPs.  From 1 May 2010, GPs will receive a higher Medicare rebate for spending more time with their patients.  For further information on the simplification and to view the Government's changes to MBS GP items please click here.

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today that the ongoing chaos over Medicare patient rebates for cataract surgery stresses the need for proper meaningful consultation with the medical profession before cuts or changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) are considered, not after the event.

Dr Pesce said Parliament will rise without this matter being properly resolved and patients waiting for cataract surgery will go to Christmas and the holiday season anxious and uncertain about their sight-restoring operation.

“The AMA position is that the original rebate should have been restored while a formal consultation process with the profession was put in place to reach a workable agreed outcome for all parties, but especially for patients,” Dr Pesce said.

The AMA has prepared a list of the MBS items and the amount of the cuts to the Medicare rebates that will apply from 1 November 2009.  A template letter is available so that medical practices can inform their patients about the Government's decision to withdraw its support to patients and to obtain informed financial consent.

Figures released by the government today show the most significant fall in general practice bulk billing rates since 2003.

AMA President Dr Rosanna Capolingua said this is because the Government has failed to index the patient's Medicare rebate to keep up with the cost of living.

“Doctors and patients are shouldering the Government's failure to keep pace with the cost of delivering care,” Dr Capolingua said.