AMA submission on the surgical guides and biomodels post-listing review Stage 2 draft report

The AMA argues that given the reductions in price for SGBM listed on the PL that have already been achieved under PL reforms and the Memorandum of Understanding between the federal government and the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA), the public price in Australia, which reflects a competitive market, should be the default PL benefit for these devices. In addition, clinicians must be free to decide on the number of SGBM required to address the needs of individual patients and specific clinical circumstances.

The submission also notes that surgical guides and biomodels that are the subject of this consultation reflect only a small fraction of the SGBM in routine use by clinicians across numerous specialties in Australia, because most of them are not currently approved for listing on the PL. It cautions that the PL appears to be lagging current practice.

Finally, the AMA submission argues that great care must be taken to ensure that PL reforms advocated by private health insurers do not have the unintended consequence of putting the private health sector in a disadvantaged position compared to public hospitals, further undermining the value position of private health insurance.