AMA Submission - MBS Review Clinical Committee - Urology report
In December 2018, the AMA President, Dr Tony Bartone, wrote to the Chair of the MBS Review Taskforce, Prof Bruce Robinson to provide feedback on the MBS Review Clinical Committee Report on Urology.
In its submission, the AMA strongly opposes the recommendation to restrict claiming of some surgical procedures to a maximum of three MBS items.
Furthermore, the AMA reiterates that the MBS Review must not be a savings exercise.
It is concerning to the AMA when the principle of cost neutrality is applied in the MBS Review recommendations.
Accordingly, the AMA notes Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ) disagreement with the review recommendation for a 20% reduction in the rebate for transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided biopsy of the prostate, which offsets a proposed 20% increase in an updated transperineal descriptor for prostate biopsy (due to its impact on certain patient groups).
The AMA urges the MBS Review Taskforce to consider USANZ’s position, that uninsured and regional/remote patients with limited access to facilities that support transperineal biopsy, will be the group most disadvantaged by this recommendation.