Government approves Medicare subsidies for life-saving treatments
Medicare subsidies to treat epilepsy, stroke, lymphoma, heart diseases and other life-threatening conditions have been approved by the federal government, Fairfax reports.
From November 1, women with a family history of breast and ovarian cancer will also be able to access free Medicare rebates for BRCA1 and BRCA 2 genetic testing. The tests have previously cost between $600 and $2000.
Health Minister Greg Hunt will announce on Wednesday that the federal government has approved all the latest recommendations from the independent Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC).
"The Turnbull government has a rock solid commitment to Medicare, bulk billing and the PBS and our Long Term National Health Plan will ensure that Australians will continue to be supported by one of the best health systems in the world, long into the future," Minister Hunt said.
The new Medicare subsidies include:
- Patients with slow growing non-Hodgkin lymphoma can now access PET (positron emission tomography) imaging to monitor the progress of the disease
- About 800 patients pet year will be eligible for a transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) to replace aortic valves
- Patients with irregular heart rhythm who cannot take blood-thinning medication will have access to a new service (a transcatheter occlusion) to insert a device that can lower the risk of stroke
- Around 200 stroke patients every year can access mechanical thrombectomy, a procedure that dissolves blood clots, minimises damage to the brain and improves patients' prognosis
- Epilepsy patients can access vagus nerve stimulation therapy, which is designed to prevent seizures by sending mild pulses of electrical energy to the brain via the vagus nerve
- Patients with liver tumours who cannot be treated by conventional surgery will be able to access an alternative radio frequency ablation treatment
- Pregnant women and new mothers will be serviced by better access to mental health assessments during pregnancy and in the early postnatal period