Eye Services Cut From Medicare
The Age
Tuesday August 17, 1993
Australians without health care cards will no longer be able to claim eye tests and other optometry services on Medicare in a move that will save the Federal Government almost $140million over the next two years.
Consultations by ophthalmologists and optometrists for the prescription of glasses or contact lenses to patients without health care cards will be excluded from the medical benefits schedule from 1 November.
Under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, more than 200,000 superannuants who do not receive pensions will be able to buy their approved medicines at concessional rates at a cost of about $140million over the next four years.
For general patients under the scheme, the threshold after which their script charges fall from $16 to $2.60 will increase from $312.30 a year to $400 from January, saving the Government about $32million in 1994-95.
Now, after a patient has paid $364, scripts are free.
Holders of health care cards will benefit from the Government's $278million dental health program that starts next year. The scheme aims to improve emergency dental care and provide a range of education and preventive services.
As part of its election promises, the Government will also crack down on Medicare fraud and overservicing by doctors in a bid to save $80million over the next two years.
In cooperation with the Australian Medical Association, the Government will introduce a peer review scheme to investigate doctors suspected of overservicing.
The Government hopes to boost its information sharing with the states to stamp out inappropriate Medicare benefit payments.
Legislation will also be introduced to crackdown on ``double-dipping" by compensation recipients who get funding to cover health costs as well as subsidies through Medicare and other Commonweath programs.
As part of a $160million package to improve basic health care services, $100million will be allocated to private and public hospitals over the next four years to devise ways of improving the use of hospital and surgical resources.
In September, private hospitals will be asked to tender for the treatment, accommodation and care of public patients needing elective surgery.
The Government will double funding for terminally ill patient care with a $55million injection over the next four years.
Over the next four years, the Government will cut funding to nursing homes by about 0.3 per cent a year. Under a $21million community aged care package, people who need residential care will receive help to stay in their homes.
© 1993 The Age
