Fright For Sore Eyes As Test Rebate Abolished
Sydney Morning Herald
Tuesday August 17, 1993
Everyone except health card holders will have to pay the full cost of eye tests from November because of the Federal Government's decision to abolish Medicare rebates for optometrists.
Under the old scheme, the Medicare rebate for the initial consultation with an optometrist was $42.10.
The Government has also moved to stop people switching from optometrists to ophthalmologists. Benefits for eye tests that result in glasses from these specialists will be not be paid either.
More than 2.4 million people visit optometrists every year to have their eyes tested for glasses, and common diseases such as glaucoma and diabetes are often detected. Half the population wears glasses.
The Australian Optometrical Association claims that under the Medicare rebate people pay an average of $1 for a visit to an optometrist and $18 for a visit to an ophthalmologist. Under the new arrangements, people will pay about$50 for eye tests, plus the cost of the spectacles.
The Minister for Health, Senator Richardson, said the changes would save the Government $48.6 million this financial year and $90 million next financial year.
"There has been huge growth in these services over the last few years, only some of it attributable to the aging of the population," Senator Richardson said in a statement. "The Government has to take measures to curtail claims in this area, and so we have decided to target public subsidies to those whose need is greatest, including pensioners and health card holders."
© 1993 Sydney Morning Herald
