Securing an expanded Medicare schedule

Working to improve the MBS

Optometry Australia continues to advocate strongly for evolving scope of practice and for optometrists to be better utilised to combat a tsunami of predicted eye disease in Australia. A major focus for the organisation is on securing a Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) that enables patients to access the primary eye care they need within a system that supports sustainable optometry practices.

We have prioritised advocating for:

• expansion of MBS items to better support community eye health needs
• MBS optometric rebates to be aligned to CPI increases
• the reinstatement of rebates for biennial initial comprehensive examinations for all middle-aged Australians
• fairer rebates for all items that better reflect the cost of providing quality care.

A review of the full Medicare Benefit Schedule (MBS) has been underway since 2015 and Optometry Australia has delivered submissions and made presentation to the review taskforce in order to advocate for positive outcomes to the optometric schedule on behalf of optometrists. While the key recommendations have not yet been endorsed by the Federal Government, Optometry Australia has accepted an invitation to participate in an Implementation Liaison Group established by the Department of Health. The goal of this group is to support the implementation of changes to the MBS items resulting from the recommendations of the MBS Review Taskforce.