Commonwealth Budget 2024-25 – New MBS item announced

by Skye Cappuccio
CEO, Optometry Australia
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Optometry Australia welcomes the Government’s support of our advocacy priorities outlined in tonight’s federal budget.

Importantly, announcements include funding to implement the majority of recommendations from the MBS Review Taskforce Optometry Report, including implementing a new item from March 2025 for a third visual field test in a 12-month period for patients with a high risk of glaucoma progression.

Optometry Australia actively participated in the MBS review process and the Taskforce’s recommendations align with many of the changes Optometry Australia advocated for, although not all. Optometry Australia has also been involved in discussions with the Government regarding the processes for implementing the recommendations.

Whilst the budget announcements are light on detail, other taskforce recommendations are to amend and update the wording of existing items to reflect contemporary practice and provide clarity, to amalgamate some items for administrative simplicity and to remove the requirement to bill 10912 and 10913 that a previous examination was billed in the same practice.

The Budget announcements also noted investment to “expand access to optometry services for vulnerable groups in domiciliary (home) settings.” It remains unclear exactly what this means. Optometry Australia has been actively advocating for an increase in the woefully underfunded domiciliary loading items (items 10931-10933), in order to support greater service provision to older and immobile Australians.

We will seek further advice regarding MBS item changes and will provide you with the detail you need as soon as more information is available.

In the broader health space, the health budget includes investment to support 29 further Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, increased investment in mental health care, funding to support the Government’s commitment to index Medicare items from 1 July 2024, new PBS listings and a freeze on PBS co-payments.

In a pre-Budget announcement, the Albanese Government also announced its intention to launch the Commonwealth Prac Program, effective from July 2025. The program will provide students studying teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work, access to a weekly payment when they are required to undertake placements. Optometry Australia recognises that the challenge of maintaining a liveable income confronts many optometry students on placements and is advocating for this program to be extended to also support optometry.

In support of small businesses, and of relevance to many optometry practices, the Government announced that it will extend the $20,000 instant asset write-off until 30 June 2025 for small businesses with an annual turnover less than $10 million. The asset threshold applies on a per asset basis.

The Government also announced $3 Million to amend the Franchising Code of Conduct in response to the 2023 Schaper Review and support better access to related dispute resolution.

Optometry Australia warmly welcomes these measures. We also recognise that broader change is required to ensure our health care system continues to meet the changing health, and eye health, needs of Australians and that MBS rebates better reflect the true costs of clinical care. We are committed to advocating for fairer rebates and for approaches that ensure optometrists are supported to practise to their full scope of practice for the benefit of their communities.

We will provide further details on budget measures relevant to optometry, optometrists and community eye health as they are confirmed.