1:30min
Federal Minister Ken Wyatt with national CEO Lyn Brodie
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By Rhiannon Riches
Assistant Editor
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has invited Optometry Australia to be involved in a federally co-ordinated initiative to address Indigenous eye health.
The initiative will seek to overcome the inconsistent level of services spanning federal and state programs.
The topic was among those discussed when Optometry Australia national president Andrew Hogan and CEO Lyn Brodie met with Mr Hunt in Canberra last week. They also discussed how the Medicare rebate freeze was affecting optometrists and their patients, and the need to reinstate two-yearly eye examinations for people aged 40-64 years.
The meeting with Mr Hunt was one of four that took place at Parliament House on 5 September.
Mr Hogan and Ms Brodie also met with Minister for Aged Care and Minister for Indigenous Health Ken Wyatt, who was pleased that Optometry Australia is to be involved in discussions about a federally co-ordinated initiative.
Greens leader Senator Richard Di Natale met with Mr Hogan and Ms Brodie to discuss the impact of the Medicare freeze on access for patients and the need to reintroduce eye examinations every two years for 40-64-year-olds.
Ms Brodie also discussed Medicare and private health insurance with Dr Desmond Soares, an adviser to Senator Stirling Griff, a member of the Nick Xenophon Team.