Read time:
1:30min
By Rhiannon Riches
Assistant Editor
Medicare services and expenditure on optometric items increased in 2016 compared to 2015.
In the 2016 calendar year, there were 8,670,949 Medicare services, up from 8,287,474 in 2015. Medicare expenditure rose from $371,869,199 in 2015 to $394,417,406 in 2016.
There were 35,303 services and $1,605,841 in expenditure per 100,000 people in 2016, compared to 34,241 services and $1,536,410 in expenditure per 100,000 people in 2015.
MBS rebates for foreign body removal and for telehealth services, both of which came into effect on 1 September 2015, registered 11,078 and 692 items, respectively.
More 2016 Medicare item statistics:
- 5,841,028 initial consultation
- 2,241,754 subsequent consultation
- 52,121 contact lens
- 401,328 perimetry
- 6,798 low vision
- 95,375 children’s vision
- 20,775 domiciliary
- 11,078 foreign body
- 692 telehealth