Thirty years following the creation of Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS), a review is long overdue. CHF members believe that this review and a commitment to the regular evaluation of Medicare items is an essential to maintaining a world class health system and ensuring that funding is available for high value care.

In the initial consultation CHF undertook on the MBS Review in 2015 consumers identified a number of problems with specialist/consultant physician consultations including referrals, access and price of those consultations. Consumers indicated that they found the referral system confusing, were unsure why initial and subsequent appointments carried different fee structures and queried the need for named referrals. CHF is looking for recommendations that simplify the rebates system so that consumers could have a better understanding of the rebate which would be payable for any given consultation.

Click on the link below to read the CHF Response to the Report from the Specialist and Consultant Physician Consultation Clinical Committee